Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH Lens Review
Introduction
Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens is the fastest lens produced at 35mm focal length. It has nine elements in 5 groups with one aspherical surface and 6-bit coding to transfer metadata to Leica’s digital cameras.
Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens is the premium version of Leica’s 35mm lenses, the other being Leica Summicron f/2.0 ASPH. Although there is only one stop difference between the two lenses, there are significant differences in their design.
Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens is perhaps the most popular lens among Leica’s premium lenses. Due to its price, most first time buyers often opt to go with Summicron version of the 35mm focal length.
The size and weight of this lens are significantly less than a comparable DSLR lens. Professional photographers and journalists favor this lens due to its subtle look, as large DSLR cameras and lenses often attract unwanted attention. The compact look of Leica’s rangefinder camera coupled with a Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens allows a photographer or journalist the ability to capture photographs even under low light situations.
The weight of Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens is 320 grams or 11.3 onz., and 46mm filters can be used to allow photographing under harsh sunlight with wide open aperture. This lens will show some vignetting when the lens is used at its widest aperture yet the distortion is minimal even at f/1.4.
Those who choose this lens for nonprofessional reasons can also benefit from the wide aperture by taking portraits or in isolating subjects from the background. In this regard, Summilux has a distinct advantage over Summicron 35mm f/2.0 ASPH because bokeh is significantly more pronounced with Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens.
Leica describes this lens as suitable to photograph landscape by stopping down as far as f/16. Although this lens can be used to shoot at the smallest aperture, its performance will increase as the aperture is allowed to be opened for capturing clear images.
At f/16 the sharpness suffers as diffraction sets in a while at apertures of f/4 or f/5.6 the sharpness reaches its peak. Most often the lens will not require the lens to be stopped down to f/16 even under intense sunlight.
Most professionals will probably prefer to use this lens wıth wide open aperture as the lens truly deliver remarkable results. Although there are other rangefinder lenses available for Leica’s M mount rangefinder cameras, Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens holds its place as the epitome of lens design at 35mm focal length.
As far as competition for this rangefinder lens is concerned, Zeiss produces 35mm f/1.4 Distagon T* ZM Lens which is also a very solid built lens delivering exceptional results while differing significantly in the way the lens captures photographs. If you are interested in learning how Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 Distagon ZM lens compares to Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens, you can read our comparative review on our website.
Another important lens manufacturer that is in direct competition with this lens is Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 which costs a fraction of Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens but manages to deliver incredible results. If you would like to know more about how Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 compares with Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens, you can read it on our website as well.
Voigtlander Nokton Aspherical 35mm f/1.2 Lens II is another lens in the market that offers amazing results, also being a faster lens than Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens. We also will be publishing a review of these two lenses compared side by side.
Availability of these other fast lenses in the market allows first-time buyers of Leica rangefinder cameras options to select lenses at a fraction of the cost of a Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens. However, Leica has a stronghold in branding and performance which other rangefinder lens manufacturer often find impossible to compete with effectively.
For example, an aspherical coating on one lens element in Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens allows chromatic aberration to be minimized. Other lens manufacturers did not offer this for a long time. Now, lens manufacturers like Voigtlander offer aspherical coatings on lens elements which significantly improves image quality.
Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens has a minimum focus distance of 70cm., while other manufacturer’s lenses have about the same minimum focus distance. Previous versions of Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lenses also featured 0.7-meter minimum focus distance but had different designs with regards to some elements and groups within their built.
Current lens designs of Leica are optimized to provide high-resolution digital photographs, in which the lens limitations are ‘corrected’ by the camera. This approach to lens engineering makes the latest lineup of lenses from Leica better suited for use on digital M cameras than older versions.
Zeiss, on the other hand, has also been producing lenses for the different camera makes and has designed some of the most sought after lenses in the market with regards to quality and resolving power. This know-how has recently been translated into the latest and fastest 35mm lens for Leica M mount cameras with a minimum aperture of f/1.4. Accordingly, Zeiss lenses also feature improvements that optimize the lens for use with digital cameras.
Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens, however, will most likely continue to dominate the market with their high-quality lenses. Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens, being their fastest lens, will remain in production for many years to come while other manufacturers will probably introduce faster 35mm focal length lenses in the upcoming year or two. This should eventually lead Leica to produce faster lenses through advancements in technology and engineering.
I believe lens manufacturers can’t sell the same lenses year after year as they had done in the past but must adapt to competition from other lens and camera manufacturers. Leica’s introduction of various new lens designs in 2008 and onwards signal that a new era of faster, sharper and high resolving power lenses have begun and is here to stay.
If you are considering to buy this lens the reviews, you will find from users as well as the track record of decades of production would be sufficient to assure you that you have made a sound decision by purchasing a brand with high-quality products.
However, if you are weighing other lenses with similar characteristics at 35mm focal length, then you can find our comparative reviews on our website to help you make a more informed decision.
Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens can be purchased used or new, here I have provided links for the best online sites. Most are authorized dealer and the others are reputable dealers. I have also included a list for other alternative lenses that perform well.
Here is the link for the Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens and other lenses mentioned in this article.
Here are some links to get the best prices on some of the best 35mm lenses:
Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH Lens (Black)
Leica Summarit-M 35mm f/2.4 ASPH. Lens (Black)
7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f/2 Lens
Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Trioplan 35+ 35mm f/2.8 Lens
Handevision IBERIT 35mm f/2.4 Lens
Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.2 Aspherical II Lens
Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f/2.5 P II Lens
Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 MC Lens
Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens
ZEISS C Biogon T* 35mm f/2.8 ZM Lens (Black)
ZEISS Biogon T* 35mm f/2 ZM Lens (Black)
ZEISS Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4 ZM Lens
Other Wide Angle Lenses (Recommended *)
Leica Summicron M 28mm f/2.0 ASPH lens
Leica Summicron M 28mm f/2.0 ASPH lens (Used)
Leica Summilux M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH lens
Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH lens
Leica Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 lens
Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2 Lens
ZEISS Biogon T* 28mm f/2.8 ZM Lens (Black)
7artisans Photoelectric 28mm F1.4 Leica M Mount
Handevision IBERIT 24mm f/2.4 Lens for Leica M (Silver)
Leica Elmar-M 24mm f/3.8 ASPH. Lens
Leica Summilux-M 24mm f/1.4 ASPH. Lens
Leica Super-Elmar-M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH. Lens
Leica Summilux-M 21mm f/1.4 ASPH. Lens
Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 P Lens
Voigtlander Ultron 21mm f/1.8 Lens
ZEISS Biogon T* 21mm f/2.8 ZM Lens (Silver)
ZEISS Biogon T* 21mm f/2.8 ZM Lens (Black)
ZEISS C Biogon T* 21mm f/4.5 ZM Lens (Black)
Leica Cameras:
Used Leica Cameras:
For my upcoming 2019 photography workshops, here are the links
We offer photography workshops around the world specializing in Leica cameras and lenses. You are invited to take part in one because what you gain from a dedicated photography workshop for Leica cameras and lenses. The tips and techniques you will learn in these workshops will take your photography to the next level also will stay with you for a lifetime. We look forward to hearing from you.
I hope you have enjoyed this part of our review of Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens. If you would like to know more about this lens, please read the next part of our review.
As always, if you have any comments please write to us.
Thank you
Oz Yilmaz
Leica Review Team