Thypoch Simera 75mm f/1.4 Lens Review – A Great Entry Point Into 75mm
Thypoch Simera 75mm f/1.4 Lens Review - A Great Entry Point Into 75mm
Lens Review
There are some focal lengths that never feel completely natural to me, and 75mm has always been one of them. It sits in that slightly awkward space between 50mm and 90mm. It is not as instinctive as 35mm, not as familiar as 50mm, and not quite as specialised as 90mm. Still, every time I spend enough time with a good 75mm lens, I end up understanding why people love it so much.
For portraits, it gives just a bit more distance and separation without feeling too detached. For street photography, it lets me step back slightly and observe a scene with a little more control. The compression is there, but not in an overly obvious way, and the subject separation feels just right. It is one of those focal lengths that asks me to think a little more before taking the picture, but that is also part of the appeal.
If you’re curious how Thypoch handles the other end of the range, I’ve also reviewed the Thypoch Simera 21mm f/1.4.
The Thypoch Simera 75mm f/1.4 had been on my list for a long time. After trying the Thypoch Simera 28mm before and coming away thinking it was actually pretty good, I was curious about what the brand would do with a longer, portrait oriented lens. Thanks to Thypoch for sending one over for me to try properly, because this is exactly the kind of lens I would have wanted to spend time with before deciding whether 75mm deserves more space in my bag.
All photos in this post are post edited.
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A few words about Thypoch
Thypoch is still a relatively new name compared to the brands most Leica users are used to, but they have already started building a pretty clear identity. Their lenses sit in an interesting space: visually inspired by classic lens design, but made with modern optical ambition and a strong emphasis on rendering. Looking at the Simera line, you can tell they care not only about technical performance, but also about how a lens feels in the hand and how the out-of-focus areas transition in the final image.
The Simera 75mm f/1.4 also shares its optical design roots with the Simera-C 75mm T1.5, which probably explains why this lens feels slightly more cinematic in character rather than chasing a purely clean and clinical modern look. That connection made sense to me once I started going through the files.
First impressions and design
My first experience with Thypoch was the Simera 28mm, and back then I remember thinking the lens was good, though the finishing could be better. With this 75mm, my impression is that they have improved. It still does not feel like they are trying to imitate Leica one-to-one, but the overall presentation feels more mature this time.
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When I look at Thypoch lenses, I get the sense that they take little bits of inspiration from several classics and blend them together into something familiar but still their own. On this Simera 75mm, I kept noticing details that reminded me of a few favourites: the Summicron 50mm Rigid Type 1 style focusing curl, the focus scale that made me think a little of the Alpa Macro Switar, and the hood design that has a bit of Summilux 35mm f/1.4 FLE energy to it.
On the 75mm, the round lens hood works especially well. It feels natural on a lens of this size and helps complete the overall look. I also think the bigger diameter makes it look more at home on an M body. This one feels like a proper fast portrait lens without looking oversized.
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Why 75mm is more useful than people think
For a long time, I probably would have called 75mm an obsolete focal length, or at least one I did not need very often. But the more I use it, the more I see where it fits.
A lot of people still associate 75mm mostly with portraits, which makes sense. It gives flattering compression, nice subject separation, and enough distance to make people feel slightly less confronted than they might with a 35mm or 50mm held close. But I think 75mm is also very underrated for street photography.
Some people will ask why I would use a 75mm for street at all. For me, it gives just enough extra distance from the subject and more separation from the background without becoming too obvious or too compressed like a 90mm can sometimes feel. It still leaves some room for the environment, but gives the subject more breathing room in the frame.
The trade-off is that 75mm is not a natural focal length to me. With 35mm and 50mm, I often react instinctively. With 75mm, I have to think a little more. But sometimes that extra pause is useful. I guess using this on my Leica SL3-P makes more sense than on a rangefinder camera.
Build quality and handling
In hand, the Simera 75mm f/1.4 feels well balanced. One of its biggest strengths is simply how reasonable the size and weight are for a fast 75mm.
A few of the more useful specifications:
- Maximum aperture: f/1.4
- Minimum focus distance: 0.6m
- Filter size: 58mm
- Weight: 371.8g
- Optical formula: 9 elements in 8 groups
- Includes 1 aspherical element, 2 ED elements, and 2 HRI elements
- 16-blade aperture
The weight is one of the clearest advantages. For comparison, the Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 ASPH is around 350g, the Leica Summilux 75mm f/1.4 V2 is roughly 600g, and the Leica Noctilux-M 75mm f/1.25 ASPH is over 1kg. That puts the Thypoch in a very practical place.
If I am travelling and trying to keep a kit to two or three lenses, I can imagine bringing something like this much more easily than one of the heavier Leica alternatives. It gives the option of a proper telephoto portrait lens without making the whole setup feel too serious.
The 58mm filter size is good, though not one of my most commonly used sizes. My Noctilux 50mm f/1 E58 and Makina 67 share that size, so it is not a complete outlier for me.
The minimum focus is 0.6m - and that still matters a lot to me
With minimum focus distance 0.6m, it has the closest focus distance among other 75mm I have but you will have to bear with a much longer barrel when it’s fully extended. For the way I like to shoot portraits, especially when I want a slightly tighter frame or a more intimate distance, I often wish for just a little more flexibility. Once you start noticing that limit in actual use, it becomes hard to ignore. So while I understand why some photographers will be completely fine with it, I kept feeling that this was the one specification that would stop me from seriously considering it as a long-term personal purchase. It has super nice pop if you shoot at minimum focus distance.
Focusing: rangefinder is possible, EVF is better
This is also the kind of lens that reminds me that 75mm on a Leica M body is not always the easiest pairing, especially at f/1.4.
Yes, the lens is rangefinder-coupled, and yes, you can use it as intended on an M body. But in practice, my hit rate was much better when I used an EVF. Most of my shooting was done with the Leica M11 black paint and the Visoflex 2, and I also used it on the Leica SL2-S and Leica SL3-P. That setup simply made more sense to me if I wanted to see what the lens could really do without missing too many frames due to focusing error.
If you are someone who is already comfortable focusing 75mm lenses on a rangefinder, you might be perfectly happy. But for readers who are still exploring longer M-mount lenses, I think it is fair to say that this is a much easier lens to enjoy with EVF support.
One thoughtful detail from Thypoch is the tactile resistance point on the focus ring near the range (below 0.7M) where you move beyond the more traditional rangefinder comfort zone. It is a small thing, but it does show they were thinking about how M users would actually use the lens.
Rendering and character
The Simera 75mm f/1.4 is not a lens that tries to impress by being brutally sharp wide open, and I actually think that helps it.
There is a little softness at f/1.4, but not in a bad way. It gives portraits a more forgiving look and stops the images from feeling too dry or too clinical. If your standard for comparison is something like the Leica Noctilux-M 75mm f/1.25 ASPH, then yes, the Noctilux is much sharper and more resolved. But that lens also lives in a completely different universe in terms of price, size, and expectation.
What I liked here was that the Thypoch gives enough sharpness to feel modern, but still leaves room for atmosphere. The files have a nice bit of 3D pop, and that was one of the things I noticed quite early on.
Compared to the Leica Summilux 75mm f/1.4 V2, the transition on the Thypoch focus to blur is less creamy and less rich. The Leica still has that more luxurious, gradual rendering that is hard to replace. The Thypoch is a little less graceful in that transition, but not unpleasant at all.
Compared to the Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 ASPH, I think the Thypoch feels more cinematic or slightly more vintage in spirit. The Voigtlander is very sharp and technically very strong, but the Thypoch has a gentler rendering that some people may actually prefer if they do not want the most clinical result possible.
I took this lens with me to Shanghai for what was meant to be a three-day trip, but the typhoon extended it by another two days after my flight was cancelled. I paired it with the Leica SL3-P and ended up really enjoying it for portraits of my wife and sister. Compared to my Noctilux 75mm, this lens gives me a more cinematic mood. The vignette falls off very naturally, and together with the new Cine photo style on the SL3-P, it gave me a rendering I really liked. I was also surprised by how sharp it is, and personally I think it shines more on the SL3-P than it did on the SL2-S. If you are thinking of using this lens, I would recommend pairing it with a higher megapixel sensor.
Bokeh and comparisons
I had a few other 75mm lenses on hand while trying this one, so I also did a bokeh comparison with:
- Thypoch Simera 75mm f/1.4
- Leica Noctilux 75mm f/1.25 ASPH
- Leica Summilux 75mm f/1.4 V2
- Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 ASPH
All photos shot with Leica SL3-P with Cine Leica look.
The Simera does a good job when it comes to keeping the out-of-focus areas pleasant. The bokeh is generally clean without feeling too busy. Thypoch also talks about reducing onion-ring artefacts through their aspherical processing, and in real images the highlight rendering does stay quite tidy.
What it does not do is match the Summilux 75mm in creamy richness. The Leica still has a more beautiful and more gradual transition. But the Thypoch holds its own by offering a look that feels a little more relaxed and slightly cinematic while Voigtlander Nokton has a much cooler tint.
One thing to note is that there is purple fringing when shooting wide open. In certain high-contrast scenes, it becomes visible, so this is worth knowing if you are very sensitive to that kind of behaviour. For me, it is a flaw, but not one that completely overshadows the lens.
A lens that makes sense at the price
I think the strongest argument for this lens is quite simple: it gives people a good entry point into a fast 75mm without forcing them into Leica prices.
That matters because 75mm is not always an easy focal length to commit to. If you are someone who already knows this is your focal length and you want the ultimate version of it, then of course the Leica options still exist, and they are better in certain ways. But if you are curious about what 75mm can do for portraits, street, or travel, and you do not want to damage your bank account trying to find out, the Thypoch makes a lot of sense.
That is why I think this lens will appeal both to regular readers here and to photographers who are simply looking for something new to try. It is a longer focal length that still feels portable, has enough character to make shooting enjoyable, and sits at a price point where experimenting does not feel too reckless.
Final thoughts
After spending time with the Thypoch Simera 75mm f/1.4, I came away feeling that it is a lens with a very clear purpose.
It is not trying to beat the Leica Noctilux 75mm in sharpness, and it does not quite have the creamy richness of the Leica Summilux 75mm f/1.4 V2. It also is not as clinically sharp as the Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 ASPH. But maybe that is exactly why it works.
What it offers instead is a more approachable way into 75mm: lightweight, relatively affordable, visually attractive on an M body, and with a rendering style that feels pleasant and slightly cinematic rather than aggressively corrected. The finishing also feels improved compared to my earlier experience with the Simera 28mm, which is a good sign for the brand.
The other practical reality is that if you want the best hit rate, especially at f/1.4, using an EVF will make life much easier than relying only on rangefinder coupling.
Still, if you are only going to keep one 75mm lens, or if you simply want to explore a focal length that is less familiar to you without spending Leica money, I think the Thypoch Simera 75mm f/1.4 is a very good place to start.
It made me take 75mm seriously again, and that alone already says quite a lot.
If you’re curious how Thypoch handles the other end of the range, I’ve also reviewed the Thypoch Simera 21mm f/1.4.
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5 Comments
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A fantastic review with beautiful images! You captured the essence of Shanghai very well and the 75mm focal length added something unique to the mix. I know a review like this takes a lot of work. Well done!
Love your reviews.
I’m a Thypoch fan and have the Simmera 35 and 50, but I chose the Voigt 75 APO f2.8 over this lens. For the price, the images are sharp and saturated and the lens is very small. A perfect fit on an M. That being said, I don’t love 75 on an M it turns out so I think I’ll try using this one on my SL3s and see how it goes!
Please do give it a try on your SL3-S. I’d love to hear what you think of it.
Wonderful review. Same. Love this as an affordable, well designed option for the Leica M series that does not break the bank for a niche lens. I use mine for live black and white music performance.
I’m sure the 75mm would work beautifully for low light music performances.
Which camera are you using it with?