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The following chart presents a comparison between the tested Apo Lanthar 2/28 and other lenses with the same parameters that are designed to cooperate with full frame mirrorless cameras.

As you can notice, this group is not big but certainly diverse. Next to small, shapely constructions such as both Voigtlanders and the Sony model, you also get such a huge instrument as the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28 mm f/2 ASPH.

The Apo Lanthar sticks out with the number of aperture blades, but its minimum focusing distance lags a bit behind the rest.

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In the photo below, the Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 28 mm f/2 Aspherical is positioned between the reflex camera Canon EF 35 mm f/2 USM and the Apo Lanthar 2/50. It's interesting that the 2/28 model, despite the widest angle of view and the same aperture fastness, is the smallest instrument in this group.

The tested lens starts with a metal mount that surrounds contacts and a rear element, 20 mm in diameter. On the metal edge of the mount you see the serial number of the lens and an inscription, 'COSINA CO.,LTD'. A rear element is surrounded by a black, well matted material. When the focus is set at infinity, the element is situated several millimeters above the contacts; when you pass to the minimum focusing distance, it hides inside a bit over 1 cm.

The proper body of the lens is made of metal and starts with an immobile ring as wide as 10 mm. On the ring you find a depth of field scale with markings at f/16, f/11, f/8, f/5.6, and f/4.0 (mind you the f/5.6 marking is not signed because of the lack of space). The whole circuit of the ring features narrow ribbing that is supposed to ensure a firmer grip. Above the ribbing you see 28 meaning the focal length of the lens, a white dot, making an alignment with a camera easier, and an inscription “E-mount” and then another inscription “Lens made in Japan”.

A manual focus ring takes up most of the space on the body of the lens, as it is 23 mm wide. The middle of the ring features distinct ribbing with well pronounced grooves for a better grip. Underneath, you see a distance scale expressed in feet and meters. The ring moves evenly and is properly damped; running through the full distance scale needs a turn through an angle of as much as 140 degrees or so, more than enough for comfortable focusing.

Turning the manual focus ring moves the whole optical system so the whole front part of the lens with the front element extends forward.

An aperture ring, as wide as 14 mm, is the next part of the barrel. It is covered by fine ribbing for a better grip and it moves every 1/3 EV step.

The lens ends with an immobile part of the barrel but without a typical hood mount because in this case the hood is of the screw-in type.

The front element is 24 mm in diameter and slightly convex. It is surrounded by a part of the body with inscriptions stating the name and parameters of the lens along with a non-rotating filter thread, 49 mm in diameter.

I had an opportunity to test this lens during the worst cold snap that came to Poland at the turn of January and February 2026, with temperatures outside falling below -15°C and the apparent temperature being well below -20°C. In these harsh conditions the lens fared exceedingly well, with both rings moving very smoothly. To be honest, the performance outdoors was comparable to the performance in our studio. Of course, moving the narrow aperture ring in thick gloves might be a challenge; mine were, fortunately, relatively thin and I didn't notice any discomfort.

When it comes to the optical construction, you deal here with 12 elements positioned in 8 groups. Six elements are made of abnomal partial dispersion glass, and two are double-sided aspherical. Inside, you can also find an aperture with as many as 12 blades, which can be closed down to a value of f/16.

Buyers get in the box with the lens a metal hood and both caps.