Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH

Excellent performance and compact design

The LEICA SUPER-ELMAR-M 18 mm f/3.8 ASPH. successfully merges ambitious wide angle photography with the very best of optical quality and compact design. This is achieved thanks to a patented, space-saving, yet extremely effective lens hood. The lens corresponds to a universal 24 mm wide angle lens when mounted on a LEICA M8 model and a super wide angle lens with an impressive angle of view when mounted on an analogue Leica M model. Its retrofocus-like architecture features eight lens elements of which one boasts two aspherical surfaces, ensuring outstanding optical performance across the image plane and at all f-stops. With the lens set to maximum aperture and mounted on a traditional Leica M or digital LEICA M8 model, vignetting – an effect which is inherently more prevalent with super wide angle lenses – amounts to a nominal 2.3 stops or 1.7 stops on an M8. Stopping down to f/5.6 reduces the vignetting to a value of 1.3 or 1 respectively. Maximum distortion, in turn, measures only 1.8 percent and is virtually undetectable to the human eye. 

The LEICA ELMAR-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH. not only offers optimum image performance, it has compact dimensions - for its focal length - and provides all Leica M users with an economical introduction to super wide-angle photography.