LEICA SUMMARIT 40mm F2.4(Ms-Optics)

Converting a Minilux lens to M mount

A reviews and photo examples of LEICA SUMMARIT 40mm F2.4 Modified by Ms-optics

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Gallery

LEICA M typ240.

1．Usage

The image quality of the Summarit 40mm is so amazing that it is hard to believe it is a compact camera lens, and the excellent resolution in the center is worthy of the Summarit name given by Leica.

The lens is a relatively new lens from 1995, so thanks to improvements in coating technology, it has good resistance to backlight, and it shows no problems even in situations where flare would occur with a worn-out Summicron C 40mm.

When I bought the Minilux compact camera, it cost several tens of thousands of yen, but now in 2023, it has risen in price and is now out of reach. Film has also risen in price, so what kind of people are buying and using it? It is a mystery. Considering the rise in camera prices, it may have been better to keep it as it was, but by switching to the M mount, it can be used with a variety of cameras, so I will call it a good thing.

The lens I own has the latest helicoid, making it easier to attach and remove the lens. The old version of the 35mm helicoid used on my CONTAX G 35mm lens makes it difficult to attach and remove the lens because it is difficult to get a good grip with your fingers. However, the shape of the attachment part of this version has been improved, making it easier to attach and remove.

2．Lens overview

The Summarit 40mm is a lens that was taken from a compact film camera, Leica Minilux, by Ms-optics and attached to the M-mount helicoid MS-35 made by Ms-optics.

The M-mount helicoid MS-35 is a common helicoid for lenses with a focal length of around 35mm, and is adjusted during modification to allow focusing by double image alignment at a focal length of 40mm in conjunction with the rangefinder of an M-type rangefinder camera.

The lens barrel uses the original barrel as is, and the rear of the barrel is equipped with 12 aperture springs, a mechanism for changing them, and a focus ring for adjusting the focus position. This helicoid made by Ms-optics is a rational design that is versatile enough to convert various lenses into M-mounts.

The viewfinder frame shows a 35mm frame. The focal length of 40mm can be used without any problems as long as you are aware that it is inside the 35mm viewfinder frame.

At the suggestion of the modder, Mr. Miyazaki, a 37mm diameter, 0.5mm pitch groove part for screwing a hood into the tip of the lens is attached. From the perspective of the lens, it would be better without this part, but it is reassuring to have it attached to prevent scratches on the front element.

3．About the name Summarit

The Summarit 40mm F2.4 has almost the same lens configuration and lens diameter as the Summicron C 40mm (4 groups, 6 elements) for the LEICA CL (film camera) released in 1972, so it would have been possible to use the Summicron F2, but Leica named this lens a Summarit. I have never seen any description that explains the origin of the name Summarit, so I would like to know if there is any description that explains the origin of the name.

If I were to speculate on the reason, it would be that in order to meet the Micron specifications, the lens would have to be larger than it is now, which would have interfered with the autofocus mechanism of the Minilux? Or that there was hesitation to use the Summicron name for a compact camera?

In addition, it is difficult to find a connection between the name Summarit itself and the already existing Summarit 50mm F1.5.
If I were to look for a reason for adding Summarit, it would be the correlation with the aperture value. The old Summarit’s maximum aperture of F1.5 is between the Summilux (F1.4) and Summicron (F2) and is therefore outside the usual naming rules, while the Minilux’s maximum aperture of F2.4 is between the Elmarit (F2.8) and Elmar (F3.5-F4) and is also outside the usual naming rules. This correlation suggests that the Summarit name, which was not in use at the time, was reused.

As is the case today, when the Minilux was released, the Summar and Summitar names with maximum apertures of F2 were also available, but these lenses were probably avoided because they were strongly connected to the Summicron, but it is interesting to imagine the people and meetings that agonized over whether to give this lens a new name or stick with one of the existing names.

The Minilux Summarit was a revival of the name, and so it felt a bit special among Leica lenses, but in 2007 the 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm Summarit series was released, and the Summarit name became established for the lens line that filled the gap between the Summicron with an aperture value of F2 and the Elmarit with an aperture value of F2.8 for the Leica S.
From then on, even for lenses for the Leica S in 2011, lenses with an aperture value between the Elmarit and Summicron were named Summarit.

	Leica S mount (medium format camera)	Leica M mount
Focal length:35	F2.5(2013)	F2.4(2014)/F2.5(2007)
Focal length:50	–	F2.4(2014)/F2.5(2007)
Focal length:70	F2.5(2012)	–
Focal length:75	–	F2.4(2014)/F2.5(2007)
Focal length:90	–	F2.4(2014)/F2.5(2007)
Focal length:120	F2.5(2013)	–

SUMMARIT lens configuration diagram (quoted from MINILUX manual)

Specification

Items	SUMMARIT	NOKTON	SUMMICRON-C
Focal length(mm)	40	40	40
Max aperture	2.4	1.4	2
Min aperture	16	←	←
Lens Construction	6elements in 4groups	7elements in 6groups	6elements in 4groups
Leaf blade	12(Ms-Optics add)	10	←
Min distance(m)	0.8	0.7	0.8
Lens length(mm)	21	29.7	23.5
Max diameter(mm)	49	55	50
Filter Size(mm)	37	43	39
Hood	Cylindrical screw-in hood	bayonet hood LH-6	Wrapper type screw-in hood 12518
Release date	1995	2004	1972
Production numbers	120,000(Minilux camera)	–	54,350(Leica M lens)
Weight(g)	54	175	120