Thypoch has quickly made a name for itself in the Leica community, thanks to its compelling lenses for the M mount. Since the launch of their Simera lineup, which offered high-performance, pro-grade lenses at surprisingly reasonable prices, Thypoch has been a brand to watch. Naturally, the next step was to create smaller, street-friendly primes that maintain the same high-quality standards, and that’s exactly what they’ve done with the Ksana 21mm f3.5 (which I’ve heard good things about) and their latest release: the Ksana 35mm f2 ASPH. Thypoch kindly sent me this lens ahead of its official release, and I was more than excited to put it to the test, especially since 35mm is my go-to focal length.
Build and haptics
The Ksana 35mm f2 is one of the smallest 35mm lenses available for the M mount. Its compact design (just 0.8mm longer than the Leica Summicron 35mm v4) is impressive, and it accepts 39mm filters. A nice bonus is that it works with standard Leica hoods, like the 12504, which can be easily sourced from various Asian distributors. Thypoch also plans to release their own version of the Leica IROOA hood, which should be a nice touch.
The lens doesn’t exactly resemble the Ksana 21mm in appearance, they actually don’t look like being part of the same range, but it definitely carries a refined mechanical design. Full brass construction, a glossy black or silver chrome finish, evenly spaced aperture scales, and a crescent-shaped focus tab all contribute to a beautifully made lens. The attention to detail is impressive, and it feels very well thought out. One of my favorite touches is the uninterrupted knurling around the aperture ring, which allows for easy one-finger adjustments. This is much more comfortable than the “winged” aperture rings that often require a two-finger grip. That said, the knurling could be a bit deeper, as it sometimes feels a little slippery. The silver version might feel slightly better due to the thinner plating.
As for the markings, the font is much more pleasant to my eyes than on some of Thypoch’s other lenses, but the engravings are a bit small. Moreover, the amber-colored paint they use for the markings can be hard to read in darker environments, especially if your eyesight isn’t perfect. The aperture index, painted red, is thin and recessed on the lens barrel, making it almost invisible when using a hood. I found adding a small white dot on the hood helpful for tracking the aperture setting in low-light situations.
The click stops on the aperture ring feel a little light and could benefit from more resistance to provide more tactile feedback. The focusing ring feels particularly nice and very smooth, but the action is a bit fast. The lens focuses as close as 0.5m, which is impressive for its size. However, the clicked detent that signals when you’ve reached the uncoupled zone (below 0.7m) is too light, and I often couldn’t feel it while focusing. Despite these small quirks, the overall design and mechanics of the lens are solid, and I’m sure these issues could be ironed out with further refinement.
The rangefinder coupling worked perfectly with my Leica M6 straight out of the box, though your experience may vary.
Optical performances
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Ksana 35mm f2 is its surprisingly small front lens element. Despite this, my testing confirmed that this is indeed a true f2 lens. The lens features coatings that give off a green/amber tint, reminiscent of the Nikkor “S.I.C.” coatings, and the rear lens element shows clear reflections of the aspherical surface. With a design that includes eight elements in five groups, ED glass, and ASPH elements, this lens promises high optical performance.
The MTF chart is impressive, suggesting the lens should perform exceptionally well even wide open. Here’s how it holds up in practice:
The lens impresses straight out of the gate at f2. The nightscapes I shot were crisp and clean, with only minimal veiling and aberrations. Overall, the look is modern, detailed, and very sharp. Only the farthest corners will remain a bit soft.
Stopping down to f4, the lens reaches near perfection. The images are incredibly sharp, with minimal vignetting (which is mostly gone by f4). Good news also, I did not detected focus shift.
The bokeh is smooth and modern, with hardly any noticeable hard edges or fuzziness, which is rare among 35mm lenses.
Distortion is minimal at around 1% barrel distortion, great news at this price point.
All pictures shown here are available on this drive at full resolution.
Price considerations
The Ksana 35mm f2 ASPH offers an impressive balance of compact size, optical quality, and build at a price point that’s hard to beat. At around €590, it’s a steal compared to similar offerings, like the Voigtländer Ultron 35mm f2, which costs about €750.
Pros and Cons
- Extremely compact and close to the Leica Summicron 35mm v4 in size.
- ASPH design ensures excellent sharpness and image quality.
- Minimal distortion.
- High-quality build and aesthetics.
- The markings on the lens could be larger and more legible.
- Click stops on the aperture ring could be firmer for more precise adjustments.
- The design doesn’t quite match the other lens in the Ksana lineup, making it feel less like part of a family.
Conclusion
The Thypoch Ksana 35mm f2 ASPH is a highly recommended lens for anyone seeking a compact, sharp, and affordable 35mm option for the Leica M mount. Its optical performance far exceeds expectations at this price range, making it one of the best choices currently available. Of course, if you’re someone who prefers a more “characterful” lens with more visible imperfections at wide open apertures, there are plenty of non-ASPH 35mm lenses to consider as well. I’ll be writing a comparison of various non-ASPH 35mm lenses soon, so stay tuned!
I look forward to seeing what Thypoch does next with the Ksana lineup—perhaps a 50mm or 75mm f2.5 to complement their Simera lenses would be the perfect addition.
If you wish to, Thypoch will offer you a 5% discount on any purchase made on their store using this link and the coupon code VINCENTBIHLER
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