Leica 28mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH. M-Mount Lens with Protection Ring, Portugal, Black, 6-Bit {E46} 11707

Leica's f/2 wide-angle with ASPH glass at 28mm.

The Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH. is one of the more demanding optical designs Leica has built into the M-mount lineup. A 28mm focal length on a rangefinder body puts you close to the action without distorting it, and the f/2 maximum aperture gives you enough light-gathering for indoor work, low-lit streets, or late evening documentary shooting where slower glass forces you to stop. The aspherical elements in the optical formula address the kind of field curvature and coma that plague fast wide lenses, keeping the rendering honest across the frame.

The 6-Bit coding engraved on the lens mount communicates focal length and transmission data directly to digital M bodies, letting the camera apply automatic vignetting correction and populate EXIF data correctly. The included protection ring safeguards the front element without requiring you to carry a separate cap when shooting on the move. Filter work runs through a 46mm thread, which takes standard slim-profile polarizers or UV glass without issue. Built in Portugal to Leica's manufacturing tolerances, this is a lens that photographers put on a body and leave there.

Who It's For

Street photographers working with M-series digital bodies get clean EXIF tagging and automatic lens correction through the 6-Bit coding, with the f/2 aperture handling the mixed-light situations that define the genre. Travel photographers who want one lens for a trip will find that 28mm covers environmental portraiture and tight interiors without switching glass. Documentary shooters benefit from the ASPH optical design's ability to hold edge sharpness at wide apertures, where marginal subject detail actually matters. Landscape photographers shooting with M10 or M11 bodies who want a reportage-width lens without a slower aperture also have a clear use case here.

Key Features

• 28mm focal length on rangefinder mount
• f/2 maximum aperture for low-light handheld work
• Aspherical lens elements reduce field curvature and coma
• 6-Bit coding for automatic vignetting correction on M digital bodies
• Includes protective front ring, no separate cap required
• 46mm filter thread accepts standard slim-profile glass
• Made in Portugal to Leica manufacturing tolerances

FAQ

Does this lens work with film M bodies?

Yes. The 6-Bit coding is ignored by film cameras, but the lens functions normally on any M-mount body, rangefinder-coupled and all.

What's the filter thread size?

46mm (E46). Slim-profile filters fit without vignetting at f/2.

How does the protection ring work?

It's a fixed ring that shields the front element during handheld shooting. You don't need to remove it to use the lens, and it replaces the need for a separate lens cap when moving between shots.

Is this lens corrected for digital vignetting?

Not optically. The 6-Bit coding tells M digital bodies to apply vignetting correction in-camera during JPEG processing or in Lightroom if you're shooting raw. The correction is software-based, not glass-based.

How close can you focus with the Summicron-M 28mm?

The minimum focus distance is 0.2m (7.9 inches). The rangefinder coupling and close-focus design let you work very close to subjects without extension tubes.

What does ASPH. mean in the optical formula?

Aspherical elements reduce field curvature and coma across the frame, keeping edge sharpness and rendering consistent from center to corners at wide apertures where those aberrations typically show.

Is it worth choosing this over the f/2.8 28mm Elmarit?

If you shoot in low light, need the extra stop, or prioritize the more compact optical formula, yes. The f/2 Summicron-M is also the more demanding optical design.