The Ultimate Leica M Lens buyer's checklist - a guide how to choose and decide which one to get

[Al Brown]

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Choosing the right Leica M lens can be a daunting and challenging thing, given the very rich variety in M focal lengths, lens character, maximum apertures, size, optical design etc. M lenses span many decades of evolution, with major milestone designs from two influential eras: Mandler’s classic, filmic look, and Karbe’s modern, technically optimized designs. There is also a huge variety of other choices. This guide highlights some of the key aspects of choosing the right M lenses - focal length, character, speed, form factor, price and rarity, helping you find the ideal lens for your style and needs (hopefully).

I have created a checklist of five questions to ask before the purchase:
 

• WHAT FOCAL LENGTH DO I WANT?

Current M lenses offer a range of focal lengths from 16mm super-wide to 135mm telephoto, with classic street photography favorites being 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm for their versatility. Portrait and telephoto options like 75mm, 90mm, and 135mm bring subjects closer and tighter, though focusing accuracy can be challenging with a rangefinder (EVF to the rescue where applicable). Of course some prefer wide and ultra wide lenses as their daily driver and many good and useful combinations between focal lengths have been suggested - 35mm + 75mm, 24mm + 50mm + 90mm, 21mm + 35mm etc.

• WHAT CHARACTER SHOULD THE LENS HAVE?

Leica M lens character differs significantly between two major milestones - the Mandler era and the Karbe era. Walter Mandler designed lenses, known for their softer pre-aspherical "character" rendering and sometimes signature glow, emphasize color rendition and tonal transitions, often using classic glass types to create a unique 'Leica look.' Mandler’s lenses (like the Pre-ASPH 35mm Summilux) are loved for their dreamy, filmic qualities. Peter Karbe’s lenses later introduced APO (Apochromatic) and ASPH (Aspherical) technologies, delivering sharpness across the frame and reducing aberrations, like in the 35mm and 50mm APO-Summicron. These lenses prioritize technical perfection and "clinical" sharpness with minimal optical flaws and are (as per their designer) supposed to be used even wide open without any major quality loss issues.

• WHAT MAXIMUM SPEED DO I NEED?

Usually the hustle is between f/2 and f/1.4 as common choices for their balance between light-gathering and size, keeping in mind that every f/1.4 lens is also a f/2 lens, but not vice versa. Fast lenses like the Noctiluxes (f/0.95 or f/1.25) offer ultra-shallow depth of field and excel in low light but are generally larger, bulkier, heavier, and more challenging to focus. Summilux (f/1.4) lenses balance high speed and portability, while Summicron (f/2) lenses prioritize compactness and are versatile enough for most lighting conditions. Some users do not need the speed at all and are happy with f/2.8 or even f/4.

• IS FORM FACTOR AND SIZE IMPORTANT TO ME?

The size of Leica M lenses ranges from ultra compact (such as the 28 summaron, 40 summicron, 28 elmarit, 35mm Summicrons I- IV or collapsible 50mm Elmar) to larger, heavier options. Mandler-era (and earlier) lenses are often more compact due to simpler optical formulas, while modern ASPH and APO lenses can be bulkier due to their complex elements, but this is not a particular rule. Many Leica M photographers favor compact lenses for the M system's signature light weight and unobtrusiveness and there are not that many choices of those in the latest modern line-up, which is a shame.

• HOW MUCH AM I PREPARED TO PAY?

Prices of Leica M lenses have always been high. Used ones vary greatly depending on rarity, internet trends, special edition status and demand. Some have always been and others have just recently become collectibles, with prices rising through the roof. The rule of thumb for new lenses is the slower the lens, the cheaper it should be. If you are after a special, limited edition lens like a silver wide angle 28mm summicron, black paint 50mm noctilux or AA double aspherical 35mm summilux be prepared to pay the premium. No new lenses currently available as regular editions are rare and there are always some "sleepers" and bargains to be had.

Please feel free to comment and add your observations.
What are the perks you encountered when buying a M lens? Is the process confusing? Are they overpriced for what they offer?

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[IkarusJohn]

Great list of questions, Al.

My only comment would be that widest aperture selection is less connected to low light photography in the digital era; film, yes, but with digital aperture is more related to the depth of field you want to achieve.  I agree with Peter Karbe on this issue.  The benefit of a well corrected Summilux, or the modern Noctiluxes, is that they offer shallow depth of field, and good performance stopped down.  If only people used apertures other than 0.95 and 1.4 ...

The days of the need for the Zeiss Planar 50/0.7 Kubrick used in Barry Lyndon are, perhaps, behind us.  Along with the fringing around the candles in the dinner scene.

[3D-Kraft.com]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Al Brown:

What are the perks you encountered when buying a M lens? Is the process confusing? Are they overpriced for what they offer?

Thanks for your helpful overview and "questions before buy".

Regarding your (small printed) questions to comment on:

Yes, I think today most Leica M lenses (and bodies) are overpriced for what they offer. If they bring out a lens with really unique characteristics and quality, where no other manufacturer can keep up, then it is OK to charge a premium. The Noctilux 50/0.95 ASPH is such an example. When it was released in 2008, it set new standards. Today, we have a wide range of alternatives from Voigtlander and some Chinese manufacturers, some surpass it for a fraction of the price.

But as you started this as a "Leica M lens" buyers guide, discussions about alternatives would probably be out of scope here.

Edited November 10, 2024 by 3D-Kraft.com

[lct]

Great idea and good questions 👍 What about extending the list to the main Leica competitors? When i buy a lens, my first question is more and more Leica or Voigtländer?

[hansvons]

On 11/10/2024 at 9:37 PM, Al Brown said:

This guide highlights some of the key aspects of choosing the right M lenses

Thorough list. If the target of the exercise were to create a sticky post for newcomers to navigate the Leica M lenses universe, I'd suggest a 6th category, which is a list of actual lenses that can be bought new and summarised as Leica M Standard Lenses. These lenses are not optimised in any direction but resemble a compromise of price, size, weight, and performance to fit the bill for the average M-camera user. This is my proposal:

• Elmarit-M 1:2,8/28 ASPH
• Summicron-M 1:2/35 ASPH
• Summicron-M 1:2/50

Longer lenses are not particularly well-suited for the rangefinder system, and the same can be said about lenses shorter than 28mm.

[hansvons]

On 11/10/2024 at 9:37 PM, Al Brown said:

with classic street photography favorites being 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm for their versatility.

These three focal lengths are the core of any subject for which a Leica M is typically designed, not only with street photography in mind. I do get that street photography is a fad today. Still, my somewhat educated guess tells me that most people buy an M for what most people buy a photo camera for anyway: to take pictures of their loved ones, including cats, dogs, and flowers, plus to capture memories when travelling.

Wide-angle cityscapes, landscapes, and compressed portraits are more specialised use cases requiring specialised lenses that fit that genre. Anyone looking for such a use case is probably already a well-versed photographer and may not need such a list.

 

On 11/10/2024 at 9:37 PM, Al Brown said:

35mm + 75mm, 24mm + 50mm + 90mm, 21mm + 35mm

This is the thinking in sets, which has a place, of course (especially in filmmaking). I agree that most photographers are biased towards a particular focal length (mine is 35mm) and build their set around it. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that leaving gaps is the logical thing to do. On the contrary, my set is 35mm and 50mm. It's often not on a list because it looks somewhat impractical or redundant, as the 35mm and 50mm are understood to be "too close" regarding versatility. However, the opposite is true. 35mm and 50mm speak very differently when taking a photo and are read differently when looking at it. If you look at it economically, the best starter set is a single 35mm lens, as it's the most versatile focal length. 

So, I suggest including the classic Leica triad—28mm, 35mm, and 50mm—as the basic set. 

[lct]

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58 minutes ago, hansvons said:

Thorough list. If the target of the exercise were to create a sticky post for newcomers to navigate the Leica M lenses universe, I'd suggest a 6th category, which is a list of actual lenses that can be bought new and summarised as Leica M Standard Lenses. These lenses are not optimised in any direction but resemble a compromise of price, size, weight, and performance to fit the bill for the average M-camera user. This is my proposal:

• Elmarit-M 1:2,8/28 ASPH
• Summicron-M 1:2/35 ASPH
• Summicron-M 1:2/50

Longer lenses are not particularly well-suited for the rangefinder system, and the same can be said about lenses shorter than 28mm.

+1. For EVF and OVF users, i would add:
• Super-Elmar-M 21/3.4 ASPH
• Macro-Elmar-M 90/4

Edited November 13, 2024 by lct

[IkarusJohn]

The set is an interesting discussion, balancing lens preferences with practicality; and endless anxiety!

I’m a 50 guy (it seems), but can’t bear the thought of not having my 75 Summilux (an honorary 50); 28 is my preference over 35, and I enjoy using my 21 Summilux.  Heading out, I may say stuff it, and just take a 35 …

The worst decision is taking too many lenses - for me, the M system works best with one lens, selected for the outing; but then I succumb and put another in my pocket. 

[Jeff S]

I thought the most common way to decide on buying or using a lens was to start a thread on LUF, typically just before a trip to a particular city. (Followed by the best bag to carry it.)

Also, let’s not forget the all important lens color choice. These days, minimum focus distance also seems to weigh heavily in selection. Oh, and filter size, tab or not, infinity lock or not, hood choice, etc.

Then, of course, where to buy, how to inspect, etc.

Consider putting the topic in the FAQ, where it’s sure to be ignored by most new members.

Jeff