Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. II

Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. II

The Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. II is a compact modern wide-angle lens for the Leica M system. Introduced in 2016, it replaced the earlier Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. 11606 and retained the core Elmarit concept of a small, high-performance 28mm lens with an f/2.8 maximum aperture [1][2]. It uses an 8-element, 6-group optical design with one aspherical surface, a 0.7 m minimum focusing distance, E39 filter thread, 10 diaphragm blades, and Leica M bayonet mount with 6-bit coding.

The lens is notable for its very small physical size within the Leica M lineup. Leica lists the lens at 30.7 mm long without hood, 52 mm largest diameter, and 175 g weight, making it one of the most compact modern Leica M wide-angle lenses. The lens is rangefinder coupled, manually focused, and designed for use on both film and digital M cameras. Leica describes the optical design as practically distortion-free across the focusing range from 0.7 m to infinity, with only slight intrusion into the viewfinder field.

For LeicaLensList, this entry should be kept separate from the earlier pre-ASPH Elmarit-M 28mm versions and from the first ASPH version, model 11606. The ASPH. II version is commonly associated with order number 11677 in black anodized finish, while a Made-in-Portugal black version with order number 11711 was later sold in selected markets [3]. Both are generally treated as the same optical generation, but model number, country marking, packaging, and market origin should be checked for collector accuracy.

History

Development and Launch

The Elmarit-M 28mm line is Leica’s long-running compact 28mm f/2.8 wide-angle family for the M system. The ASPH. II version was introduced in January 2016 as the successor to the earlier Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. 11606, which had been produced until 2015. Leica’s 2016 technical sheet presents the lens as a new compact M lens with an aspherical element, high imaging performance, low distortion, and a weight of 175 g.

Production Evolution

The main catalog version is the black anodized Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. with order number 11677. A later Made-in-Portugal version, order number 11711, was introduced for selected markets and retained the same general specification and Leica M compatibility. The major differences are therefore best treated as production and market-code differences rather than separate optical formulas.

Special Variants

The principal documented variants are the Germany-made black anodized version 11677 and the Made-in-Portugal black version 11711. No major silver, titanium, safari, black paint, or limited-edition factory variant of the ASPH. II version is widely documented as a standard catalog lens. Earlier Elmarit-M 28mm lenses, including pre-ASPH versions and the first ASPH 11606, should be treated as separate database entries.

Collector Notes

Collectors should confirm the order number, 6-bit coding, country marking, supplied screw-on hood, threaded protection ring, original box, caps, and E39 filter compatibility. The ASPH. II version should not be confused with the first ASPH version 11606, which has a different hood arrangement and belongs to the previous production generation. Condition checks should include rangefinder coupling accuracy, smooth focusing, aperture click feel, coating marks, dust, haze, edge separation, and signs of impact around the small front barrel and hood thread.