Leica Introduces Its Fastest 35mm Ever: Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH.

Leica has officially unveiled the Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH., a new addition to its flagship Noctilux lineup. With a price of nearly $10,000, this lens is what you’d expect of Leica: powerful, compact, well-built, and naturally, super-expensive. It’s the first wide-angle Noctilux and the fastest 35mm lens Leica has ever produced. The new 35mm also completes Leica’s current Noctilux trio, sitting alongside the 50mm f/0.95 and 75mm f/1.25.

A 35mm Take on the Noctilux Concept

Until now, Noctilux lenses have focused on longer focal lengths, where subject isolation is easier to achieve. Moving the concept to 35mm changes how the lens fits into real-world shooting. The wider field of view allows you to include more context while still benefiting from selective focus and strong background separation.

This makes the lens more suitable for applications like reportage, street photography, and environmental portraiture, where surroundings often matter as much as the subject itself.

f/1.2 Speed and Signature Noctilux Rendering

As with every Noctilux lens, the defining feature is speed. The f/1.2 maximum aperture allows for shooting in very low light while maintaining low ISO values and fast shutter speeds. It also enables a shallow depth of field that is unusual for a 35mm lens.

Leica pairs this aperture with an 11-blade diaphragm, producing smooth, circular out-of-focus highlights. Wide open, the lens is designed to deliver the characteristic Noctilux look, with sharp subjects transitioning gradually into soft backgrounds.

Modern Optics With Precision Glass Molding

To achieve its compact size and optical performance, Leica uses Precision Glass Molding technology in the Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH. Three aspherical elements are manufactured with very fine tolerances, helping to control aberrations and improve contrast across the frame.

Additional highly refractive glass elements contribute to color accuracy and minimize chromatic aberration. A floating element design maintains consistent image quality throughout the focusing range, particularly important when working close and wide open.

Despite the modern optical design, Leica emphasizes that the lens retains the visual character traditionally associated with M-mount optics.

Close Focusing and Physical Design

This is the first Noctilux lens to offer extended close focusing down to 1.6 feet (50 cm). At this distance, the lens achieves a maximum magnification of 1:11.6. Focusing between 1.6 and 2.3 feet requires live view or an electronic viewfinder, as the optical rangefinder is only coupled down to 2.3 feet.

In terms of size, the lens remains relatively compact for its specifications. It measures 2 inches in length, has a diameter of 2.5 inches, and weighs 416 grams. A built-in extendable lens hood helps reduce flare and ghosting, and the front of the lens accepts 49mm screw-in filters.

Leica Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH. Specs

Specification	Details
Focal Length	35mm
Maximum Aperture	f/1.2
Minimum Aperture	f/16
Lens Mount	Leica M
Angle of View	63.3°
Minimum Focus Distance	1.6 ft / 50 cm
Maximum Magnification	0.09x (1:11.6)
Optical Design	10 elements in 5 groups
Aperture Blades	11
Focus Type	Manual focus
Filter Size	49mm
Dimensions	64.6 x 50.2 mm (2.5 x 2″)
Weight	416 g / 14.7 oz

Pricing and Availability

The Leica Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH. is available for preorder now at $9,650, and shipping is expected to begin soon, although there’s still no exact date.

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