Leica Summicron-M 66mm f/2

The Leica Summicron-M 66mm f/2 is a manual-focus short telephoto for Leica M cameras and a reinterpretation of the Elcan 66mm f/2. Dr. Walter Mandler developed that lens in the late 1960s at Ernst Leitz Canada for the US Navy, and only around 200 units were made. Leica announced the new lens on 3 September 2026 as an addition to the Leica Classic Line. It is a full-frame lens, and Leica is producing it as a limited edition of 660 units.

Optical design

The lens has 6 elements in 5 groups and a maximum aperture of f/2. The smallest aperture is f/16, and the diaphragm has 9 blades. According to Leica, the optical design is based on the original but has been optimised and adapted to current standards, like the lens body. Leica describes the rendering as an interplay of soft bokeh and high contrast, and says that stopped down the lens delivers maximum resolution for fine detail.

Focusing and handling

Focusing is manual with a combined meter and feet scale. The close focus distance is 1 m and the largest scale is 1:13.4. As on the Elcan, the aperture ring turns in the opposite direction to standard M lenses, and the distance scale arrangement follows military specifications according to Leica. The aperture has click stops with half-stop lock settings. The hood is a screw-on type. The focal length is engraved as the number 60 on the barrel, which stands for a measured 66.0 mm.

Build and size

The lens weighs approximately 456 g, is about 60.1 mm long, about 60 mm in diameter and takes E49 filters. The Leica M bayonet has 6-bit encoding. The serial number is engraved on the front ring along with the calculation number B1047, and the Leitz Wetzlar engraving replaces the Elcan name.

Where it fits

At 66mm the lens sits between the classic 50mm and longer portrait focal lengths. Within the database, the closest alternatives are the Summicron-M 50mm f/2, the APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH, the APO-Summicron-M 75mm f/2 ASPH and the Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 ASPH. None of these has the unusual 66mm focal length or the reversed aperture ring.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Unusual 66mm focal length between 50mm and 75mm
• Compact f/2 design at 456 g
• Historical background and engravings
• 9-blade diaphragm
• Close focus down to 1 m

Cons

• Limited edition of 660 units, so availability is restricted
• Manual focus only
• Aperture ring turns in the opposite direction to standard M lenses
• Limited to the M mount

Verdict

The Summicron-M 66mm f/2 is a collector-oriented lens with a real optical purpose: a compact short telephoto with an unusual focal length. M photographers who want the 66mm perspective will find nothing else in the system, while those who mainly want a conventional portrait lens have more practical choices.