In the field of custom-built, award-winning pedigree cameras, Leica's M cameras has gained another notch up its belt with the unveiling of its handcrafted, tiny (17mm only), and wide-angle f/4.5 lens by Japanese manufacturer of hand-made lenses MS Optics.

According to Digital Trends, the MS Optics Perar 17mm f/4.5 pancake lens is only a mere 60 grams in weight and measures only 10.2 mm thick by 70mm in diameter. Its Ultra-Thin Retro-focus Lens has an angle view of 100°.

This tiny lens was designed by famous Japanese lens maker Sadayasu Miyazaki who is notable for transforming conventional lenses to fit the digital-based Leica M lens series. As it is rather lightweight, the Perar 17mm f/4.5 is mighty convenient to bring with you in your adventures outdoors.

Its other product specifications, as D Preview mentions, MS Optics includes a four element, four group optical design and full multi-coating, the Perar 17mm f/4.5 lens produces excellent color execution and high contrast photos. At a distance set at 1.4m, all photos from 0.8m to infinity will come out really great and focused.

A noted weakness, according to MS Optics, is the peripheral light fall-off, especially during maximum aperture use. However, this lens is much improved from its Perar 21mm and 24mm predecessors.

When compared to its rival Zeiss Distagon 18mm f/4 lens, MS Optics said that it "is neither superior nor inferior, but taking into consideration the fact that the Zeiss lens is a 10 element optical design, 70mm in diameter, 51.5mm long, and weighs 350 grams, I think the good points of [the Perar 17mm f/4.5] lens are pretty clear."

The MS Optics lens is already available but will be retailed in limited numbers - with a waiting period for orders -- by Japan Camera Hunter in Japan and Taos Photographic in Europe at 80,000 yen and 950 euros (between US$700-1,000), respectively.

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