Voigtländer’s 90mm f/4 adds 0.5m close focus to Leica M

By Tom Whitfield

Voigtländer’s APO-Lanthar 90mm f/4 Close Focus VM is now available to pre-order in the UK for £599 through Red Dot Cameras, although the announcement provides no shipping date. Cosina announced the lens in July, but the source gives no year.

The manual-focus short telephoto targets Leica M photographers with apochromatic optics and a two-stage focusing mechanism. For working photographers, the proposition is one lens spanning portrait framing and close details rather than another specialized purchase. The catch: that business case depends on the claimed performance holding up under testing.

What does 0.5m focusing change?

At its closest focusing distance, the lens focuses at 0.5m and reaches 0.28x maximum magnification. Its mechanical rangefinder coupling stops at 0.7m; a click marks that limit. Beyond it, photographers use live view on a compatible digital Leica M or an M-mount adapter on another mirrorless system.

Cosina describes the 0.28x ratio as “exceeding 1/4-macro capabilities.” The source says that makes the lens useful for smaller objects, food and other details without a dedicated macro lens. Those remain supplier and editorial claims; no measured comparison accompanies them.

For a photographer handling food, product or editorial detail work, the practical benefit would be broader job coverage from a 90mm. But “without a dedicated macro lens” should not be read as a tested replacement claim: the announcement provides no measured sharpness or aberration results for close focus.

In plain terms: 0.5m focus may let one lens earn its keep across more client jobs, but independent tests still have to prove the close-up quality.

Do the optics justify the £599 price?

The APO-Lanthar designation indicates an optical design intended to minimize chromatic aberration and color fringing. Cosina says the apochromatic construction “minimizes axial chromatic aberration to near zero,” while pursuing high resolution and consistent contrast. The optical prescription comprises eight elements in seven groups.

The company also says six of the eight elements, across six groups, use abnormal partial dispersion glass. That claim needs test images rather than acceptance, especially because close-focus performance sits at the center of the product proposition. No independent results appear in the announcement.

The published specifications list:

• 90mm focal length and an f/4–f/22 aperture range
• A 10-blade diaphragm
• A 27.5° angle of view
• An imaging circle covering the full 35mm frame
• A bayonet-type VM mount compatible with Leica M

Cosina calls the package “astonishingly compact” and says image quality remains sharp during close-up photography. Those are testable claims, but the source publishes no charts, sample images or third-party results. It also calls the maximum f/4 aperture relatively modest compared with faster portrait lenses, with the smaller optical design helping keep overall size and weight down.

In plain terms: the specification sheet is persuasive on paper, while Cosina’s image-quality claims still need independent scrutiny.

What does the lens add to a working kit?

The lens measures 53 × 54.8mm, with 54.8mm representing its length from the mount. It weighs 235g, accepts 43mm screw-in filters and complements the compact proportions of Leica M bodies. Both black and silver finishes are available.

A metal lens hood and cap are included. Cosina says the hood blends with the lens body, protrudes about 9mm from the filter ring and reduces interference with the frameline while preserving flare reduction. Its compact shape may matter to photographers carrying a full M-mount setup between assignments.

Manual focus uses a precisely machined, adjusted all-metal helicoid lubricated with high-quality grease. Cosina says that combination delivers smooth focusing torque and precision, while a high-precision rangefinder coupling supports conventional focusing through the coupled range. The practical workflow therefore shifts from rangefinder focusing to live view as subjects move inside 0.7m.

In plain terms: the lens fits a compact Leica M kit, but its close-focus advantage depends on switching from the rangefinder to live view.

Should UK photographers commit at pre-order?

The £599 price works out to roughly £50 per month under simple 12-month amortization, giving studios a clearer view of the capital commitment. It does not provide a financing quote or delivery guarantee, however, and Red Dot Cameras is the only UK retailer named.

The announcement provides no dispatch date, warranty terms, measured performance results or broader stock information. Cosina’s official Voigtländer product page carries additional technical details, but it does not close those commercial gaps in the source. For freelancers whose booked work does not require close focus, waiting for a firm delivery date and independent tests is the more disciplined purchasing decision.

In plain terms, the next test is a firm UK delivery date plus independent close-focus results; only then can working photographers judge whether the lens saves on kit spending or adds another £599 commitment.