lenses for Leica M mount

see also:

NB. I don't sell cameras or lenses, prices here are just to help you plan your system and although accurate at writing may change.

Introduction:

Leica M mount lenses are designed for Leica 35mm range finder cameras which have a short lens mount to film/sensor distance.
As they are designed for a range finder system, the maximum telephoto is 135mm.
These lenses will only fit Leica M cameras such as the new Leica M9 digital or mirrorless camera systems such as the Micro Four Thirds system (via an adapter but with 2x crop factor)
There are 2 Leica rangefinder mounts:
- Leica Screw or Thread Mount (LSM or LTM or M39)
  - flange-to-film (flange-back) distance is 28.8mm
  - 39mm diameter throat
  - same as many Nikon and Canon RF S mount range finder lenses of the 1950's to early 70's
  - same as Voigtlander L mount
- Leica M bayonet
  - flange-to-film (flange-back) distance is 27.95mm
  - 44mm diameter throat
  - you can thus adapt LSM lenses to a Leica M mount body but you can't adapt a Leica M lens to a LSM body
  - same as Cosina Voitlander VM mount for Bessa cameras
  - same as Zeiss ZM mount for Zeiss-Ikon cameras
  - same as Konica Hexar RF mount
Do not confuse these with Leica R lenses which are designed for 35mm SLR cameras and are not compatible.
Cosina make a Voitlander range in VM mount (bayonet mount same as Leica M bayonet) for Bessa 35mm film rangefinders and are listed here as they too can be used on Micro Four Thirds - don't confuse these with SLII series which are for 35mm SLR cameras and are available in either Nikon Ai-S or Pentax KA mounts - both of these can be fitted to either Four Thirds or Micro Four Thirds as well.
There is an adapter to allow L mount lenses to work on Leica M mount cameras

Leica M manual focus lenses:

Leica 16-18-21mm f/4.0 M-Tri-Elmar with Universal Finder ~$US5995
Leica 18mm f/3.8 Super-elmar ~$US2895
Leica 21mm f/2.8 Elmarit Asph ~$US4295
Leica 24mm f/1.4 Summilux Asph ~$US5995
Leica 24mm f/2.8 Elmarit Asph ~$US3795
Leica 28mm f/2.0 Summicron Asph ~$US3995
Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit Asph ~$US1795
Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux ~$US4195
Leica 35mm f/2.0 Summicron Asph ~$US2795
Leica 35mm f/2.5 Summarit ~$US1595
Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux (new version) ~$US10000
Leica 50mm f/1.0 Noctilux (old version) ~$US7500
Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux ~$US3900
Leica 50mm f/2.0 Summicron ~$US1995
Leica 50mm f/2.5 Summarit ~$US1195
Leica 50mm f/2.8 Elmarit ~$US995
Leica 75mm f/1.4 Summilux ~$US5000
Leica 75mm f/2.0 Summicron Asph APO ~$US3300
Leica 75mm f/2.5 Summarit ~$US1595
Leica 90mm f/2.0 Summicron Asph APO ~$US4900
Leica 90mm f/2.5 Summarit ~$US1595
Leica 90mm f/2.8 Summarit ~$US1995
Leica 90mm f/4.0 Macro Elmar ~ $US1995
Leica 135mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt ~$US3195

Cosina Voigtlander VM and L mount lenses:

Ultra-wide-Heliar 12mm f/5.6 Asph L
Ultra-wide-Heliar 15mm f/4.5 Asph L or VM (II)
Voigtlander Nokton 21mm F1.4 lens
Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 L or VM (P)
Color-Skopar 25mm f/4 VM (P)
Ultron 28mm f/2 VM
Color-Skopar 35mm f/2.5 VM (PII)
Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 VM
Nokton 35mm f/1.2 Asph VM
Nokton Classic 40mm f/1.4 VM
Nokton 50mm f/1.1 VM
Voigtlander HELIAR CLASSIC 75mm f1.8:
- ~$740 new
- 52mm filter, 423g, 57.9mm diam x 73.8mm long
- 6 elements in 3 groups
- 10 straight blades
- close focus to 0.9m
- clamp on lens hood
- Ken Rockwell's review
  - nice “organic” bokeh much better than the 50mm f/1.1's bokeh
  - slight barrel distortion
  - smooth and silky focus
  - some lateral CA and spherochromatism
  - sharp and contrasty in the centre wide open
Color-Heliar 75mm f/2.5 L
APO-Lanthar 90mm f/3.5 L

Gary Ayton's camping and photography wiki

Table of Contents

lenses for Leica M mount

Introduction:

Leica M manual focus lenses:

Cosina Voigtlander VM and L mount lenses: