These are the best Leica lenses for bokeh, chosen for how they render smooth, three-dimensional separation, gentle specular highlights, and graceful transition zones across modern SL/L bodies and the classic M, R, and S platforms. Bokeh is about entrance pupil size and optical character: fast apertures for shallow depth, well-tuned spherical aberration for creamy edges (not nervous double lines), controlled axial CA so highlights don’t fringe magenta/green, and coatings that keep flare elegant when you backlight faces or foliage. On M, the Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH is the modern bokeh icon—huge blur, round speculars, and surprisingly clean color—while the classic Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.0 gives a dreamier, glow-prone signature that many portrait shooters love; the Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH is the everyday bokeh king with neutral, cat’s-eye-controlled highlights and crisp micro-contrast, and the APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH trades raw blur for the silkiest, most artifact-free falloff when you want luxury smoothness over brute depth. Wider, the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH (FLE) balances pop and smooth blur with edge discipline, while character seekers can explore the pre-ASPH 35 Lux or Summicron-M 35 v4 (“bokeh king”) for gentler transitions; longer, the Summilux-M 75mm f/1.4 is a cult classic with velvety backgrounds, the APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH is surgical yet creamy, and the Thambar-M 90mm f/2.2 brings soft-focus glow with a removable center spot for vintage halation on skin and highlights. On SL, the Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH is the flagship bokeh lens—fast, neutral, and cinematic—while the APO-Summicron-SL 75mm and 90mm f/2 ASPH primes deliver exquisitely smooth, cat’s-eye-controlled blur with minimal LoCA; the APO-Summicron-SL 135mm f/2 adds long, elegant separation, and the APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100mm f/2.8 renders close-up backgrounds with polished cream rather than nervous texture. Adaptable R glass offers characterful options: the Summilux-R 80mm f/1.4 is legendary for painterly falloff and luminous portraits, the Elmarit-R 135mm f/2.8 gives classic compression with soft-edged highlights, and APO-Telyt-R 180mm f/2.8 or f/3.4 provide refined, color-clean blur for outdoor portraits; all adapt beautifully to SL with IBIS and EVF precision. Medium-format S shooters get sumptuous separation from the Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 and APO-Elmar-S 180mm f/3.5, with the APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5 serving double duty for beauty and detail with superb, non-distracting bokeh. Image priorities for the best Leica bokeh glass include round aperture shapes at working stops, mild mechanical vignetting to avoid harsh cat’s eyes, well-managed spherical aberration for smooth transitions, and coatings that keep micro-contrast gentle on skin without killing clarity; modern APO designs minimize color bleed in out-of-focus zones, while selective older optics add glow for a romantic look. Technique multiplies the blur—work close to your subject and far from the background, place backlit speculars for pleasing highlight discs, shoot headshots around f/1.2–f/2.8 (or f/2–f/4 for three-quarter views), and use a slim diffusion filter or black mist when you want softer speculars; for video, favor lenses with modest breathing (APO-SL primes) and set a 1/50–1/125 shutter so motion complements the blur. The practical kit recipe is simple: on M, anchor with the 50 Lux ASPH for everyday creamy neutrality, add Noctilux 50 (0.95 or 1.0) for maximal glow and depth, and round with 75 Lux or 90 APO for flattering compression; on SL, pair 50 Lux SL with APO-Summicron-SL 75/90 (add 135 APO for distance) and the 100 Macro for polished close-ups; on R-to-SL, the 80 Lux plus 135/2.8 and 180 APO is a characterful trio; on S, run 70/2.5 + 120/2.5 + 180/3.5 for sumptuous, medium-format separation. Whether you’re crafting luminous headshots, cinematic night streets with floating highlights, editorial fashion with layered backgrounds, or creamy close-up product frames, the best Leica bokeh lenses deliver depth, highlight discipline, and tonal grace that make subjects look expensive and intentional straight out of camera.