Leitz Hugo Lens Family grows with three new focal lengths

Joining the existing 10 Hugo I focal lengths, the Hugo II lenses, so named for their slower aperture, introduce new options that offer some size advantages and slightly different looks with the 75mm and 90mm, while the 66mm fills the gap between 50mm and 75mm.

The Hugo 66mm T2.1 lens is based on the fabled “spy lens” created by legendary Leica lens designer Walter Mandler for the US Navy during the Cold War. Built for ultra-high-resolution imaging and never intended for the public, it’s estimated that less than 200 were ever produced. By only slightly modifying the elegant simplicity of Mandler’s original design, this lens sits alongside its modern siblings as a great pairing with an impressive pedigree. Although considered extremely sharp for its time, the images match remarkably well with the modern-day Hugo lenses.

The Hugo 75mm T2.1 and 90mm T2.1 lenses come from the Leica Summicron-M lenses. Being one stop slower than the T1.5 lenses allows them to be significantly shorter and lighter, matching the dimensions of the rest of the T1.5 set wider than 50mm. By designing housing for these lenses Leitz will now be able to convert full sets of M 0.8 lenses to Hugo without sacrificing the longer focal lengths.

With the addition of the Hugo II series, the Leitz Hugo family of lenses now includes 13 focal lengths from 18mm to 135mm. The lenses are available in LPL, M or L mounts.