Leica is marking 60 years of its Noctilux lens family with a 240-page book. Simply titled Noctilux, the book traces the leica noctilux lens evolution from the first aspherical design to the newest wide-angle model.
Leica says the project shows “how an audacious idea became a legend.” The book documents this progression and the six decades of research and development behind it.
The original Noctilux debuted in 1966 at Photokina, the trade fair that no longer runs. Leica built the lens to gather light at night, which gives the family its name. Leica calls it the “king of the night.”
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The lenses that defined the leica noctilux lens evolution
The first model, the Noctilux 50 f/1.2, used two aspherical element surfaces made in series production. Leica says no other lens maker had done this at the time. An aspherical surface is a lens curve that departs from a perfect sphere, which helps control optical aberrations.
Each unit was assembled by hand. Fewer than 2,000 were produced.
The successor, developed by Dr. Walter Mandler in Midland, Canada, dropped aspherical surfaces entirely. It used seven classically polished elements and one special glass to reach f/1. The Noctilux 50 f/0.95 ASPH. then broke the f/1 barrier that had seemed out of reach.
The Noctilux 75 f/1.25 ASPH. added a 75mm focal length to the series for the first time. Leica describes it as calibrated for portrait work. The Noctilux 35 f/1.2 closes the timeline as the first Noctilux at 35mm.
Beyond the lenses
The book also covers the history of aspherical technology, which is central to the family’s development, from its origins to current production. It includes interviews with people who work in the Noctilux research laboratory.
Photo essays come from Ana María Arévalo Gosen, Alisa Martynova, Jason Roman, François Rousseau, Paolo Roversi and Satoru Watanabe. An overview of every M-mount lens in Leica’s history rounds out the volume, placing the Noctilux alongside other leica lenses.
The launch takes place on November 27, 2026, in Wetzlar, during the Leitz Photographica Auction. Leica will also open the exhibition “60 Years of Noctilux” in the foyer on the eve of the auction. The show includes five past and current Noctilux lenses alongside photo material.
The book goes on sale November 27 at all Leica Stores, both physical and online, and at the LFI Online Store. The price is $75.
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For photographers who work in low light, the book serves as a timeline of how this lens family developed, one that kept pushing the speed limit for six decades.
H/T petapixel.com
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Leica Noctilux book cost?
The Noctilux book costs $75. It is a 240-page volume marking 60 years of the Noctilux lens family.
Where and when can I buy the Leica Noctilux book?
The book goes on sale November 27 at all Leica Stores, both physical and online, and at the LFI Online Store. Its launch takes place on November 27, 2026, in Wetzlar, during the Leitz Photographica Auction.
Why is the Leica Noctilux lens family named Noctilux?
Leica built the original lens to gather light at night, which gives the family its name. Leica calls it the “king of the night.”
How many original Noctilux 50 f/1.2 lenses were made?
Fewer than 2,000 units of the original Noctilux 50 f/1.2 were produced. Each one was assembled by hand and used two aspherical element surfaces made in series production.
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