Leica Has Relaunched a Classic Wide-angle Lens With Stunning Bokeh
News | By Stephan Jukic | October 23, 2022
Leica’s 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 wide-angle lens was once called the “king of bokeh” and for good reason. This little masterpiece of engineering from the iconic camera manufacturer creates some truly stunning close-perspective shots with superb bokeh in the background.
Now, it’s been rereleased for the digital age. Originally launched in 1961, the older 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 has gone through decades of production with no major changes and remains popular even now.
The 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 model’s extremely compact form factor and mere 200-gram light weight made it ideal for photographers of all kinds. On top of this, its performance has been widely hailed by professionals both famous and unknown.
Because of the wide aperture of the 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4, coupled with its precision engineering from a camera brand that’s firmly known for strong quality, the lens is capable of delivering wonderfully soft, nearly edited-looking bokeh.
The nature of the background blur is so good that even a digital photo editing pro would be hard-pressed to simulate the same with software. This is the key reason why it has been called the king of bokeh by many.
Image credits: Leica Camera
What’s more, the 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 wide-angle lens manages to produce extremely sharp images with little or no distortion even when it’s stopped down to f/2.8.
Given all of the above, the relaunched edition of this classic lens is sure to be grabbed quickly by many photographers.
The new version is made by the Leica factory in the city of Wetzlar in Hesse, Germany, where Leica is also headquartered. It features the same classic design as its predecessor version and even offers the same optical calculation as the original.
Additionally, the new release of the 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 comes with the same stainless steel front ring, lockable focus ring and attachable black lens hood as those of its original version. On the other hand, a new, round lens hood with an E46 thread has been added to the purchase package of the re-issue. This new feature lets users add new filters.
The new edition of the Leica 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 wide-angle lens is available now at any Leica store, through authorized dealers and online at the Leica camera website for a hefty price tag of $3,895. Despite its steep cost, it will undoubtedly sell well among fans of Leica’s technology.
Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.
Includes limited-time discounts.
Stephan Jukic is a technology and photography journalist and experimental photographer who spends his time living in both Canada and Mexico. He loves cross-cultural street photo exploration and creating fine art photo compositions.
