Leica M-mount cameras and lenses are legendary for their precision craftsmanship and exceptional image quality. Still, their high cost can be daunting. If you’re dreaming of making the most of your Leica setup—whether digital or analog—without emptying your wallet, this guide is for you. The truth is, you don’t need the priciest lenses to achieve excellent results. Many manufacturers now produce optics that range from good to outstanding, with even newcomers offering impressive options.
Today’s market offers a wealth of M-mount lenses that balance performance with affordability. Some are vintage gems with distinct character, while others are modern designs with clean optics and lower price tags. Whether you prefer the timeless charm of classic lenses or the practicality of contemporary ones, these options will help you achieve great results without financial strain.
Vintage lenses often shine with unique bokeh, subtle color tones, and solid all-metal builds. Meanwhile, modern designs cater to current needs, offering advanced coatings and consistent performance across digital and film systems.
Below, we’ve highlighted some of the best Leica M lenses available at budget-friendly prices. From versatile 50mm standards to wider angles and telephoto options, these picks prove that enjoying Leica’s magic doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Wide Angle (less than 35mm)
Voigtlander 15mm f/4.5 Super Wide Heliar II
The Voigtlander 15mm f/4.5 Super Wide Heliar II is a compact ultra-wide-angle lens that delivers outstanding value for Leica M-mount users. Famous for its impressive field of view and sharpness, this lens is perfect for landscape, architecture, and street photography, where a wide perspective is essential. It features a durable all-metal construction, giving it a premium feel.
Optically, the lens excels with minimal distortion—an impressive feat for such a wide focal length. Its 11-element, nine-group design effectively controls optical aberrations, ensuring high image quality across the entire frame. Images come out crisp with strong contrast and vibrant color reproduction, qualities highly valued by photographers who prioritize excellent results.
A key advantage of this lens is its small, lightweight design, which makes it incredibly portable—ideal for travel photography. The manual focus ring is smooth and well-damped, allowing for precise focusing. However, due to the extensive depth of field at 15mm, focusing is often less critical, and zone focusing becomes easier. The f/4.5 aperture is modest but suitable for this ultra-wide lens.
In contrast to its previous Leica thread mount (LTM) version, this updated lens includes rangefinder coupling, and Voigtlander has optimized it for both Leica M sensors and mirrorless cameras like Sony E-mount. This update effectively addresses the color fringing and uneven illumination issues that plagued the older model.
Zeiss ZM 18mm f/4 Distagon
Built with 10 elements in eight groups, the Zeiss ZM 18mm f/4 Distagon is praised for its ability to minimize distortion while maintaining exceptional sharpness throughout the frame. With an 18mm focal length offering a broad 100-degree field of view, this lens is perfect for landscape, architecture, and street photography, where wide angles are essential. Even when shot wide open at f/4, the lens delivers remarkable sharpness with minimal edge falloff. Stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 further enhances corner sharpness, resulting in outstanding clarity across the entire image. The lens effectively controls distortion, making it an excellent choice for architectural shots. Additionally, chromatic aberrations and flare are kept to a minimum, thanks to Zeiss’s advanced lens coatings.
The Zeiss ZM 18mm f/4 Distagon features the same all-metal construction commonly found in Zeiss lenses, providing a premium feel and long-lasting durability. Its manual focus ring is smooth and precise, with a long focus throw that facilitates accurate adjustments, particularly at the wider focal lengths. Although the f/4 aperture may seem slower compared to faster wide-angle lenses, it helps keep the lens compact and lightweight, making it a great choice for travel and street photography.
While it comes at a higher price than some third-party options, the exceptional image quality makes it a worthwhile investment. For photographers in search of a reliable, ultra-wide-angle lens with outstanding optical performance for their M-mount camera, this lens is an excellent choice.
Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 P
The Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 P is a compact, pancake-style lens that offers both portability and solid performance for Leica M-mount users. With its ultra-slim profile and lightweight design (just 136 grams or 4.8 ounces), this lens is perfect for photographers who prioritize a light setup without sacrificing image quality.
With a 21mm focal length, the lens provides a wide field of view, making it ideal for landscapes, street photography, and environmental portraits. The optical design features eight elements in six groups, using high-quality glass that effectively controls distortion and chromatic aberrations—especially impressive for such a compact lens. The f/4 maximum aperture is not particularly fast, but it is sufficient for daylight shooting, and it helps keep the lens size minimal. Its rectilinear design ensures low distortion, even at its wide angle, which is important for maintaining straight lines in architectural images.
The build quality of the Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 is outstanding, with an all-metal construction that provides both durability and a lightweight feel. It feels solid in hand and complements rangefinder cameras, making it a great choice for photographers seeking a compact solution. The focus ring is smooth and precise, with distinct clicks on the aperture ring, making it easy to adjust settings quickly, even while shooting.
Image quality is excellent, with sharpness particularly strong in the center of the frame. Some edge softness may appear when shooting wide open, but stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 significantly improves corner sharpness. The lens offers great contrast and color rendition, delivering crisp, natural-looking images. Flare control is generally good, though it may present challenges when shooting directly into bright light sources, which can be mitigated with thoughtful composition.
TTArtisan 21mm f/1.5
The TTArtisan 21mm f/1.5 combines impressive image quality, fast aperture, solid build, and affordability. Its optical design features 13 elements in 11 groups, including high-refractive and low-dispersion glass elements that minimize chromatic aberrations and distortion. With a 21mm focal length, it offers a 91-degree field of view, making it ideal for landscape, architecture, and environmental portrait photography.
Regarding build quality, the TTArtisan 21mm f/1.5 is robust, featuring a full metal body that provides a premium, durable feel. While its solid construction makes it a bit heavier (405 grams) compared to other wide-angle lenses in this range, the lens remains compact due to its large aperture. The focus and aperture rings are smooth, with a long focus throw that allows for precise adjustments, and the aperture ring offers seamless control of its ten aperture blades.
In terms of image quality, the lens delivers sharp center focus, with noticeable softness in the corners when shot wide open. Stopping down to f/4 improves sharpness across the frame. There’s some vignetting and distortion when wide open, though these issues are easily corrected in post-processing. Flare can also occur in high-contrast scenes, particularly when shooting directly into strong light sources, but careful composition can mitigate this.
While the TTArtisan 21mm f/1.5 may not offer the same optical finesse as higher-end lenses, it strikes a great balance of wide-angle versatility, low-light performance, and solid build quality at an affordable price, making it a popular choice for photographers seeking a fast, wide lens for their Leica M-mount system.
Funleader Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 XSLIM
The Funleader Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 XSLIM is an ultra-compact pancake lens built for Leica M-mount cameras, prioritizing portability and ease of use. True to its “XSLIM” name, this lens boasts a pancake-style design that makes it an excellent choice for street photography and travel.
Optically, the lens features a straightforward design that balances performance with its compact size. The 28mm focal length offers a versatile wide-angle view, making it suitable for various photography styles, from landscapes to environmental portraits. With an f/2.8 maximum aperture, the lens provides moderate low-light performance and some control over depth of field.
The lens operates with manual focus, featuring a focus ring that, although functional, doesn’t offer the same refined feel found in more premium models. Due to its compact nature, the focus throw is relatively short, which can make fine adjustments a bit more challenging. Remarkably, the lens includes rangefinder coupling. Its design draws inspiration from the MS-Optics 28mm f/2 Apoqualia, though considering the latter is difficult to find outside the second-hand market, it’s hard to complain.
In terms of image quality, the Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 XSLIM delivers satisfactory results at its price point. Center sharpness is decent, especially when stopped down, but the corners show noticeable softness and strong vignetting.
Ultimately, the main appeal of this lens lies in its size. It offers a budget-friendly way to add a 28mm lens to your M-mount kit without the bulk. While it may not match higher-end lenses in optical performance, it provides a fun and unobtrusive option for photographers who value portability.
TTArtisan 28mm f/5.6
The TTArtisan 28mm f/5.6 is a compact, stylish lens that captures the essence of vintage design, closely resembling the classic Leica 28mm f/5.6 Summaron. It offers a similar retro aesthetic, both in terms of optical design and handling, providing an affordable alternative for those who enjoy the classic experience of a compact wide-angle lens.
Optically, the TTArtisan 28mm f/5.6 features seven elements in four groups, compared to the Leica Summaron’s six elements in four groups. This design ensures excellent sharpness, especially at the center of the frame, though there is more noticeable softness in the corners when shooting wide open, similar to the Summaron. Both lenses share the slower f/5.6 aperture, which limits low-light performance but enhances depth of field, making them ideal for street photography, travel, and landscapes in good lighting conditions.
Built with a solid all-metal construction, the TTArtisan 28mm f/5.6 feels premium in hand, much like the Leica Summaron. The vintage-inspired focus and aperture rings operate smoothly, although the TTArtisan lacks the refined feel of Leica’s precise engineering. Whether the Leica is ten times more refined is debatable, but it’s certainly a matter of personal preference.
In terms of optical performance, the TTArtisan does well for its size and price. It delivers good center sharpness, decent contrast, and minimal chromatic aberration. Like the Summaron, however, it exhibits vignetting and edge softness when wide open, particularly on full-frame sensors. These issues improve significantly when stopped down to f/8 or f/11.
Normal (35-75mm)
TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical
The TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical combines a fast maximum aperture with a popular focal length, all at an incredibly affordable price. With its f/1.4 aperture, it excels in low-light conditions and offers a shallow depth of field, making it perfect for street photography, portraits, and general everyday shooting. The 35mm focal length provides a versatile field of view, ideal for capturing both close-up details and broader scenes.
Optically, the lens features eight elements in seven groups, ensuring strong sharpness at the center of the frame even at f/1.4. However, like many fast lenses, it shows some softness at the edges when wide open, along with noticeable vignetting. Stopping down to f/2 or f/2.8 enhances sharpness across the frame and reduces the vignetting. Chromatic aberration can appear in high-contrast situations but is easily managed in post-processing. Despite these minor flaws, the lens produces smooth, pleasing bokeh, a standout feature, especially for portraits or isolating subjects.
In terms of build quality, the TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 boasts a solid metal construction, giving it a premium feel despite its budget-friendly price. The focus ring is smooth, and the aperture ring clicks with precision, offering a satisfying manual shooting experience. The lens is compact and lightweight for an f/1.4 lens, making it easy to carry for daily use.
Overall, this lens offers a fantastic combination of fast aperture, sturdy build, and attractive bokeh at an affordable price, making it an excellent choice for photographers seeking a budget-friendly 35mm lens with creative potential.
Voigtlander 35mm f/2 Ultron Aspherical Type II VM
The Voigtlander 35mm f/2 Ultron Aspherical Type II VM is a compact, 70s-inspired lens known for its blend of modern optical performance and classic design. Its optical layout consists of eight elements in five groups, including an aspherical element that helps reduce distortion, minimize spherical aberration, and maintain sharpness across the frame.
Crafted with an all-metal construction, the lens feels premium and durable while remaining lightweight and compact, making it an excellent choice for travel and street photography where portability is essential. The focus ring is smooth, allowing for precise manual adjustments, and the aperture ring clicks satisfyingly with clearly defined stops, enhancing the tactile experience of using the lens.
The image quality is one of the lens’s key strengths. It offers impressive sharpness, particularly in the center, even at the maximum f/2 aperture. The aspherical element effectively minimizes spherical aberration and distortion, maintaining sharpness and contrast throughout the aperture range. While there is slight corner softness at f/2, stopping down to f/4 or beyond greatly improves sharpness across the frame. The lens produces vibrant colors and excellent contrast, resulting in punchy, vibrant images, especially in good lighting conditions.
A highlight of the Type II version is its redesigned exterior, which now features a “classic 1970s-inspired paint scheme” that enhances its compact size and more closely resembles the iconic look of classic Leica lenses.
Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f/1.4
The Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f/1.4 offers a slightly unconventional focal length that sits between the traditional 35mm and 50mm perspectives, providing a versatile field of view that suits a wide variety of subjects, from street photography to portraits.
The optical design features seven elements in six groups, and the fast f/1.4 aperture makes this lens particularly appealing for low-light photography and creating a shallow depth of field. Its rendering is often described as “classic,” with a slight softness and unique character when shot wide open, contributing to its distinct vintage feel. The lens delivers a dreamy aesthetic, with noticeable vignetting and a soft glow around highlights, which many photographers appreciate for its charm.
Compact and lightweight, the lens is perfect for photographers seeking a fast, high-quality lens without adding bulk to their camera setup. The focus ring operates smoothly for precise adjustments, and the aperture ring has well-defined clicks, making it a joy to use for manual focusing and exposure settings.
The Nokton Classic 40mm f/1.4 offers an intriguing blend of sharpness and character. When shot wide open at f/1.4, the lens produces a soft, vintage-style image with distinct vignetting and some corner softness, paired with a pleasing, somewhat swirly bokeh. Stopping down improves sharpness significantly, with the “classic” softness transitioning to crisp detail, especially from f/2.8 onward. The contrast also enhances as you stop down, and the vignetting becomes less pronounced.
While the lens’s softness at f/1.4 may not appeal to those seeking sharp, clinical images, it has gained a strong following among photographers who value character and a unique rendering. Flare can occur when shooting toward strong light sources, but it often adds to the vintage aesthetic of the lens. Chromatic aberration, particularly purple fringing, may appear in high-contrast situations at wider apertures, but this is typical for fast lenses and can often be corrected in post-processing.
Compared to more modern or optically flawless lenses, such as the Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux, the Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f/1.4 is more about delivering a distinctive, character-rich image than technical perfection. It is an excellent choice for photographers seeking a fast, compact lens with a vintage feel, providing a special rendering that is hard to find in modern glass—all at a much more affordable price.
TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95
The TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 is the Chinese company’s response to the Leica Noctilux—an ultra-fast manual-focus lens designed to deliver exceptional low-light performance and a shallow depth of field at a fraction of the cost. With an optical design featuring 11 elements in eight groups, this lens is crafted to minimize aberrations while producing sharp, high-contrast images, especially in the center of the frame. The standout feature of the lens is its ultra-bright f/0.95 aperture, which provides excellent subject isolation and creates a dreamy, cinematic bokeh.
Built with a solid all-metal construction, the lens feels robust and premium, although its weight (1.51 pounds) may be a drawback for some users. The focus ring operates smoothly and precisely, but due to the shallow depth of field at f/0.95, achieving accurate focus can be tricky, particularly on rangefinder cameras.
In terms of image quality, the TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 delivers solid sharpness in the center of the frame, though the corners tend to be softer and there is noticeable vignetting at f/0.95. Stopping down improves sharpness and reduces vignetting. Flare can occur when shooting directly into bright light sources, but overall, the lens is praised for its unique rendering and its affordability compared to other ultra-fast lenses, like the Leica Noctilux.
Voigtlander 50mm f/2.2 Color-Skopar
The Voigtlander 50mm f/2.5 Color-Skopar features a simple optical design with seven elements in six groups. Its 50mm focal length, paired with a moderate f/2.5 maximum aperture, makes it an excellent all-purpose lens that is both compact and versatile, suitable for various photographic styles.
Regarding build quality, the Color-Skopar is solidly constructed with a full-metal body, offering a premium feel while remaining lightweight and compact. The focus ring operates smoothly, and the aperture ring clicks into place with satisfying precision. In terms of image quality, the lens delivers impressive sharpness across the frame when stopped down slightly. When shot wide open, it remains sharp in the center and midframe, with only a slight drop in sharpness at the corners. The lens offers well-balanced color rendition and contrast, producing pleasing, natural-looking images. Vignetting is minimal at f/2.5, and flare is generally well-controlled.
While it doesn’t boast the ultra-fast apertures of other 50mm lenses, the Voigtlander 50mm f/2.5 Color-Skopar stands out as a sharp, compact, and affordable choice for photographers who prioritize portability and solid performance.
Voigtlander 50mm f/3.5 APO-Lanthar VM
The Voigtlander 50mm f/3.5 APO-Lanthar VM is a high-performance standard lens for Leica M-mount cameras, renowned for its exceptional optical quality and apochromatic (APO) design, which effectively reduces chromatic aberrations and delivers superb optical performance. Available in two versions—Type I and Type II—both share the same optical formula but differ in design aesthetics. The Type I features a vintage-inspired look with knurled focus and aperture rings, reminiscent of classic lenses, while the Type II offers a more modern, minimalist design with smoother controls, catering to photographers seeking a cleaner appearance.
The lens’s optical design includes eight elements in five groups, with special glass elements that ensure outstanding sharpness, contrast, and color accuracy across the frame. Even at its maximum aperture of f/3.5, the lens provides exceptional sharpness with almost no chromatic aberrations or distortion, thanks to its apochromatic construction. This makes it an ideal choice for photographers who prioritize technical image quality, particularly those using high-resolution digital sensors.
Both versions, Type I and Type II, are constructed from metal, offering durability and a premium feel while remaining lightweight and compact. The manual focus ring operates smoothly, and the aperture ring clicks with precision, ensuring a satisfying manual shooting experience.
Although the f/3.5 aperture may seem slower compared to faster 50mm lenses, the APO-Lanthar more than compensates with its remarkable sharpness and lack of optical flaws. It excels in situations where clarity and rendering accuracy are crucial, making it one of the sharpest 50mm lenses available for Leica M-mount users who value image quality over speed.
Zeiss ZM 50mm f/2.0 Planar and Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 C Sonnar ZM
The Zeiss ZM 50mm f/2 Planar is highly regarded for its outstanding sharpness and consistent optical performance. Following the traditional Planar formula with six elements in four groups, this lens delivers exceptional sharpness from f/2 onward. It provides impressive edge-to-edge clarity with minimal distortion and well-controlled chromatic aberrations, making it an excellent choice for photographers who seek a clean, modern rendering.
In contrast, the Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 C Sonnar ZM offers a distinct optical experience, emphasizing character and vintage appeal. Based on the classic Sonnar formula with six elements in four groups, the lens produces a unique look, especially when shot wide open at f/1.5. The C Sonnar is known for its soft, dreamy rendering at wider apertures, along with noticeable field curvature and a distinctive, swirly bokeh. Stopping down improves sharpness and reduces the field curvature, though it still retains a more classic, less clinical appearance compared to the Planar.
Both lenses are built with robust all-metal construction, offering durability and a lightweight feel. The focus rings move smoothly, and the aperture rings click into place with precision, providing an excellent tactile experience. Both lenses deliver natural color rendition and excellent contrast, resulting in images with a vibrant, modern feel. Vignetting is minimal and can be corrected by stopping down. The Sonnar, however, does have one quirk: focus shift, which occurs when stopping down, a characteristic of the Sonnar design.
Overall, the 2/50 Planar excels in technical image quality, making it perfect for photographers seeking sharp, distortion-free images. On the other hand, the 1.5/50 Sonnar is ideal for those desiring a vintage rendering with soft, classic characteristics and unique bokeh.
Voigtlander VM 75mm f/1.9 Ultron MC
The Voigtlander VM 75mm f/1.9 Ultron MC strikes an excellent balance of sharpness, speed, and portability. With its 75mm focal length, it is ideal for portrait photography, providing strong subject isolation and beautiful background separation. The f/1.9 maximum aperture ensures excellent low-light performance and creates a shallow depth of field, making it versatile for both creative and practical uses.
Optically, the lens features seven elements in five groups, delivering sharp performance across the frame, even at its widest aperture of f/1.9. The center remains particularly sharp at large apertures, with edge sharpness improving when stopped down. The lens’s multicoating (MC) reduces flare and ghosting, contributing to strong contrast and natural color rendition. Chromatic aberrations are well-controlled for a lens of this speed, though some minor fringing can appear in high-contrast areas when shot wide open, which is typical for fast lenses.
The 75mm f/1.9 Ultron is fully constructed from metal but remains surprisingly lightweight for a fast telephoto lens (only 290 grams or 10.2 ounces). The focus ring is smooth and precise, making manual focusing effortless, especially when paired with the lens’s wide maximum aperture. Its compact size also makes it more portable than many other telephoto lenses in its class.
Overall, the 75mm f/1.9 Ultron offers a superb combination of speed, sharpness, and build quality, positioning it as a strong competitor to more expensive options, all while retaining Voigtlander’s signature compactness and affordability.
Telephoto (75mm and above)
Voigtlander VM 90mm f/2.8 APO-Skopar
Designed with apochromatic (APO) correction to minimize chromatic aberrations and provide exceptional sharpness and color accuracy, the Voigtlander VM 90mm f/2.8 APO-Skopar is one of the company’s top-performing lenses. The 90mm focal length is perfect for a wide range of applications, from portraiture to compressed landscapes and fine detail shots.
Optically, the lens features seven elements in as many groups, with the APO design ensuring that color fringing and chromatic aberrations are effectively controlled, even in high-contrast conditions. The lens delivers outstanding sharpness across the frame, particularly in the center, with edge-to-edge clarity peaking when stopped down. The f/2.8 aperture provides sufficient brightness for most lighting situations, offering smooth bokeh and excellent subject-background separation, though it doesn’t provide the extreme depth of field control seen in faster telephoto lenses.
The Voigtlander 90mm f/2.8 APO-Skopar is compact and lightweight for a telephoto lens (weighing just 250 grams or 8.8 ounces), making it easy to carry for extended shoots. Its all-metal construction ensures durability, while the focus ring is smooth and precise for accurate manual focusing. The lens’s compact design makes it more portable than many other 90mm options in the Leica M-mount system, making it an appealing choice for photographers who prioritize both optical performance and portability.
Zeiss ZM 85mm f/4 Tele-Tessar
The Zeiss ZM 85mm f/4 Tele-Tessar follows the classic Tessar formula with its optical design of five elements in three groups. This straightforward yet effective design ensures excellent sharpness and contrast across the frame, especially when stopped down slightly from f/4. While it may not be as fast as other 85mm lenses, the Tele-Tessar makes up for it with its compact form and consistently high image quality. Chromatic aberrations are well-controlled, and the lens produces minimal distortion, making it ideal for architectural and detail shots where accuracy is critical.
Built with metal construction, the Zeiss ZM 85mm f/4 offers a robust and durable feel, yet remains lightweight and compact for a telephoto lens. The focus ring is smooth and precise, and the aperture ring clicks with satisfying accuracy, delivering the excellent tactile experience typical of Zeiss lenses. Its compact size and weight make it highly portable, particularly for photographers who prioritize easy handling.
Image quality is excellent for a lens in this class. Center sharpness is outstanding at f/4, with the edges becoming sharper by f/5.6. The contrast and color rendition are typical of Zeiss lenses, delivering punchy colors and superb micro-contrast. While the f/4 aperture results in less pronounced bokeh compared to faster lenses, it remains smooth and pleasing, especially in portrait photography.
Overall, the Zeiss ZM 85mm f/4 Tele-Tessar is perfect for photographers who prioritize portability, sharpness, and minimal distortion over the speed of an ultra-fast telephoto lens. It makes an excellent travel-friendly choice for Leica M-mount users seeking a reliable and compact telephoto option.
Minolta M-Rokkor 90mm f/4
The Minolta M-Rokkor 90mm f/4, released through the collaboration between Minolta and Leica in the 1970s and 80s, shares much of the same design philosophy as Leica’s lenses from that era. With its 90mm focal length, this lens is ideal for portrait, landscape, and telephoto photography, offering a classic, compact solution for photographers who need reach without adding bulk.
Optically, the lens features four elements in four groups, contributing to its compact form. The f/4 maximum aperture helps keep the lens lightweight and portable, and it delivers solid sharpness, especially when stopped down. However, wide open at f/4, the lens shows some softness, particularly at the edges, due to mild spherical aberration. Chromatic aberrations are well-controlled, but contrast can be a bit lower in challenging lighting conditions. Stopping down enhances both contrast and sharpness, improving overall performance.
While it lacks the fast aperture and modern coatings found in more contemporary lenses, the Minolta M-Rokkor 90mm f/4 excels in portability, offering a great balance of classic Minolta craftsmanship and reliable optical performance. It’s a practical and affordable option for Leica M-mount users looking for a compact telephoto lens.
TTArtisan 90mm f/1.25
The TTArtisan 90mm f/1.25 is a fast telephoto lens designed to provide an ultra-shallow depth of field and excellent low-light performance. With its large f/1.25 maximum aperture, it excels in subject isolation and delivers creamy bokeh, making it especially popular among portrait photographers. The 90mm focal length offers flattering “compression,” enhancing the appeal of the bokeh.
The optical design includes 11 elements in seven groups, with high-quality glass elements that help control aberrations. Wide open at f/1.25, the lens produces a soft, dreamlike rendering with noticeable spherical aberrations, adding to its unique character. While sharpness is decent in the center at f/1.25, there is noticeable softness at the corners and pronounced vignetting, which may appeal to photographers seeking a more vintage or artistic effect. Stopping down to f/2.8 or beyond significantly improves sharpness across the frame and reduces vignetting, making it more versatile for general telephoto applications.
The lens is built with a robust all-metal construction, giving it a durable, premium feel. However, it is relatively large and heavy compared to other 90mm M-mount lenses, mainly due to its fast aperture. The focus ring is smooth, but precise handling is required because the extremely shallow depth of field at f/1.25 makes focusing challenging, particularly at close distances.
Overall, this lens offers a unique blend of creative possibilities with its ultra-fast aperture and dramatic bokeh. While it may not match the optical refinement of more expensive lenses, it delivers excellent performance for portrait photographers seeking a lens with character and an ultra-shallow depth of field at a significantly lower price.
Leica 135mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M and Leica 135mm f/4 Tele-Elmar
The Leica 135mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M is a classic telephoto lens designed for the M-mount system, offering a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture that excels in low-light conditions and provides strong subject isolation. With a 135mm focal length, it is ideal for portraiture, sports, and capturing distant subjects, delivering impressive reach while maintaining the optical precision Leica is known for.
The lens features five elements in four groups and includes a “goggles” viewfinder attachment, which aids in focusing on rangefinder cameras, especially given the narrow field of view at 135mm. Optically, the lens offers excellent sharpness in the center at f/2.8, although the corners can be a bit softer at wide apertures. Stopping down to f/4 or f/5.6 significantly improves sharpness across the frame. Chromatic aberrations and distortion are well-controlled, but some vignetting can be seen at the maximum aperture. The lens produces smooth bokeh, making it a great option for portraiture where background separation is essential. However, the lens is fairly large and heavy, which may make it less practical for travel or street photography.
The Leica 135mm f/4 Tele-Elmar is a more compact and lightweight alternative to the Elmarit-M, designed for similar long-reach applications but with a slower maximum aperture of f/4. This lens features four elements in four groups and is renowned for its sharpness and contrast, even when wide open. Compared to the f/2.8 version, the Tele-Elmar is easier to handle and more portable, making it a popular choice for Leica users seeking a long telephoto lens without the added bulk.
While its slower aperture limits its low-light capabilities and reduces bokeh, the 135mm f/4 Tele-Elmar still delivers excellent image quality with well-controlled chromatic aberrations and minimal distortion. It offers superb sharpness from f/4 across the frame, and its smaller size and weight make it more comfortable for handheld use during extended shooting sessions.