These are the best Leica lenses for night photography, chosen for how they combine fast apertures, disciplined off-axis control (low sagittal coma/astigmatism), strong flare resistance, and dependable focusing or silky manual throws across modern SL/L bodies and the classic M, R, and S platforms. Night work is about two levers—speed to keep shutter/ISO sensible and optical calm around point lights—plus stabilization/handling that lets you shoot handheld when tripods aren’t possible. On SL, anchor with the Summilux-SL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH and Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH—neutral color, sticky AF, elegant falloff, and tidy highlights under neon; add the Summilux-SL 24mm f/1.4 ASPH for blue-hour skylines and core-over-city scenes, and the APO-Summicron-SL 28/35/50/75/90 f/2 primes for exquisitely clean wide-open performance that pairs beautifully with IBIS for slower shutters in dim streets; for long-exposure cityscapes and light trails, the Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH delivers rectilinear discipline and robust flare control for starburst-friendly f/8–f/16 shots. M shooters get compact night heroes: Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH and 35mm f/1.4 ASPH (FLE) for fast wide-normal coverage with controlled coma and gentle speculars; Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH for classic low-light portraits; Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH when you want maximal light and cinematic separation; and the Super-Elmar-M 21mm f/3.4 ASPH for tripod-based cityscapes with crisp sunstars and disciplined flare. Adaptable R glass brings budget-friendly speed to SL bodies with IBIS: Summilux-R 35/1.4, 50/1.4, and 80/1.4 are legendary for night color and glow when you want character, while the Elmarit-R 19mm f/2.8 and 24mm/28mm Elmarit-R offer rectilinear calm for long exposures; long, buttery focus throws make infinity micro-adjusts easy with EVF peaking. Medium-format S users should reach for the Elmarit-S 30mm f/2.8 ASPH and Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 for clean, wide nightscapes, plus the Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 or APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5 for moody details and portraits; CS leaf-shutter variants help balance bright practicals with high-speed sync at dusk. Image priorities are clear: fast apertures (f/1.4–f/2) or IBIS for handheld scenes, low coma so off-axis lights don’t sprout wings, restrained LoCA to keep speculars from bleeding color, and coatings that resist veiling flare around signage and street lamps; for tripod work, rectilinear wides with good sunstar behavior at mid-stops make skylines and bridges pop. Technique multiplies results—focus with magnified live view on a bright edge, “touch infinity then micro-back off,” start people at 1/125–1/250 with Auto ISO and f/1.4–f/2, and switch to base ISO for tripod plates; for starbursts and light trails, shoot f/8–f/11 at multi-second exposures, shielding the front element from stray light; use mild diffusion/black mist when you want gentler speculars, and avoid aggressive CPL at night to keep skies even. The practical kit recipe is simple: on SL, run 24/1.4 + 35/1.4 + 50/1.4 for handheld nights, add 16–35 for tripod cityscapes, and lean on APO-SL f/2 primes when you want clinical clean files with IBIS; on M, pair 28/1.4 + 35/1.4 FLE + 50/1.4 (add 50/0.95 for maximum light) and a 21/3.4 SEM for skyline work; on R-to-SL, build 35/1.4 + 50/1.4 + 80/1.4 for character plus 19/2.8 for long exposures; on S, choose 30/2.8 + 35/2.5 with 70/2.5 or 120/2.5 for portraits and detail. Whether you’re shooting neon-washed streets, reflective riverfront skylines, handheld café portraits, or light-trail bridges at blue hour, the best Leica lenses for night photography deliver speed, flare discipline, and rendering grace that make nocturnal scenes look vivid, clean, and intentionally cinematic straight out of camera.