There’s a quiet buzz right now in the Leica community about the possibility of a new Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 lens, and while nothing is confirmed, there’s enough chatter to make rangefinder shooters sit up and take notice.
LeicaRumors.com has a dedicated tag page collecting past mentions of this lens, including posts suggesting that Leica might be ready to introduce such a lens in early 2026, possibly as soon as later this month!
To be clear, this is pure rumor at this stage. Leica itself has not announced any product, official specifications, or even a formal development roadmap for a Noctilux 35mm, and LeicaRumors carries a disclaimer that it is not affiliated with Leica AG. The reports appear to be drawn from forum sightings, metadata hints, and pattern-spotting rather than any direct confirmation from the company.
Still, the idea isn’t as far-fetched as it might have sounded a few years ago. Leica’s Noctilux line has long represented the pinnacle of fast-aperture rangefinder lenses, known for their dreamy bokeh and low-light prowess, and the current Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 has been a staple for M-mount shooters for over a decade. Going from f/1.4 to f/1.2 - and giving the 35mm focal length the coveted Noctilux badge - would fill a gap in Leica’s lineup and raise the bar for what’s possible in a classic wide-angle prime.
From a product strategy perspective, the 35mm focal length makes a lot of sense as the next Noctilux candidate. Leica already offers Noctilux optics at 50mm with an f/1.2 aperture and even an f/0.95 variant, and 35mm is arguably the most universally loved focal length among street, documentary, and journalistic photographers. A bright, ultra-fast 35mm would likely appeal to a broad swath of Leica’s most devoted shooters, as well as those who have been waiting for a true low-light 35mm Noctilux to match competing offerings from boutique lens makers.
There’s another angle that Leica could lean on if this rumor proves true: the company’s roster of ambassadors who are identified with the 35mm classic. Photographers like Joel Meyerowitz, whose work with Leica rangefinders and 35mm lenses is iconic, naturally come to mind, or the likes of Matt Stuart. Ambassadors like them could help define what many fans see as the soul of Leica photography - the agile, humanist, 35mm view - and a fast Noctilux in that focal length would give Leica compelling storytelling fuel in its marketing. Leica has a history of aligning product launches with the creative legacies of its community, and this would be no different. That narrative alone could fire the imaginations of devotees worldwide.
So while all of this remains in the realm of whisper and wishful thinking, there’s enough context in the rumor mill - and enough strategic logic behind a 35mm Noctilux - that many Leica fans will be watching closely in the coming weeks.
Until Leica itself confirms anything, the faithful are left to sift through breadcrumbs and hope that a new chapter in fast 35mm rangefinder optics might be just around the corner.
Check out my guide to the best Leica M lenses
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