Leica’s updated Summilux-M 35mm F1.4 ASPH lens is actually cheaper than its predecessor: Digital Photography Review

Leica has announced an updated version of its Summilux-M 35mm F1.4 ASPH lens, bringing improvements to one of its most popular lenses.

Two of the most notable changes made to this updated model is the use of 11 aperture blades (instead of nine in its predecessor) and a closer focusing distance, which is now 40cm (15.8”) instead of 70cm (27.6”).

To achieve the closer focusing distance, Leica is using a patent-pending double cam system its engineers came up with. Leica says users will focus down to the 70cm (27.6”) then feel ‘a slight perceptible resistance’ in the focus ring before it will continue to focus down to 40cm (15.8”). The focus ring rotation angle is also 176º, nearly double that of its predecessor, which should allow for more precise adjustments.

The lens hood is now integrated.

Aside from these changes, the lens remains mostly unchanged, including the same optical construction consisting of nine elements in five groups. The only other difference is that the lens hood is now round and directly integrated into the lens so it can be pulled out and pushed in as needed.

The size of the updated lens is roughly the same, with one notable exception: it’s now 2mm shorter in length and 2mm larger in diameter than the original version.

The updated Summilux-M F1.4 ASPH is available in black and silver for $5,395 and $5,595, respectively. Both of these are discounts over the previous version, which retailed for $5,995.