Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH Announced – High-End Wide-Angle Prime Lens

Lens News

by Jeff LochOctober 20^th, 2023

Leica has just released a new, high-end, wide-angle prime lens: the Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH. This L-mount lens covers full-frame image sensors, it features a Dual Synchro Drive AF system for fast and quiet autofocus performance, and since this is an apochromatic lens, color fringing and chromatic aberrations will be well-controlled. So, let’s take a closer look at it!

The Leica Summicron-SL APO lens series are among the best primes you can get for L-mount cameras. In February 2023, Leica released the much more affordable Summicron-SL 35 and 50mm F2 ASPH, which don’t have APO – apochromatic – lens elements in them.

After the APO-Summicron-SL 28/35/50/75 and 90mm f/2 ASPH, Leica has just added the Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH, which is the company’s first wide-angle APO prime lens.

Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH – features

The Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH has the same dimensions as all the other lenses in the series: 73 x 102mm/2.9 x 4″. However, it is slightly heavier than its counterparts at 789g/1.7lbs. This 21mm L-mount lens covers full-frame image sensors.

You’ll find a Dual Synchro Drive autofocus system inside the lens, perfect for photo and video shooters. Indeed, it should provide accurate, fast, and quiet autofocus performances. However, as you can tell, the lens has no autofocus switch: you’ll have to change your autofocus settings in the camera.

Lens design

The lens design of the Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH consists of 14 elements in 11 groups, including three aspherical elements. According to Leica, this is the world’s first 21mm wide-angle APO prime lens that covers full-frame image sensors. Since this is an apochromatic lens, it should be able to nearly suppress chromatic aberrations and color fringing in your images.

The lens has an AquaDura hydrophobic coating on external lenses to repel water/dust and facilitate lens cleaning. The front filter diameter is 67mm, and the minimum focusing distance is 21cm/8.26in.

Price and availability

The Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH is available now for $5,495.

For more information, please visit Leica’s website here.

What do you think about this wide-angle prime lens? Did you already shoot with Leica APO prime lenses? What is your favorite L-mount wide-angle lens? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!