Compare lenses

Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH vs Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH

The Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH and the Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH side by side, computed from this guide's catalogue.

Which to pick

Pick the Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH if you want a single focal length, usually smaller and sharper wide open. Pick the Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH if you want more reach (to 21mm equivalent), a wider view (from 16mm equivalent) and the flexibility of a zoom.

Still torn? Ask the guide about the Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH and the Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH

Specs side by side

Rows that differ are in full colour; the better value is marked where one is better by any measure.
Spec	Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH	Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH
Maker	Leica	Leica
Focal length	18mm (prime)	16-21mm (zoom)
Full-frame equivalent	18mm	16-21mm
Maximum aperture	f/3.8	f/4
Made for	Full frame	Full frame
Mounts	Leica M	Leica M
Stabilised	no	no
Autofocus	no, manual focus	no, manual focus
Zoom range	prime	1.3×
Cameras it fits	20 in this guide	20 in this guide

Focal range, in full-frame terms

Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH: 18mm.

Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH: 16-21mm.

Aperture

Leica Super-Elmar-M 18mm f/3.8 ASPH: f/3.8 wide open.

Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH: f/4 wide open.

Each opening drawn to scale against f/1.4: a smaller f-number lets in more light and blurs the background more.

Field of view

How wide each sees, at each end, on the sensor it was made for.

Cameras they fit

20 cameras in this guide take both, so either works on the same body.