Leica Rumors

Coming soon: Light Lens Lab 35mm f/2 APO double aspherical lens for Leica M-mount

By LR admin | Published: June 13, 2026

The founder of Light Lens Lab, Mr. Zhou, confirmed that his company will release a new LLL 35mm f/2 APO double aspherical lens for Leica M-mount. Here is what we know:

The production of a small batch of lenses has already started
The lens will be officially released soon
This lens has been in development for over three years
The first batch will only be available in a titanium alloy
Eleven lens elements, four aspherical surfaces, including a floating element
On paper, the optical specifications (MTF chart) surpass those of the original Leica lens (according to Mr. Zhou)

My understanding is that Mr. Zhou designed a completely new 35mm f/2 APO 2AA lens. It is deeply inspired by the rendering and compact size of the original Leica APO-Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH lens (see previous coverage), but it uses a unique optical formula to respect Leica’s patents while aiming for similar clinical sharpness and close-focus performance (0.3 meter).

You can get 5% off on LLL lenses with the coupon code RUMORS when you purchase from this link.

The latest Light Lens Lab lens announcements can be found here:

New: Wahei Optical Peace 35mm f/1.4 E41 classical silver chrome “Steel Rim” lens for Leica M-mount

By LR admin | Published: June 12, 2026

Shouten Koubou in Japan started selling a new Wahei Optical Peace 35mm f/1.4 E41 classical silver chrome “Steel Rim” lens for Leica M-mount that pays homage to the original Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 Steel Rim. The lens is currently available for purchase on eBay.

The Wahei Optical Peace 35mm f/1.4 lens was first debuted at the 2026 CP+ show in Japan:

Two new M-mount lenses will make a world premiere at the 2026 CP+ show in Japan this week: DK-Optic CHIARO 75mm f/1.9 & Optics PEACE 35mm f/1.4 E41

Technical specifications:

Posted in Leica Lenses| Tagged Optics PEACE 35mm f/1.4 E41 Classical, Wahei, Wahei Optical| 21 Comments

Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH “Classic Line” glossy black lens review by Leica Images

By LR admin | Published: June 12, 2026

Leica Images published their review of the glossy black Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH “Classic Line” lens ($5,000). Here is a quick recap:

Lacquered glossy black brass construction with a vintage aesthetic
Develops a natural brass patina over time
Comes with a round, removable glossy black vintage-style lens hood that adds to the “bling”
Feels special and cohesive on a black Leica M11 body
Surprisingly sharp and crisp on the point of focus even at f/1.4, with excellent micro-contrast
Rich, saturated colors and nice warmth in many scenes
Some green fringing and flare in strong backlit situations (easily corrected in Lightroom/PhotoLab)
Performs better than expected from a “classic” formula – a nice balance of vintage glow and modern usability
Creamy, smooth, cinematic bokeh that “melts” backgrounds into a watercolor-like wash
Natural, gradual fall-off with beautiful 3D pop and subject separation
Avoids the harsh, nervous, or double-edged bokeh of some modern lenses
Gives images an immediate cinematic atmosphere and timeless human quality
Sample photos
Conclusion:

Posted in Leica Lenses| Tagged Leica Classic, Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH Glossy Black lens| 4 Comments

Godox announced a new mini iM30 Pro TTL flash for Leica cameras

By LR admin | Published: June 10, 2026

Godox announced a new mini TTL flash – the iM30 Pro for Leica cameras priced at $45:

Posted in Leica Flash| Tagged Godox, Godox flash for Leica| 53 Comments

Insta360 announced a new Luna Ultra camera co-engineered with Leica

By LR admin | Published: June 10, 2026

Insta360 officially announced the previously reported Luna Ultra camera co-engineered with Leica. Pre-orders are now open at:

US: B&H Photo
DE: Foto Erhardt
Worldwide: Insta360

A Six-Year Partnership in Imaging Innovation
Insta360’s partnership with Leica spans six years and five co-developed products, combining Leica’s optical heritage and iconic color science with Insta360’s Emmy Award-winning imaging technology. With Luna Ultra, the two companies bring that collaboration into a new category, pairing professional optics with compact, AI-powered gimbal camera design.
Luna Ultra was unveiled at Leica’s Headquarters in Wetzlar, underscoring the close partnership behind Insta360’s first Leica co-engineered gimbal camera.
“This launch represents more than a new product announcement. It reflects the shared vision and long-term collaboration between Insta360 and Leica, combining optical heritage with a new generation of intelligent imaging technology.” — Marius Eschweiler, VP of Business Unit Mobile at Leica Camera AG.

Additional informtion and the technical details can be found here:

Posted in Other Leica Stuff| Tagged Insta360, Leica and Insta360 strategic partnership| 2 Comments

Announced and available for order: 7Artisans × Seagull M 35mm f/1.7 limited edition lens for Leica M-mount

By LR admin | Published: June 9, 2026

Literally a few minutes after I published my previous blog post, I got a notification about the official announcement of the new limited-edition 7Artisans × Seagull M 35mm f/1.7 silver lens for Leica M-mount. You can now purchase one of the 500 limited-edition lenses on the official 7artisans website. The price is $369.

You can use the discount code RUMORS for 5% off when you purchase through this link.

Additional information:

The lens is developed through a collaboration between Shenzhen-based 7Artisans and Shanghai Seagull Digital Camera Co., Ltd. (China’s oldest camera manufacturer, famous for its TLR cameras):