Today Leica announced the new Super Elmar M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH lens (catalog# 011-145). The price is $2995 and is expected to start shipping in July 2011. The main features are:
- Wide angle view for architecture, street and landscape photography.
- Excellent image quality at full aperture. Distortion, vignetting and chromatic aberration have been reduced to a minimum.
- Convenient to carry because of its compact size.
- Flare resistant design allows for images under extreme backlight conditions.
- The f/3.4 lens speed in combination with the short focal length allows sharp images even in available light situations.
- Metal lens hood is included in the scope of delivery.
- Can be used not only with digital M-cameras but with all Leica analog M-cameras since 1954
- Made in Germany.
- Sample images and MTF chart can be downloaded here.
To meet the requirements of digital photography, the Leica Super-Elmar-M 21mm/3.4 ASPH is a benchmark in all optical performance characteristics. The stray light optimization was implemented on a very high level, allowing for backlit shots with crystal clear contrast. The design of the metal lens hood matches the appearance of the current wide-angle lenses of the Leica M system. This lens hood is also compatible with the Leica Super Elmar-M 24 mm/3.8 ASPH and the Leica Super Elmar-M 35mm/1.4. With the Leica M8 and M8.2, the Leica Super-Elmar-M 21mm/3.4 ASPH has an equivalent focal length of 28 mm making it a practical standard wide-angle lens for use with the Leica M8 and M8.2. For optimal use of the Leica Super-Elmar-M 21mm/f3.4 ASPH, firmware updates for the M8, M8.2 and M9 are available.
The lens will include: metal hood, front cap for lens hood, rear cap, leather case, warranty card (warranty period 2 years), instruction booklet.
Leica Super Elmar M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH lens specs:
Official press release:
NEW: THE LEICA SUPER-ELMAR-M 21MM F/3.4 ASPH.
Compact M lens with improved imaging performance sets new standards in wide-angle photography
Solms, Germany (June 21, 2011) - Leica Camera AG adds a new, high-performance wide-angle lens to its portfolio of short focal length lenses for Leica M cameras. The Leica Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH. sets new standards in imaging performance. It is characterized by its particularly compact size and suitability for a wide range of photographic situations. Whether used for photojournalism, architecture or landscape photography, the Leica Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH. provides photographers with an extremely small, light and versatile wide-angle lens, particularly suitable for travelling.
The performance of the Leica Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH. is reminiscent of one of the all-time favorite classic M lenses, the Leica Super-Angulon-M 21 mm f/3.4. This highly praised lens was an integral part of the Leica M lens portfolio from 1963 to 1980 and made its name and reputation as an ideal tool for available light photography and photojournalism. Even today, the Super-Angulon-M 21 mm f/3.4 remains extremely popular and one of the most sought-after M lenses amongst connoisseurs of fine optics.
The new Leica Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH. is a worthy successor, with further improvements over the already outstanding performance of its forerunner model. The lens reveals its excellent reproduction of detail and superior contrast at maximum aperture. Of particular note is the extremely effective optimization of flare characteristics of the Leica Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH., which allows the capture of fascinating ‘contre-jour’ images with absolute clarity and contrast.
The intricate optical design and construction of the lens are responsible for its outstanding sharpness and imaging qualities. The Leica Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH. is constructed with eight lenses in seven groups. At the same time, the use of one lens element with two aspherical surfaces and four lenses with anomalous partial dispersion ensure that aberrations are reduced to an absolute minimum.
As with all Leica lenses, the Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH. was designed and developed by Leica specialists in Solms, Germany and represents the perfect combination of optical and technical expertise. Particularly reliable and with enduring value, every Leica lens is manufactured from only the highest quality materials and is assembled with meticulous precision, completely by hand. The combination of cutting-edge technologies and extremely thorough manufacturing processes guarantees consistently excellent quality.
The Leica Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH. is supplied with a high-quality, all-metal lens hood, which should be mounted at all times. The hood not only protects the lens effectively against reduction of contrast by extraneous light, but also against damage and the accumulation of dirt on the front lens element.
The Leica Super-Elmar-M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH. will be available from Leica dealers beginning July 2011.
Related posts:
- The design of Leica Super Elmar M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH lens was slightly changed
- Two versions of the Leica Super Elmar-M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH lens
- Leica Super Elmar M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH lens now shipping in the US
- Leica Super Elmar M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH lens now available for pre-order
- Leica Super Elmar M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH lens delayed in Japan
4 Comments
Announcement is over., Now everybody @Leica back to work and start working on assembling my Summilux-M 50mm. Waiting != fun.
Well, the MTF isn’t as impressive as I thought it would be (but still impressive to be sure). I don’t know whether this justifies going out to replace the Elmarit 21mm, or whether you really need this lens if you have either of the 24mm Elmar (best MTF lens made by Leica hands down) or if you have the 18mm Super Elmar, unless you just have to have the 21mm focal length. The price is certainly cheaper compare to the Elmarit 21mm (which is of course no more), but if I didn’t already have it, I would opt for the 24mm Elmar instead, for cheaper price, smaller lens, and the ability to get away without an external viewfinder.
It is nice that it seems to be possible to remove the lens hood, to reduce the physical size of the lens. It is not as easy with the f3.8/18mm Super Elmar, because it has a front lens element that would protrude… and that’s dangerous stuff.
I am not sure if the lens hood can really “not only protects the lens effectively [...] against damage and the accumulation of dirt on the front lens element.”
I think I would rather have a filter screwed onto the front of the lens for that…
But maybe I am really old school that way.
That’s a good point about the filters, with the 18mm (which I own) putting on a filter of any kind (like split density or a polarizer) is a real pain, so on that basis alone it may be worth it to switch to the 21mm. But if you already own the Elmarit 21mm or the Elmar 24mm, not sure whether the new lens adds anything. Guess you won’t know until you try