Last Updated on 05/21/2026 by Chris Gampat
One of the joys of rangefinder photography is the rich history of optics that have defined entire genres of photography. Thypoch’s Ksana 35mm F2 ASPH Lens for Leica M-Mount promises photographers a modern optic that can balance the clinical performance of modern lenses without sacrificing the soulful, vintage character. Add in a super premium brass lens design, and I’m smitten. Let’s dive into why this manual focus lens is one we’re really excited about.
Ksana 35mm F2 ASPH – Brass Construction Built for Your M Camera
The Ksana 35mm F2 ASPH is a native M-mount lens that blends its retro looks with modern optical performance. Borrowing from the essence of rangefinder photography, the Ksana 35mm itself feels like it was designed with deliberate decisions and intentionality. With this lens, Thypoch eschewed common aluminum or magnesium-alloy construction for a solid brass barrel construction that will only age like fine wine. Despite the premium and typically hefty materials, the lens only weighs 198.6g, making it an easy decision to keep it fixed on your lens.
The Ksana 35mm F2’s beauty is more than skin deep. Thypoch went all-in on trying to recreate the feel of 1980s photography – complete with warmer color rendering and gold-purple flare – with its “Epoch Coating 84.” Thypoch tapped the lens coatings of the era in an effort to reproduce a look that gives photographers a true-er to life cinematic or film-like quality. Built with a native M-mount, the lens avoids the clumsy ergonomics of adapters. It preserves the tactile experience of rangefinder shooting with precise rangefinder coupling, a crescent focus tab for intuitive handling, and a tactile resistance warning at the 0.7m mark to signal rangefinder focus limits.
It’s maximum aperture of F2 and minimum focusing distance of 0.5m make this the perfect companion for street and documentary photography – easily making the transition from bustling streets to more subdued indoor scenes all while giving you the power to deliver impressive subject separation when needed.
A Lens That Understands What Creative Photographers Want
Without having tested this lens, on paper it seems like this is exactly the type of lens that makes creative photographers reach for their wallets. Sure, 35mm lenses are a dime a dozen these days, especially for M-mount cameras, but Thypoch is signaling something different in the Ksana 35. The use of brass for the barrel construction feels like a design decision intended to signal that this is a lens you will own for life (even though Leica is one of a handful of companies who offer lifetime warranties on their products). On top of that, rather than seek to make another boring, clinical lens, Thypoch is leaning all the way in on warmer tones, flare, and even aberrations that would make many of the big manufacturers cringe.
The Thypoch Ksana 35mm F2 ASPH is available now for purchase and comes with both a package that includes a lens hood for $649 USD and one without for $599. You can learn more or purchase directly from Thypoch.