The Noctilux finally goes wide. And it could change the way Leica photographers shoot after dark.
For 60 years, the Noctilux name has represented Leica's most ambitious approach to large-aperture lens design. Until 2026, that story belonged to 50mm and 75mm lenses.
The new Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH. changes everything.
Released on 29 January 2026, this is the first 35mm Noctilux in Leica history. It's also a particularly interesting lens because 35mm is arguably the focal length most closely associated with classic Leica reportage photography.
Where a 50mm Noctilux can isolate a subject dramatically, a 35mm lens includes more of the environment. At f/1.2, the new lens offers the possibility of combining environmental storytelling with unusually shallow depth of field.
The engineering is extraordinary
Maximum aperture
f/1.2
Optical construction
10 elements / 5 groups
Minimum focus
50 cm
Weight
416 g
The optical construction incorporates three aspherical elements and a floating element to maintain performance throughout the focusing range. Leica also uses precision glass moulding in Wetzlar.
Perhaps the biggest achievement is the physical size. At approximately 50mm long, the lens is compact for its ambition.
There is one important practical detail: the lens focuses to 50cm, but a traditional Leica M rangefinder couples only down to approximately 70cm. To focus closer, photographers need Live View or an electronic viewfinder.
This is where the lens becomes particularly interesting alongside the M EV1.
Why the rendering matters more than sharpness
At this price level, outstanding sharpness is expected. What makes a Noctilux special is the transition from focus to defocus, the character of specular highlights, and the way a subject appears to separate from its surroundings.
Imagine photographing a jazz musician in a dimly lit club, a couple walking beneath neon signs, or a portrait inside a café at midnight. The 35mm perspective keeps the atmosphere in the picture, while f/1.2 provides creative separation.
Our take
This could become one of Leica's defining modern lenses. Not because everyone needs f/1.2, but because it expands the expressive possibilities of the 35mm focal length.
At €8,950, it's a serious investment. Yet for photographers who live at 35mm, the lens represents something genuinely new.