Leica Unveils 28mm Summilux and Anniversary Bundles

Leica, which is marking its 100th anniversary this year, announced a handful of new items today at its new headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany. Photographers who love to shoot in low light and at wider angles will be pleased to see that the company has finally introduced a Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH. lens. The company previously offered f/1.4 lenses in 21mm, 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm focal lengths, but the classic 28mm wide-angle field of view was missing.

There's a new macro shooting option for owners of the M (Typ 240). As the lone Leica rangefinder to support Live View focusing, the M is better suited for close-up work than other M digitals. The Macro-Adapter-M works is designed to pair with the company's Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4 lens. It's an extension tube that can vary in length, and at its longest supports 1:2 magnification. Previously, Leica shooters had to use a special extension tube that had a pair of lenses that mounted in front of the optical viewfinder and rangefinder window in order to correct for parallax and properly focus at close distances.

That adapter had to be dismounted in order for the lens to be used at non-macro focusing distances. That's not the case with the Macro-Adapter-M; it takes advantage of the collapsible design of the Macro-Elmar-M 90mm and allows focus to infinity when the lens is at its shortest position. The adapter can be used with any M lens as an extension tube; when used with wide-angle lenses it is capable of magnification ratios greater than 1:2.

The company is also offering a trio of limited Edition 100 sets. The Leica M Edition 100 is limited to 101 sets and includes a silver version of the M Monochrom and a new 35mm camera, the Leica M-A. It's a fully mechanical version of its MP. It is devoid of electronic components, even a light meter. Both the Monochrom and the M-A utilize stainless steel in their design rather than chromed brass, and the set includes a set of three lenses in silver: the Summilux-M 50mm, Summilux-M 35mm, and Summilux-M 28mm.

There's also an Edition 100 for the medium-format Leica S system. It includes the S camera and the Summarit-S 2.5/70mm ASPH. (CS) and Elmarit-S 2.8/30mm ASPH. (CS) lenses. The camera and each lens is engraved with a 100th anniversary logo. Finally, the compact D-Lux 6 is also available with a similar engraving. Its production run is limited to 5,000 units and it includes a leather carrying case, and shoulder and wrist straps.

Leica also announced that the silver edition of the M Monochrom will be available for purchase on its own; it was previously only available at retail in a black chrome finish. No pricing or availability was announced for any of the new products.

If you're in the market for a digital camera, take some time to peruse our product guide, or our list of the 10 Best Digital Cameras.

About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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