Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH.

Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH.

Among Leica's M-mount lenses the Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH. is one of the widest fixed focal lengths in the modern catalogue, covering an angle of view of roughly 100 degrees while staying small enough to carry all day [1][3]. It pairs a deliberately modest maximum aperture with a compact body, a trade Leica made to keep size and correction in check rather than chasing speed, and it has become a practical choice for street, cityscape, architecture, and landscape work on both film and digital M bodies [2]. Because an 18mm frame falls outside the bright-line viewfinders of most M cameras, the lens is normally used with an accessory optical finder, the 12022 or 12023, mounted in the accessory shoe.

The optical design uses eight elements in seven groups, one of which carries two aspherical surfaces to control spherical aberration and distortion and to hold sharpness across the aperture range. Leica describes the layout as a retrofocus-like architecture, and the lens reaches a nominal focal length of about 18.3mm with an entrance pupil positioned well forward of the front surface. Build is typical of the M line: an all-metal barrel in black anodized aluminum, a smooth focusing helicoid running to a minimum distance of 0.7m, and a nine-blade diaphragm that clicks in half stops from f/3.8 to f/16. The bayonet carries the six-bit identification code for digital M bodies so the camera can apply lens-specific corrections, and the lens is fully rangefinder coupled. A distinctive, patented compact screw-on metal hood is included; because the front element protrudes and the barrel has no conventional filter thread, filters require the separate 14484 holder, which takes E77 (77mm) filters.

The lens has been offered in black anodized and silver finishes under order number 11649 and has remained in production since 2009 with no widely documented optical revisions. It should not be confused with the later Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.4 ASPH., a different and faster ultra-wide that some buyers conflate when searching. The barrel is engraved LEICA SUPER-ELMAR-M 18mm 1:3.8/18 ASPH. followed by the serial number, which aids identification.

Optical qualities

Rendering Reviewers describe a clean, high-contrast ultra-wide rendering with strong corner-to-corner performance once stopped down a little, consistent with the aspherical correction and the manufacturer's stated design goals.

Sharpness Center sharpness is reported as excellent even wide open at f/3.8, with the corners tightening as the lens is stopped down; the center improves only marginally around f/5.6 because it is already very high from the start.

Contrast and color Color and contrast are described as excellent, contributing to crisp, detailed files.

Distortion and vignetting Distortion is reported as effectively a non-issue for practical use. Some vignetting is present but is described as normal for an 18mm lens and easily managed.

Flare resistance One long-term user reports essentially no flare under normal shooting, though the optional 14484 filter holder has vents that can occasionally let stray light reflect off an attached filter into the upper corners.

Digital use The six-bit coding lets digital M bodies identify the lens and apply matched corrections, and reviewers have used it across several M digital cameras as well as adapted on other mirrorless bodies.

History

Development and Launch Leica introduced the Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH. in 2009 as a compact ultra-wide for the M system, positioned below the faster and more complex Tri-Elmar and Summilux wides while still delivering Leica-grade correction in a small package. The brief was to combine a very wide field of view with high optical quality and a manageable size, helped by the patented space-saving hood and the double-aspherical element.

Production Evolution The lens has carried order number 11649 throughout and has been listed in production since 2009; no significant changes to the optical formula are widely documented. It has been catalogued at prices around 3,195 US dollars in 2012.

Special editions No major factory special editions of this lens are widely documented; it has been offered chiefly in black anodized and silver finishes.

Collector Notes Buyers should confirm the lens is the f/3.8 Super-Elmar-M and not the later f/3.4 version, since the two are easily confused in listings. Because there is no standard filter thread, the dedicated 14484 filter holder for E77 filters and the original screw-on hood are worth checking for and verifying as present, along with an 18mm accessory finder (12022 or 12023) if framing through an optical finder is intended. The full engraving and serial number on the barrel help confirm originality.