The Lilliputian Visionary
In a world obsessed with gargantuan apertures, the Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 ASPH (Gen 1) whispers heresy. At 150g—lighter than a roll of Tri-X—this L39-mounted David defies Goliath-sized expectations. Born in 2000 as Cosina’s love letter to analog guerrillas, it thrives where modern wides fear to tread: coat pockets, cramped alleys, and the restless hands of street shooters who value stealth over specs.
Minimalist Precision
- Miniature Alchemy
- Dimensions: 52mm x 25mm (2.05″ x 0.98″)—smaller than a matchbox
- Weight: 150g (5.3oz)—featherlight enough to forget it’s there
- Mechanical Pragmatism
- Focus: Zone-only (no RF coupling)—f/8 @ 1m = hyperfocal freedom
- Aperture: 10-blade iris slicing light into geometric poetry
- Adaptation Magic
- L39 to M: 1mm adapter transforms it into M-mount Batman.
- Viewfinder: Optional 15mm optical finder (discontinued post-Gen 1)
Optical Scripture
- Center Sharpness
- Film/APS-C: Cracks Adox CHS 100 like a diamond cutter
- Full-Frame Digital: Edges rebel (M9 shows magenta cast*), center holds firm
*(Cosina’s original sin pre-Gen 3 coatings)
- Color Signature
- Velvia 50 Rendering: Electric blues, ochres glowing like autumn leaves.
- B&W Drama: Micro-contrast replicating Daido Moriyama’s grain obsession
- Distortion Dichotomy
- Lab Charts: 0.5% barrel—engineer’s pride
- Real World: Buildings lean like drunken salarymen—this is the way
Generational Wars
| Aspect | Gen 1 (2000) | Gen 3 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Matchbox | Soup can |
| Coatings | Single-layer nostalgia | ASPH + 7-layer armor |
| Digital Friendliness | M8/M9: Edge chaos | Full-frame harmony |
| Soul | Kerouac’s beat poetry | GPT-4 generated sonnet |
Street Chronicles
Scene 1: Urban intersection with two elderly men on bikes
- f/5.6 @ 1.5m: Their smiles as warm as a summer’s day, bicycles loaded with stories.
- LEICA M8 @ 400: Monochrome tones adding a timeless touch, reminiscent of classic street tales.
Scene 2: Pachinko parlor neon rain
- Zone Focus: f/4 @ 1.5m—The boy’s smile stands out against the busy storefront backdrop
- Digital Shot: Standard crop, captures the vivid colors of the drink can and store signs—urban details in focus
The M8 Paradox
Pairing this 15mm with a Leica M8 (≈21mm equivalent) is like teaching ballet to a rugby player—possible, but spiritually challenging. Yet therein lies the magic:
- 0.7m Minimum Focus: Intimacy forbidden to Leica wides
- No RF Coupling: Forces mosh pit-style crowd immersion (where personal space vanishes)
Pro Tips for Wide-Angle Heretics
- Film Choice: Rollei Retro 80s—its extended red sensitivity loves Cosina’s coatings
- DIY Filter Hack: Gelatin cutouts + rubber band = instant color effects
- Zone Focus Presets: Paint distance marks with nail polish (f/8=green, f/16=red)
Who Should Buy This?
✓ Urban Poets: Framing chaos into 15mm snapshots
✓ Analog Minimalists: Building “fit-in-a-cigarette-pack” kits
✓ Distortion Fetishists: Who see leaning towers as features, not bugs
Avoid If: You pixel-peep edges or need autofocus training wheels.
Final Verdict: The People’s Ultra-Wide
The Gen 1 15mm f/4.5 is Cosina’s accidental masterpiece—a $400 ticket to optical anarchy. For the price of a Summicron hood, you get:
- 90% drama of Leica 21mm(with M8) at 20% bulk
- Permission to fail spectacularly
- Proof that photography thrives at society’s edges
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (for poets) | ⭐⭐/5 (for lab rats)
“A lens that snickers: ‘Rules? I ate them for breakfast.’”
