The great thing about the Leica L mount is its adaptability. Leica M-mount lenses adapt well to pretty much any camera system. Picking the right one can be an ordeal, but that’s why we’re here. We’ve reviewed pretty much every one that’s available and sorted them into a guide. We also dug into our Reviews Index to find some of the best Leica lenses to adapt to L mount cameras. Trust us, you’ll love these. Here are the best Leica lenses to adapt to your camera.
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear that we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This piece is presented in partnership with Leica. We’ve independently and ethically reviewed all the products in this post already without sponsorship. And we worked with them to recommend a few key gems to you.
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Choosing Leica Lenses to Adapt to L Mount
Here are some pro tips on choosing Leica lenses to adapt to L Mount cameras:
- You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg. The Mitakon lens here is only a few hundred bucks.
- If you’re going to do this, we recommend using the official Leica M to L adapter. Its build quality is second to none. And that translates to lenses that don’t shake when they’re on the camera.
- Is it worth it to buy Leica lenses? Sure. They’ve got a build quality and look that are unlike anything else. Zeiss comes close for the look, but not when it comes to build quality.
- Zone focus with these lenses. They’ve got the scales on them to help you.
- These lenses are great for general use. We think you’ll really like them.
Leica Summilux-M 28mm f1.4 ASPH
TECH SPECS
- Diagonal picture angle: 75 °
- Working range: 0.7 m to infinity
- Biggest scale: 1: 21.9
- Number of lenses/groups: 10/7
- Length * 1: 67 mm
- Weight * 1: 440 g
- Lens hood: can be screwed on
- Filter/filter thread: E49
- Made in Germany
Why This Lens? The 28mm f1.4 has a sort of magic that makes the colors pop. Whatever subject you’ve got in focus becomes the shooting star in the night sky that everyone has their eyes on.
In our review, we state:
You’ll get your best bokeh from the Leica 28mm f1.4 Summilux when you shoot wide open of course and focus closely. For me, I focused on a buddy of mine when we went out foodie exploring. When combined with effective white balancing methods, the bokeh will really pop. And this is where I think things are pretty interesting because the bokeh from the Leica 28mm f1.4 Summilux is gorgeous and creamy…
Leica Summicron-M 50mm f2
TECH SPECS
- Diagonal picture angle: 47 °
- Working range: 0.7 m to infinity
- Largest scale: 1: 11.5
- Number of lenses/groups: 6/4
- Length * 1: 43.5 mm
- Weight * 1: 240g
- Lens hood: Pull-out
- Filter/filter thread: E39
- Made in Germany
Why This Lens? While its more expensive sibling has more “pop” to it, this lens has a classic look any photographer will crave. Slap it on your camera, focus, and enjoy the show!
In our review, we state:
“The Leica 50mm f2 Summicron M is a stunning beauty in the image quality department. If you’re a pixel peeper, you’ll probably be impressed here. But honestly, this site was designed for folks who don’t pixel peep. Instead, you’ll appreciate how sharp it is without using tricks like contrast or saturation to make it appear sharper than it really is. Sharpness isn’t everything, though. The bokeh is smooth. The colors are beautiful. And, of course, there’s lens character.”
Leica APO-Summicron-M 35mm f2 ASPH
TECH SPECS
- Unmatched image quality
- Contemporary design
- Easy to focus
- Most compact 35mm full frame lens with this exceptional optical performance
- Closest focus distance in M lens portfolio – up to 0.3m
In our review, we state:
“For a 35mm lens, the bokeh is off the charts good. It’s smooth, it’s creamy, and it’s dreamy. Bokeh balls are nice and round, and there’s hardly any evidence of cats-eye bokeh in the corners. Some of you will say, ‘Well, there’s some onion bokeh going on.’ Get over it. It adds to the charm and character of this beautiful lens. I’m sick of technically perfect, lifeless, clinical images. Thankfully, the Leica APO Summicron 35mm f2 ASPH knows how to deliver. Put the close focusing to work and gawk at the gorgeous renderings.”
