The Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical Lens from Leica is a versatile world-class wide-angle lens that yields the sharpness, contrast rendition and high resolving power characteristic of the Leica arsenal of lenses.

In comparison with its predecessor, the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical now incorporates a floating element: the lenses behind the aperture blades are constructed as a floating group that changes its position relative to the front lens group during focusing to ensure that it achieves equally outstanding imaging performance at closer focusing distances. With this lens mounted on an M series camera, the photographer's dream comes true. Its maximum aperture of f/1.4 opens creative possibilities for portraits, landscapes and shooting in low lighting conditions.

This lens has been updated with &quot6-bit&quot coding, which allows the digital M cameras to read information from the lens optically and to identify which lens is being used. The camera can then apply a software-based vignetting correction.

The lens coding is called &quot6-bit&quot coding because six fields in the bayonet ring are marked in black or white to represent a number from 1 to 64 in binary code. The digital Leica M writes the lens data it reads off the code to the EXIF file and utilizes this information to process the image data for optimal image quality. In the digital Leica M, this allows compensation of system-immanent vignetting customized according to the lens attached. Therefore, when using the digital Leica M, this feature results in even a slight improvement of the accustomed high image quality produced by Leica M lenses.

In comparison with its predecessor, the Leica Summilux-M 35 mm f/1.4 Aspherical lens now incorporates a floating element: the lenses behind the aperture blades are constructed as a floating group that changes its position relative to the front lens group during focusing to ensure that it achieves outstanding imaging performance at closer focusing distances.

Even wide open this lens reveals performance characteristics without precedent in the field of compact 35 mm lenses: outstanding imaging performance over the entire focus range, from infinity to minimum focus; excellent contrast, even in the finest structures; superb rendition of detail across the entire image field; good field flattening and, stopped down to f2 and onwards, almost complete freedom from coma effects. It is almost impossible to improve this excellent optical performance by stopping down.

It is also available in a black anodized finish.

Leica's high-performance lenses are all made by hand at Leica's main factory in Solms near Wetzlar, Germany.