Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH. II

Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH. II

The 35mm Summicron has long been one of the defining wide-normal lenses in Leica's M lineup, and this version is the 2016 refinement of the aspherical design that Leica had carried since 1997. Rather than a clean-sheet redesign, it keeps the established 7-element, 5-group aspherical formula while addressing handling and bokeh details that owners of the earlier lens had asked Leica to revisit [1][4]. It is offered in black and silver anodised finishes under order numbers 11673 and 11674.

Optically the lens uses an aspherical surface and a focusing range that runs from 0.7 m to infinity, with a preset, click-stopped diaphragm that offers half-stop settings down to f/16. The most visible change from the previous version is the move to an 11-blade aperture, where the earlier lens had eight, a step intended to smooth out-of-focus rendering [3]. Build is the usual all-metal Leica construction, with the aperture ring, focusing ring, depth-of-field scale and a focusing tab on a barrel that stays compact on the camera, measuring roughly 53 mm in diameter and about 35 mm long without the hood and weighing around 252 g[2]. It mounts on the Leica M quick-change bayonet, is rangefinder coupled, and takes E39 filters.

The 2016 revision also replaced the older clip-on plastic hood with a screw-in metal hood supplied with the lens; the new hood includes a cut-out to reduce intrusion into the viewfinder, and a metal cap and thread cover are included. Because the optical layout was carried over, some observers at launch noted that Leica's published MTF data appeared unchanged from the previous model, which led to debate over how much the imaging itself had been altered as opposed to the blade count and accessories. The two finishes are otherwise identical in specification, so the main points of identification are the metal screw-in hood, the 11-blade diaphragm and the order numbers.

Optical qualities

Rendering Leica describes the lens as delivering high sharpness, high contrast and good resolving power across the focusing range at full aperture, reaching a peak of resolution and contrast when stopped down modestly to about f/4, together with a near absence of distortion. Independent testing broadly agrees on the technical side.

Sharpness Reviewers describe the lens as very sharp, capable of critical results when stopped down and focused carefully.

Contrast and color Color rendition is generally rated as competent rather than exceptional by some reviewers, who note that Leica's faster Summilux designs can show stronger micro-contrast and color character.

Bokeh and transitions The shift to 11 aperture blades was made specifically to improve the out-of-focus rendering compared with the earlier eight-blade design.

Distortion and vignetting Both Leica and reviewers highlight very low distortion as a strength of the design.

History

Development and Launch Leica announced the updated Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH. in January 2016 alongside refreshed versions of the 28mm Summicron and 28mm Elmarit. The 35mm Summicron ASPH line traces back to 1997, and this release continued that lineage with the same aspherical optical concept rather than a new formula, positioning it as the standard-speed 35mm in the M range below the faster 35mm Summilux.

Production Evolution The principal documented changes from the preceding version are the increase from eight to 11 aperture blades and the new screw-in metal hood with a viewfinder cut-out, replacing the older plastic clip-on hood. Leica's technical literature continued to list a 7-element, 5-group construction, E39 filter thread and a 0.7 m close-focus distance.

Special editions No widely documented factory special editions of this particular version are established beyond the standard black and silver finishes carrying order numbers 11673 and 11674.

Collector Notes Buyers comparing this lens with the earlier 35mm Summicron ASPH should look to the aperture blade count and the supplied metal hood as the clearest identifiers, since the optical formula was carried over and some published performance charts appeared unchanged at launch. The screw-in hood, metal cap and thread cover are worth confirming as present, as the redesigned hood was one of the main selling points over the previous clip-on type.