Analog Lounge · Serial numbers
Published postwar reference points can help date historical Voigtländer lenses from Braunschweig. This lookup places suitable lens serial numbers within that limited table.
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Check a historical Voigtländer lens number
JavaScript is required for the automatic lookup. The underlying data are also available in the tables below.
Only historical Braunschweig lenses in the selected postwar numbering system are covered. Cosina Voigtländer, later uses of the brand, camera bodies and uncertain origins are excluded.
Which numbers can be dated?
The lookup uses nine reference points from Table 2 in Arne Cröll's study, from 2,700,000 / July 1945 to 7,449,000 / September 1972. The author states that the table is based on historical production lists.
An exact match shows the published entry. Numbers between entries receive an approximate period without linear interpolation. For 3,500,000, the source gives only 1952; no month is added. No year is estimated outside the table.
View the reference data
| Reference number | Dated reference entry |
|---|---|
| 2,700,000 | July 1945 |
| 3,000,000 | November 1947 |
| 3,500,000 | 1952 |
| 4,000,000 | January 1956 |
| 5,000,000 | December 1959 |
| 6,000,000 | March 1962 |
| 7,000,000 | December 1966 |
| 7,300,000 | March 1970 |
| 7,449,000 | September 1972 |
Frequently asked questions
Does this work for modern Voigtländer lenses?
No. Cosina Voigtländer products and later uses of the brand name are excluded. Matching digits alone do not establish that a lens comes from historical Braunschweig production.
How precise is the dating?
It is a guide based on published reference points, not an individual production record. Number 3,500,000 is listed only under 1952; no month is given.
Why is no result available?
The number may be outside the selected table, incomplete or part of an unsupported numbering system. No historical date is assigned when the manufacturing period is uncertain.
Sources and accuracy
Source: Arne Cröll, Voigtländer Large Format Lenses from 1949–1972, version of 10 August 2020, Table 2 on page 5. The author cites Thiele's Fabrikationsbuch Photooptik – Voigtländer (2004) as its basis. Reviewed on 21 October 2026.
Sources reviewed: 21.10.2026
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