Leica Camera AG, Solms is adding an ultra-compact wide-angle lens to its range of short focal length lenses for the Leica M system. The new LEICA ELMAR-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH. combines high imaging performance with an extremely wide angle of view, making it the ideal standard wide-angle lens for the digital LEICA M8 models. The lens can also be used on all analog Leica M models, of course.

With its focal length of 24 mm, the LEICA ELMAR-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH. is particularly suitable for photojournalistic reportage and architecture photography when utilizing the full 24x36 mm picture format. Used on the digital LEICA M8 models, an equivalent focal length of 32 mm is obtained due to the slightly smaller image sensor. This extremely practical focal length enables a wide spectrum of applications extending from true-to-life portraits to landscape and architecture photography. The initial aperture of 3.8 can be used unrestrictedly as contrast and detail rendering are already excellent at this setting. Stopping down is practically only necessary for increasing the field depth. Stopped down to medium values, the field depth range is so great that entire landscapes can depicted in sharp focus. As precise focusing is not essential in this case, the M camera is quicker than any camera with automatic focus. The LEICA ELMAR-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH. is therefore ideal for use in combination with the snapshot mode of the new LEICA M8.2.

“Lenses with a medium initial aperture offer the user a lot of advantages: They offer outstanding performance that can be achieved with manageable technical input at moderate cost. The LEICA ELMAR-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH. is another good example of a remarkable price/performance ratio. Two features especially worth mentioning are its superlative resolution and contrast at full aperture which are almost fully retained right through to the close-focus range,“ says Stefan Daniel, Product Manager for the Leica M system at Leica Camera AG.

The LEICA ELMAR-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH. consists of eight elements in six groups, including an aspherical element. Imaging quality is magnificent over the entire field of view. Due to the use of highly refractive glass types and an aspherical surface, monochromatic aberrations have been reduced to a minimum. The distortion of -1% is hardly noticeable.

The LEICA ELMAR-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH. will be on sale at Leica stockists‘ from November 2008.