Leica APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH

Leica APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH  (11699)

The APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH., this new 35 mm lens achieves maximum imaging performance without compromise in one of the most popular focal lengths for photographers throughout history. The result is a lens whose detail rendition will maximize the fullest potential of today’s imaging sensors while poised, futureproof and ready for the technology and resolving power of future sensors. Now this longstanding lineage of Summicron-M lenses has its new flagship offering the highest possible image performance, an extremely close focus and diminutively compact housing. The APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. is the only M-lens with a close-focus distance of just 30 centimeters, unlocking new possibilities. The result is a close-to flawless imaging performance. Three of the ten lens elements (divided into five groups) feature aspherical surfaces – one of them on both sides, for minimizing distortion. In addition, the new M lens renders images with practically no chromatic aberration, while six elements are made of glasses with anomalous partial dispersion, which not only reduce distracting chromatic aberrations ( rendering the lens capable of focusing red, green, and blue wavelengths at the same plane) to almost zero, but also provide apochromatic correction – a quality rarely found in lenses of this focal length. The resulting images exhibit crisp corner-to-corner sharpness and accurate color fidelity at all apertures and focus distances, both near and far. With the newly specially develop[ed lens hood, the lens is even smaller than regular  Summicron-M 50 f/2 lens.
The APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. delivers outstanding results close up, closer than any 35 mm M lens of the past and present, thanks to a floating lens element that ensures consistency at all distances; all the way down to its newly achieved minimum focus of 30 cm. The focus ring turns a full 300°, for precisely accurate and smooth focusing throughout the entire range from its close-focus distance all the way out to infinity. Via the rangefinder, the lens can be focused as close as 70 cm – at which point a slight haptic resistance can be felt in the focus ring, clearly communicating its position to the user. This touch of engineering is key to maintaining a similar feel and usage like all other modern M lenses, so users can still be familiar and comfortable with longstanding street photography techniques such as hyperfocal distance and “shooting from the hip.” At distances between 70 and 30 cm, when the focus ring is rotated beyond that noticeable detent, the photographer can feel when the lens steps into the close-focus range and indicates when Live View or an EVF should be used for precise focus and composition and can choose to focus via the camera’s rear LCD in Live View mode, the Visoflex electronic viewfinder, or the Leica FOTOS app.
The construction of the lens hood in combination with highly effective anti-reflective glass coatings makes the APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. extremely resistant to any type of stray light – allowing the photographer to shoot into the sun or other sources of light without fear of flare or ghosting. Common optical flaws such as chromatic aberration and distortion are corrected to the point of barely being noticeable. This imaging prowess and edge-to-edge contrast rendition creates an especially pronounced and lovely bokeh at open aperture. Seeing as the aperture is almost perfectly circular, owing to its eleven blades, this effect is also retained when the lens is stopped down for maximum depth-of-field.
Even more than any other M-lens, the APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. only has to be stopped down for creative purposes. The rendition quality at the center and edges of the image is of such fidelity that there is no scope for further improvement by stopping down. Though many lenses of the world today augment their performance by being larger and heavier by design, the top-performing APO-Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. is both compact and lightweight. With its classic reportage focal length, this is a lens for every photographic situation that can be used on any current and future model of the M series, as well as the Leica SL2 and SL2-S.

Focal Length 35mm
Maximum Aperture f/2
Minimum Aperture f/16
Lens Mount Leica M
Angle of View 62.5°
Minimum Focus Distance 11.8" / 30 cm
Optical Design 10 Elements in 5 Groups (4 aspherical elements)
Diaphragm Blades 11
Focus Type Manual Focus
Filter Size 39 mm (Front)
Dimensions (ø x L) 2.1 x 1.6" / 53 x 40.9 mm
Weight 11.3 oz / 320 g