Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 ASPH Type II (Leica M) lens - Black

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 ASPH Type II (Leica M) lens - Black

Here is a classic for Leica M cameras and with an adapter also for other bodies. The focal length of 35mm and the great F1.4 aperture is a traditional and versatile combination. Like lenses designed for rangefinder cameras, this one is also quite small and light despite the good aperture.

A handy and stylish detail on the lens barrel is the presence of spheres that provide an estimate of the depth of field at the aperture and focus distance used. The markings turn red as the focus and depth of field change.

The focus works smoothly and precisely. The mechanical quality has to compete with Voigtländer and even Leica. The focus ring travel of the lens is quite short, especially considering the closest focusing distance of only 40cm, meaning that when shooting close-up, you have to control the focus very carefully. This is the newer Type II version and comes with a handy Focus Tab in the focus ring and the infinity lock has been removed at the request of photographers.

But what about the most important thing, what do the pictures taken with this look like? The resolution and sharpness are good at full aperture, but the image improves by stopping down an aperture or two. The lens has no less than 14 rounded diaphragm plates, so the background remains nice even at different apertures. The image is perfectly sufficient for the Leica M10 and previous models, the resolution of the M11 camera shows differences to the latest lenses from Zeiss and Leica, but on the other hand the price range is also completely different. There is also chromatic aberration, or chromatic aberration.

The other image qualities, i.e. how the images look overall, are however very good and appreciated in tests. There is a suitable combination of sharpness, character and brightness.

The lens has some focus shift, meaning that at full aperture the focus is accurate but the depth of field shifts slightly when stopped down to, for example, F2.8. In principle, the phenomenon is the same as in Leica's previous generation 35mm Summilux lenses.

The closest focusing distance is only 40cm, so focusing is done from the screen, with the viewfinder focusing starts from the normal 70cm distance. Like Leica lenses, this is clearly noticeable when focusing, so you won't do this by accident, but no separate macro switch is needed. The aperture ring can be adjusted to eliminate clicks, so this is also suitable for video production.

With the adapter, it's easy to make the lens work with all mirrorless system cameras!

Specifications:

• Compatibility: Leica M-mount
• Focal length: 35mm
• Aperture: F1.4 (min. F16)
• Closest focusing distance: 40cm (range finder works up to 70cm)
• Optical construction: 9 elements in 5 groups, 14 diaphragm blades
• Three HRI and one aspherical lens, floating focus group
• Filter thread: 49mm
• Size: 54 x 50.8 mm
• Weight: 325.5g

The sales package also includes a lens hood.