The design goal was to significantly enhance the image quality in the field, while keeping the physical volume small. The lens employs two aspherical surfaces of the grinded type and is probably the first lens, where the design is structured around the use of the aspherics. The method of grinding the aspherical surfaces was technically closely related to the procedure used for the Noctilux 1.2/50mm.

At full aperture we note a high overall contrast and very fine details are recorded with fidelity and high clarity on axis (image height 10mm). From there the quality is reduced gradually and at the corners the details are fuzzy. At 1:2 contrast improves visibly and the definition of very fine detail is crisp, excepting the outer zones where these details are becoming softer, but still with good visibility.

The production started around 1988, while the lens was introduced in 1990. The Summilux aspherical is generally two stops ahead of the previous Summilux from 1961. At 1:2 it is better than the older one at 1:5.6.