Leica M lenses have always been known to be among the best in the world. The APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 certainly continues this tradition. At the same time, its extraordinary optical performance places the new addition in a league of its own – even among M lenses. With a closest focusing distance that is notably short for the M-System, exceptionally sharp rendition, distinctive bokeh and high light sensitivity, this masterpiece of German engineering enables photographers to work even more creatively – not just with the Leica M, but also with the Leica SL2 and SL2-S.
A closer look.
The APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. quite literally goes one step further, by facilitating true close-up shots. Its minimum focusing distance of just 30 centimetres surpasses all previous M lenses. A floating lens element ensures exceptional rendition quality across the entire image at all distance settings.
Striking portraits.
British photographer Huw John found the APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. equally suited to capturing portraits. “It’s amazing how thin the depth of focus is. You get insane focus on the eyelashes, then it drops off. Looking at this 100% crop, I would swear that it could have been taken with a focal length of 85 or even 105 mm!”
Portraiture with the APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. takes on a new dimension with stylish bokeh. Add the new close focus capability and this lens becomes a real all-rounder, with beautiful colour rendition and stunning sharpness and definition. This could well be the only lens you need!”
Huw John
Huw John is a full-time photographer based in Cardiff, Wales. He has three decades of experience working for leading brands and organisations in the fields of film & TV, editorial and corporate PR.
His approach is not to actively chase his images, but to discover them through observation: once something captivates his attention, he presses the shutter.
Taken wide open at F/1.25 with the new Leica Noctilux-M 75mm ASPH lens on a Leica SL. Image Courtesy of Jeremy Lebled
As we all know Leica is world renowned for making some of the best lenses on the planet. One lens in particular that they are known for is the so called “Holy Grail,” the 50mm 0.95 Noctilux ASPH lens. A flagship lens for them. It has been one of if not the most desirable lenses for photographers across globe. The ultimate lens for bokeh as smooth as butter that have many of us dreaming to own. Up until now . . .
Leica has been able to come out and replicate the 50mm 0.95 in a different focal length with even better results, in my opinion. The New 75mm Noctilux-M F/1.25 lens. The new lens is basically an enlarged version of the 50mm Noctilux with the same beautiful build quality. It definitely is not a light lens by any means and as some heft to it. Just holding it, you realize you have something significant in your hands. I was lucky enough to be able to take it for a spin for a weekend. Here are some of the images I was able to capture with the lens. I want to warn you though . . . You might want to give your wallet or purse to your spouse and have them lock it up! After you see what this lens can do you will have some serious lens envy!
Taken wide open at F/1.25 with the new Leica Noctilux-M 75mm ASPH lens on a Leica SL. Image Courtesy of Jeremy Lebled
One of the first things I noticed right off the bat was how rich and smooth the bokeh of the images were. It separated my subjects effortlessly from the background and gave my photos a “painting” like quality. Something I would hope for from a lens of this stature. It surely did not let me down.
Taken wide open at F/1.25 with the new Leica Noctilux-M 75mm ASPH lens on a Leica SL. Image Courtesy of Jeremy Lebled
The second noticeable thing I saw. Was the incredible sharpness that the lens has even wide open at F/1.25! Which at that aperture is very hard to do for most lenses. Let’s take a look at the next two photos so you can see what I mean.
Photo taken wide open F/1.25, no crop, straight out of camera.
Okay, so the first shot here above is taken wide open at F/1.25. Straight out of the camera, no editing, no cropping. With some beautiful natural light coming through a window. Lets take a look at the same image but cropped in below.
Image cropped 100% straight out of camera, no editing.
Now, featured above is the same image cropped at 100%. Holy Cow! Notice the detail in his eyes. You can see if you look very closely the cars on the street right outside of the window where we were shooting. Once I saw this, I realized just how special this lens was. It really helps separate it from the rest of the herd.
Image Courtesy of Jeremy Lebled
Thirdly, I feel having the 75mm focal length rather than a 50mm lens is ideal if you love taking portraits like I do. The reason is, it’s going to give you a better compression to the background. Which in turn will give you a better bokeh. Another advantage is it will also allow you not to be right up on top of your subject. Let’s be honest, no one likes having a camera stuck right in their face. Having that extra focal length will put your subject more at ease and let them be more of themselves.
Image Courtesy of Jeremy Lebled
In conclusion, if you love taking portraits of people and you currently have a Leica M camera or even a SL camera. I think it would be the perfect addition to include in your toolbox. If you have a SL or SL2 you can easily adapt this lens with a Leica M to L adapter. It also is incredibly easy to focus on the SL or SL2 camera with the integration of focus peaking. Which allows you to nail focus more accurately and quickly for manual focus lenses. I believe the photos speak for themselves. There is definitely something very special about this lens. To further inquire about the Leica Noctilux 75mm F/1.25 lens feel free to call our store at 201-473-2050 and anyone one of us would be more than happy to help. Till next time..
All my best,
Jeremy Lebled– Leica Boutique Specialist at Bergen county Camera
Leica Camera has released the Leica M10-P: an upgrade to the hugely successful M10 digital rangefinder.
Traditional “P” model styling cues are found on the Leica M10-P, along with a few great new features. The removal of the Leica red dot logo on the front of the camera and a classic Leica script engraving on the top plate are the main cosmetic changes. The big news is a redesigned mechanical shutter that is nearly silent, a touchscreen LCD for controlling playback and live view and integrated level gauge.
The Leica M10-P is priced at $7,995 ($700 more than the M10), comes in both black chrome and silver chrome and has already begun shipping in the USA. You can order yours today by giving us a call at 201-664-4113. We would be more than happy to help.
On May 1, 2018 Leica is increasing prices on a wide range of products by an average of about 5%. Affected products include most M bodies (film and digital), nearly all M lenses, the black Q, TL2, S (Typ 007), many S lenses and a few other items (66 in total). To quote Leica “this revision is necessary due to the current exchange rates and the increase in raw materials and production costs.” This does make sense, as every year about this time we tend to see some increases, designed to reflect the ever-rising costs involved with manufacturing hand-built products from exotic, expensive materials.
There are no increases within the SL-system, and recently announced products such as the Thambar-M 90mm, Noctilux-M 75mm, and CL are not affected. If you were thinking about the M10, best to grab one before months’ end as the price is going up $400. The black Q sees an increase of $245 (making it the same price as the silver Q) and TL2 bodies go up $245 as well. If you have any questions feel free to call or stop by the store and we will be more than happy to help.
