Why Leica M Lenses Might Be the Next Big Thing

It may sound bold, but I do believe Leica M-mount lenses are making a quiet resurgence, not just among loyal Leica shooters, but across the broader mirrorless world. A statement like that probably needs some explanation, so hear me out.

Being a photography enthusiast for classic lenses, I have been a longtime fan of Rollei HFT lenses since I came across them years back, which has led me to collect a few of them in my kit. While I love the colors and the images they produce, the manual focusing experience has always felt fair. In practice, it is fine for casual use, but not something I would rely on during a paid shoot.

Then came a recent rediscovery: the classic Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 ZF. That lens kind of reignited my passion for tactile gear—a kind reminder of how satisfying a well-designed manual focus lens can feel, since I sold most of them away over the years. The Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZF is far from perfect. In fact, I would even go as far as saying it is rubbish when shot wide open: it’s soft, lacks contrast, and suffers from severe spherical aberration, especially at distance. Stopping down is a must if you need the resolution. But despite its quirks, it’s compact, solidly built, and there's a certain charm in the way it renders—closely similar to the Rollei 50mm f/1.4 HFT. The tactile experience it offered brought back the joy of crafting an image for me.

That joy has led me spiraling down a familiar path: a hunt for good manual lenses. Before you ask—yes, autofocus is convenient, and tracking is brilliant. However, if I am being honest, I am not even using my Canon R5 the way it is designed to be used. Single-point AF and, most of the time, in manual focus. Not because I am resisting technology, but because the subjects I shoot do not require face detection or any advanced object tracking. In fact, using the continuous AF often just makes the process of crafting a little bit more annoying. As shifting the framing also resets focus—worse if it misses in low-light situations—it will cycle through the entire focusing range just to refocus. Not helpful when my subject is not moving at all. Unless I am moving fast and need to catch quick moments, I will choose manual focus over autofocus every single time and build the image from scratch.

Now, back to the lens hunt story. I noticed a shift in my own buying behavior. I found myself casually avoiding DSLR lenses in my search list. I don’t think it's because they are bad or no longer relevant, but simply because it no longer makes much sense to invest in something that is constantly depreciating. Even more true for something that I am only using for fun, only to sell off later. It almost seems like the industry has moved on, despite some of the best lenses available today being designed for DSLRs—e.g., the first-generation Zeiss Otus series and DSLR tilt-shift lenses. And that has somewhat affected my decision-making process.

As I scanned through my recent lens searches, there were a few common traits. I kept going back to look for lenses that are capable of producing technically great image quality, tactile to use, compact, and, most importantly, adaptable—something I could use across my Canon, Leica, and Fujifilm mirrorless bodies without committing to a single system. That naturally led me into the rabbit hole of Leica M-mount lenses and eventually to the conclusion of the title.

As I pointed out earlier, the way I approach photography has changed as my creative process shifted across the years. At the current stage, any lens will work for me, and it is no longer just about the focal length or big aperture that I need. I was looking for well-built lenses that are specifically designed to slow down the process of crafting while pushing the image quality. Maybe part of it is just another excuse to scratch the gear acquisition syndrome (GAS) itch—I’ll admit that. But there’s something deeply satisfying about being more involved in the act of photographing that feels romantic in the head.

Now this is where I think Leica M lenses quietly shine for several reasons, apart from the fact that they provide the tactile experience beyond their legacy. The mount’s flange distance makes it attractive as one of the common denominators for cross-mirrorless system adaptability. With the right adapter, you can mount any M lenses on Sony, Canon RF, Nikon Z, Leica L, Fujifilm X, and even GFX medium format systems. While that does not sound like much, pretty much any classic lens that exists on the market with a longer flange distance than mirrorless cameras can also be adapted. This brings me to my next point.

Looking beyond just the mount, the size of M lenses themselves just makes sense. They’re small, solid, and purely mechanical. No motors, no focus-by-wire, no digital overlays that risk being outdated. It is just precision-machined metal and glass, designed to be used to capture images. Besides that, the prices for some used Leica M lenses have come down slightly—though not bargain-bin cheap, they have become more accessible than they have been in years. And with independent and Chinese manufacturers now actively building and rebuilding M-mount lenses with character, if anything, the ecosystem is more alive than ever. And I think the M-mount is about to have its moment—and this time, it won’t just be for Leica users, as long as you have the money to splurge.

And just as I was wrapping up this piece, I stumbled upon the newly announced Thypoch M Positive Lock Adapter, which feels like a direct confirmation of my suspicion and what I have been discussing. These adapters come in multiple versions (M‑E for Sony E, M‑L for L‑mount, M‑Z for Nikon Z, M‑RF for Canon RF, and even M‑Arri for cinema)—all offering a dual‑lock system that drastically improves mechanical stability between the M lens and the camera. It’s not about focusing enhancements or close‑focus tricks. It’s about eliminating micro‑movement, avoiding lens wobble, and ensuring a firm, cine‑level connection. This move probably signals that the Leica M gear is evolving into a true cross-platform ecosystem, with accessories purpose-built for tactile, intentional shooting. Whether this adapter becomes essential or niche, it affirms the direction that I am betting on.