Meike 35mm f/2 AF STM

Meike launched this full-frame prime in 2024. It comes in Leica L, Nikon Z and Sony E versions, and all three share one 35mm optical family. Pick the version made for your camera; the optics described here apply to each.

A 35mm prime suits street, travel and everyday photography. The moderate wide view takes in a person plus their surroundings, from market stalls to café tables. Many photographers carry a lens like this all day.

The trade-off is the fixed view. You frame by stepping closer or farther back, not by turning a zoom ring. That keeps the design simple and rewards working a scene on foot.

The Leica L version weighs 10.5 oz (297 g) and runs 3.54 in (90 mm) long. Its 2.87 in (73 mm) body is easy to carry on a mirrorless camera all day. Other mount versions differ, so check the weight for yours.

It earns a physical score of 64 out of 100. A 58mm screw-in filter fits the front thread.

The f/2 maximum aperture is the main optical draw. It passes more light than slower glass, so you can hold usable shutter speeds in dim restaurants, at dusk or under streetlights. Evening street work and indoor reportage stay hand-held rather than tripod-bound.

Wide open, f/2 also separates a subject from the background. A 35mm view keeps a person in context, while the aperture softens distracting detail behind them. Stopped down, depth of field grows enough for layered street scenes where faces and signage both need to read clearly.

Because the focal length never changes, framing stays predictable from shot to shot. You learn where to stand for a given composition, which helps when a scene unfolds fast.

Close focus is 1.5 ft (45 cm), close enough for meals, souvenirs and details on a table while travelling. The nine-blade aperture helps keep out-of-focus areas smooth when you stop down. Our optics score for this lens is 81 out of 100.

Meike omits image stabilization here. The lens provides no shake correction of its own, so low-light work rests on your technique or on whatever stabilization your camera body offers. At 35mm the loss hurts less than it would on a telephoto, because camera shake shows up more strongly at long focal lengths.

There is no weather sealing either. Rain, sea spray and blowing dust sit outside its design, so keep it covered on rough days. For street and travel use, that usually means checking the forecast or packing a rain sleeve.

The front element also goes without a fluorine coating, so a lens cloth stays useful for dust and fingerprints.

The optical path holds 11 elements in 9 groups. Two of those use low-dispersion glass, which helps reduce chromatic aberration. That is the coloured fringing that can appear along high-contrast edges, such as bare branches against a bright sky.

The Leica L version uses no aspherical elements; other mounts differ. Its construction specification scores 15 out of 100 on our scale.