DJ-Optical, which sells its lenses on eBay, has a new ultra-slim manual-focus pancake lens that looks quite stylish.
Shown off earlier this year at the 2026 China P&E Imaging Show, per Leica Rumors, the new DJ-Optical Ultra Slim 35mm f/3.5 Pancake Lens is a manual focus prime for Leica M mount. It is just 15 millimeters (0.59 inches) long, not counting the mount itself.
Online retailer Shotenkobo describes it as a “body-cap-style lens.” PetaPixel has reported on other similar lenses over the years, including most recently the TTArtisan AF 24mm f/3.8 Mini for full-frame E-mount cameras. The idea is that instead of protecting the image sensor with a standard body cap, users can attach a pancake lens that protects the camera, adds little weight, and can also be used to take photos.
In this case, a 35mm f/3.5 lens suits a wide range of photographic applications. It can be used for street photography, travel, and portraiture, to name a few. While it isn’t super-fast, it’s fast enough for many casual scenarios. It also doesn’t add much weight to a kit, since the lens is just 140 grams (4.9 ounces).
As Digital Camera Watch adds, DJ-Optical has about 30 years of optical experience. The company’s most recent lens is the NyctaLux 50mm f/1 for M Mount. It’s also on eBay and costs about $700.
The manual focus lens has eight elements arranged across five groups. That’s quite a bit of glass for such a thin lens. It includes one ED element and a trio of high-refractive index elements. The aperture ranges from f/3.5 to f/16, with eight aperture blades. Although it is rangefinder-coupled and focuses down to 0.7 meters, it can focus as close as 0.5 meters in live view. It can also be easily adapted to non-M cameras, though any adapter adds a bit of length to the pancake lens.
“Combining classic metal craftsmanship, multi-coated optics, and rangefinder-coupled manual focusing, it is an ideal everyday companion for street photography, travel, and casual shooting,” Shotenkobo says.
It’s not super cheap, priced at about $520, but it’s not an especially high price for an all-metal Leica M-mount design. The lens is available to purchase now.
Image creditsDJ-Optical / Shotenkobo
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