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Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black) USA

  • Price: $5,150.00
  • B&H # LE3514MB
  • Mfr# 11663

Product Highlights

  • "6-Bit" Coding for Digital M Cameras
  • Fast f/1.4 Aperture Lens
  • Outstanding Sharpness & Contrast
  • Delivers Distortion-Free Images
  • High Resolution Images at All Apertures
  • 2.3' (0.7m) Close Focusing Distance
  • 46mm Filter Size
  • 1.8" (46mm) Long/Weighs 11.2 oz (320 g)
  • 42° Horizontal Angle of View (on M8)
  • Great for All Photographic Opportunities
 

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The Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. Lens from Leica is a versatile world-class wide-angle lens that yields the sharpness, contrast rendition and high resolving power characteristic of the Leica arsenal of lenses.


In comparison with its predecessor, the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. now incorporates a floating element: the lenses behind the aperture blades are constructed as a floating group that changes its position relative to the front lens group during focusing to ensure that it achieves equally outstanding imaging performance at closer focusing distances. With this lens mounted on an M series camera, the photographer's dream comes true. Its maximum aperture of f/1.4 opens creative possibilities for portraits, landscapes and shooting in low lighting conditions.


This lens has been updated with "6-bit" coding, which allows the digital M cameras to read information from the lens optically and to identify which lens is being used. The camera can then apply a software-based vignetting correction.

The lens coding is called "6-bit" coding because six fields in the bayonet ring are marked in black or white to represent a number from 1 to 64 in binary code. The digital Leica M writes the lens data it reads off the code to the EXIF file and utilizes this information to process the image data for optimal image quality. In the digital Leica M, this allows compensation of system-immanent vignetting customized according to the lens attached. Therefore, when using the digital Leica M, this feature results in even a slight improvement of the accustomed high image quality produced by Leica M lenses.
In comparison with its predecessor, the Leica Summilux-M 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH. lens now incorporates a floating element: the lenses behind the aperture blades are constructed as a floating group that changes its position relative to the front lens group during focusing to ensure that it achieves outstanding imaging performance at closer focusing distances.
Even wide open this lens reveals performance characteristics without precedent in the field of compact 35 mm lenses: outstanding imaging performance over the entire focus range, from infinity to minimum focus; excellent contrast, even in the finest structures; superb rendition of detail across the entire image field; good field flattening and, stopped down to f2 and onwards, almost complete freedom from coma effects. It is almost impossible to improve this excellent optical performance by stopping down.
It is also available in a black anodized finish.
Leica's high-performance lenses are all made by hand at Leica's main factory in Solms near Wetzlar, Germany.
Filter Size 46mm
f/Stop Range f/1.4-16
Minimum Focus Distance 2.3' (0.7m)
Angle of View For 35mm:
Diagonal: 63°
Horizontal: 54°
Vertical: 37°
For M8:
Diagonal: 50°
Horizontal: 42°
Vertical: 28°
Elements/Groups 9/5
Number of Aperture Blades 9
Lens Mount Leica M quick-change bayonet with "6-bit" lens identification bar code for digital M models
Reproduction Ratio 1:17.4
Length 1.8" (46mm) without lens hood
2.3" (58mm) with lens hood
Maximum Diameter 2.2" (56mm)
Weight 11.2 oz (320 g)
Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black)
  • Front & Rear Lens Caps
  • Soft Lens Case
  • Lens Hood
  • 3-Year Passport Warranty
  • REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

    by PowerReviews
    Leica35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black)
     
    5.0

    (based on 8 reviews)

    Ratings Distribution

    • 5 Stars

       

      (8)

    • 4 Stars

       

      (0)

    • 3 Stars

       

      (0)

    • 2 Stars

       

      (0)

    • 1 Stars

       

      (0)

    100%

    of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

    Pros

    • Nice bokeh (6)
    • Consistent output (5)
    • Strong construction (5)
    • Durable (4)
    • Easily interchangeable (3)

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Landscape/scenery (7)
      • Low light (6)
      • Night photography (3)
      • Weddings (3)
        • Reviewer Profile:
        • Photo enthusiast (5)
        • Was this a gift?:
        • No (8)

      Reviewed by 8 customers

      Sort by

      Displaying reviews 1-8

      Back to top

      (0 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

       
      5.0

      Amazing Glass!

      By M

      from Aliso Viejo, CA

      About Me Pro Photographer

      Pros

      • Consistent Output
      • Durable
      • Easily Interchangeable
      • Lightweight
      • Nice Bokeh
      • Rugged
      • Strong Construction

      Cons

        Best Uses

        • Indoors/Low Light
        • Landscape/Scenery
        • Night Photography
        • Weddings/Events
        • Wildlife Photos

        Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

        Amazing results wide open to stopped down.

        • Was this a gift?:
        • No

        Share this review

        (1 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

         
        5.0

        great product and great service

        By Vlad

        from St.Louis MO

        About Me Casual Photographer

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

        • Consistent Output
        • Durable
        • Easily Interchangeable
        • Lightweight
        • Nice Bokeh
        • Strong Construction

        Cons

        • no
        • No cons

        Best Uses

        • Indoors/Low Light
        • Landscape/Scenery
        • Night Photography
        • Wildlife Photos

        Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

        Excellent equality

        • Was this a gift?:
        • No

        Share this review

        (0 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

         
        5.0

        best 35 mm lens

        By mc

        from new jersey

        About Me Photo Enthusiast

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

        • Consistent Output
        • Durable
        • Nice Bokeh
        • Strong Construction

        Cons

          Best Uses

          • Indoors/Low Light
          • Landscape/Scenery

          Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

          finally I got it!!
          It has great picture quality as I expected.

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

          (3 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          worth the wait

          By klinerm

          from Charleston, SC

          About Me Photo Enthusiast

          Pros

          • Nice Bokeh

          Cons

            Best Uses

            • Indoors/Low Light
            • Landscape/Scenery
            • Night Photography

            Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

            It took me almost a year to obtain one of these lenses. It has not disappointed me. I find the 50 Summilux and the 75 Summicron to be the best Leica portrait lenses, and they are a joy to use. The 90 Summicron is at least equally good optically, but is significantly harder to focus. I think this 35 is the closest you are going to get to the image quality of the 50 Summilux, if you want a slightly wider focal length. The bokeh isn't quite as "surreal" as the 50 and 75 can produce, but it's still wonderful. The newly-designed shade is great, unlike the shade that comes with the 28 Cron, which I often don't use because it's so large. This lens actually stays on my M9 more than any other lens now.

            • Was this a gift?:
            • No

            Share this review

            (7 of 13 customers found this review helpful)

             
            5.0

            10 out of 10

            By FG

            from NY

            About Me Photo Enthusiast

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Consistent Output
            • Nice Bokeh
            • Strong Construction

            Cons

              Best Uses

              • Indoors/Low Light
              • Landscape/Scenery

              Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

              Stellar 35mm lens, if you get a good copy. My first copy had a sloppy loose aperture ring and made a strange clicking sound between apertures F/11-F/16 with one of the 9 iris blades flaring upwards simultaneously. So, I returned it and waited to buy another one. The second copy is pretty close to perfect. Very sharp at F/1.4 when focused properly with an M9. This lens kind of reminds me of the 50mm Summilux Asph, only its a 35mm lens. Very modern sharpness with ultra-smooth bokeh, along with a 9 bladed Aperture as well. I did own the older version which did have focus shift between apertures F/2-F/4. It was tack sharp at F/1.4 too, but was harder to nail focus on the digital M9. This is where the close focus elements of this new version come in. If you shoot digital, I feel the upgrade is worth it. But for film, I would stick with the older 35mm Summilux Asph and save money. As for flare control, my older version 35mm lux was horrible under certain conditions. This new version seems much better at flare control.

              • Was this a gift?:
              • No

              Share this review

              (8 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

               
              5.0

              This is the must have lens for an M

              By Josh G.

              from Harrisonburg, VA

              About Me Pro Photographer

              Pros

              • Consistent Output
              • Durable
              • Easily Interchangeable
              • Fast / accurate auto-focus
              • Nice Bokeh
              • Strong Construction

              Cons

              • Expensive

              Best Uses

              • Indoors/Low Light
              • Landscape/Scenery
              • Street photography
              • Weddings/Events

              Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

              This is simply the best lens I have ever used. Its razor sharp, built incredibly well, and has a simply incredible look when paired with a Leica M9 or film Leica. I bought the 50 Summilux ASPH as well, but I find that the 35 stays on my camera 90 percent of the time. Its the perfect length for a rangefinder system. While expensive, I have found this lens to be well worth the wait and the money invested.

              • Was this a gift?:
              • No

              Share this review

              (9 of 11 customers found this review helpful)

               
              5.0

              an obligatory lens for M9

              By carlo

              from florence italy

              About Me Photo Enthusiast

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Great Picture Quality
              • Lightweight

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • Family Photos
                • Landscape/Scenery
                • Sports/Action
                • Travel
                • Weddings/Events

                Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                No focus shift in closer range. Stunning color, tridimensionality and razor sharpness. A pure leica lens. fantastic.

                • Was this a gift?:
                • No

                Share this review

                (2 of 15 customers found this review helpful)

                 
                5.0

                Excellent lens

                By hakob

                from Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

                About Me Photo Enthusiast

                Pros

                • Great Picture Quality

                Cons

                  Best Uses

                    Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                    Exceptional optical qualities: sharpness, bokeh, exceptional gradations and the clarity of the image etc..though, the vignetting and distortions could have been corrected better.. While mechanically this lens has week points: aperture mechanism /both the preciseness and reliability/ as well as the focusing mechanism that becomes loose within time. I had to disassamble and reassamble it several times to adjast and re-adjast both. If this problems are fixed in the latest version of the lens then the lens is a gem. Also, this lens is material, i mean you won't find plastic in any single detail of it!!! I love this lens. You should have one to understand how good /optically/ it is! The lens cups is problem for all Leica lenses - another problem..

                    • Was this a gift?:
                    • No

                    Share this review

                    Displaying reviews 1-8

                    Back to top

                    REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

                    by PowerReviews
                    Leica35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black)
                     
                    5.0

                    (based on 8 reviews)

                    Ratings Distribution

                    • 5 Stars

                       

                      (8)

                    • 4 Stars

                       

                      (0)

                    • 3 Stars

                       

                      (0)

                    • 2 Stars

                       

                      (0)

                    • 1 Stars

                       

                      (0)

                    100%

                    of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

                    Pros

                    • Nice bokeh (6)
                    • Consistent output (5)
                    • Strong construction (5)
                    • Durable (4)
                    • Easily interchangeable (3)

                    Cons

                      Best Uses

                      • Landscape/scenery (7)
                      • Low light (6)
                      • Night photography (3)
                      • Weddings (3)
                        • Reviewer Profile:
                        • Photo enthusiast (5)
                        • Was this a gift?:
                        • No (8)

                      Reviewed by 8 customers

                      Sort by

                      Displaying reviews 1-8

                      Back to top

                      (0 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

                       
                      5.0

                      Amazing Glass!

                      By M

                      from Aliso Viejo, CA

                      About Me Pro Photographer

                      Pros

                      • Consistent Output
                      • Durable
                      • Easily Interchangeable
                      • Lightweight
                      • Nice Bokeh
                      • Rugged
                      • Strong Construction

                      Cons

                        Best Uses

                        • Indoors/Low Light
                        • Landscape/Scenery
                        • Night Photography
                        • Weddings/Events
                        • Wildlife Photos

                        Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                        Amazing results wide open to stopped down.

                        • Was this a gift?:
                        • No

                        Share this review

                        (1 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

                         
                        5.0

                        great product and great service

                        By Vlad

                        from St.Louis MO

                        About Me Casual Photographer

                        Verified Buyer

                        Pros

                        • Consistent Output
                        • Durable
                        • Easily Interchangeable
                        • Lightweight
                        • Nice Bokeh
                        • Strong Construction

                        Cons

                        • no
                        • No cons

                        Best Uses

                        • Indoors/Low Light
                        • Landscape/Scenery
                        • Night Photography
                        • Wildlife Photos

                        Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                        Excellent equality

                        • Was this a gift?:
                        • No

                        Share this review

                        (0 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

                         
                        5.0

                        best 35 mm lens

                        By mc

                        from new jersey

                        About Me Photo Enthusiast

                        Verified Buyer

                        Pros

                        • Consistent Output
                        • Durable
                        • Nice Bokeh
                        • Strong Construction

                        Cons

                          Best Uses

                          • Indoors/Low Light
                          • Landscape/Scenery

                          Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                          finally I got it!!
                          It has great picture quality as I expected.

                          • Was this a gift?:
                          • No

                          Share this review

                          (3 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

                           
                          5.0

                          worth the wait

                          By klinerm

                          from Charleston, SC

                          About Me Photo Enthusiast

                          Pros

                          • Nice Bokeh

                          Cons

                            Best Uses

                            • Indoors/Low Light
                            • Landscape/Scenery
                            • Night Photography

                            Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                            It took me almost a year to obtain one of these lenses. It has not disappointed me. I find the 50 Summilux and the 75 Summicron to be the best Leica portrait lenses, and they are a joy to use. The 90 Summicron is at least equally good optically, but is significantly harder to focus. I think this 35 is the closest you are going to get to the image quality of the 50 Summilux, if you want a slightly wider focal length. The bokeh isn't quite as "surreal" as the 50 and 75 can produce, but it's still wonderful. The newly-designed shade is great, unlike the shade that comes with the 28 Cron, which I often don't use because it's so large. This lens actually stays on my M9 more than any other lens now.

                            • Was this a gift?:
                            • No

                            Share this review

                            (7 of 13 customers found this review helpful)

                             
                            5.0

                            10 out of 10

                            By FG

                            from NY

                            About Me Photo Enthusiast

                            Verified Buyer

                            Pros

                            • Consistent Output
                            • Nice Bokeh
                            • Strong Construction

                            Cons

                              Best Uses

                              • Indoors/Low Light
                              • Landscape/Scenery

                              Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                              Stellar 35mm lens, if you get a good copy. My first copy had a sloppy loose aperture ring and made a strange clicking sound between apertures F/11-F/16 with one of the 9 iris blades flaring upwards simultaneously. So, I returned it and waited to buy another one. The second copy is pretty close to perfect. Very sharp at F/1.4 when focused properly with an M9. This lens kind of reminds me of the 50mm Summilux Asph, only its a 35mm lens. Very modern sharpness with ultra-smooth bokeh, along with a 9 bladed Aperture as well. I did own the older version which did have focus shift between apertures F/2-F/4. It was tack sharp at F/1.4 too, but was harder to nail focus on the digital M9. This is where the close focus elements of this new version come in. If you shoot digital, I feel the upgrade is worth it. But for film, I would stick with the older 35mm Summilux Asph and save money. As for flare control, my older version 35mm lux was horrible under certain conditions. This new version seems much better at flare control.

                              • Was this a gift?:
                              • No

                              Share this review

                              (8 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

                               
                              5.0

                              This is the must have lens for an M

                              By Josh G.

                              from Harrisonburg, VA

                              About Me Pro Photographer

                              Pros

                              • Consistent Output
                              • Durable
                              • Easily Interchangeable
                              • Fast / accurate auto-focus
                              • Nice Bokeh
                              • Strong Construction

                              Cons

                              • Expensive

                              Best Uses

                              • Indoors/Low Light
                              • Landscape/Scenery
                              • Street photography
                              • Weddings/Events

                              Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                              This is simply the best lens I have ever used. Its razor sharp, built incredibly well, and has a simply incredible look when paired with a Leica M9 or film Leica. I bought the 50 Summilux ASPH as well, but I find that the 35 stays on my camera 90 percent of the time. Its the perfect length for a rangefinder system. While expensive, I have found this lens to be well worth the wait and the money invested.

                              • Was this a gift?:
                              • No

                              Share this review

                              (9 of 11 customers found this review helpful)

                               
                              5.0

                              an obligatory lens for M9

                              By carlo

                              from florence italy

                              About Me Photo Enthusiast

                              Verified Buyer

                              Pros

                              • Great Picture Quality
                              • Lightweight

                              Cons

                                Best Uses

                                • Family Photos
                                • Landscape/Scenery
                                • Sports/Action
                                • Travel
                                • Weddings/Events

                                Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                                No focus shift in closer range. Stunning color, tridimensionality and razor sharpness. A pure leica lens. fantastic.

                                • Was this a gift?:
                                • No

                                Share this review

                                (2 of 15 customers found this review helpful)

                                 
                                5.0

                                Excellent lens

                                By hakob

                                from Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

                                About Me Photo Enthusiast

                                Pros

                                • Great Picture Quality

                                Cons

                                  Best Uses

                                    Comments about Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. Lens (Black):

                                    Exceptional optical qualities: sharpness, bokeh, exceptional gradations and the clarity of the image etc..though, the vignetting and distortions could have been corrected better.. While mechanically this lens has week points: aperture mechanism /both the preciseness and reliability/ as well as the focusing mechanism that becomes loose within time. I had to disassamble and reassamble it several times to adjast and re-adjast both. If this problems are fixed in the latest version of the lens then the lens is a gem. Also, this lens is material, i mean you won't find plastic in any single detail of it!!! I love this lens. You should have one to understand how good /optically/ it is! The lens cups is problem for all Leica lenses - another problem..

                                    • Was this a gift?:
                                    • No

                                    Share this review

                                    Displaying reviews 1-8

                                    Back to top

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