LEICA SUMMARON M 35mm F2.8

Inexpensive lenses for the Summicron series

A review and photo examples of the SUMMARON M 35mm F2.8.

Gallery

LEICA SUMMARON-M 35mm F2.8 Photo example (using Leica M8)

Review

Overview
Usage
Add info

1．Overview

The Summaron 35mm F2.81 is a budget lens released in 1958 that has the same lens barrel as the original 8-element Summicron but with a different lens configuration.

According to the LEICA Wiki page in the reference link, 52,400 were produced in the 10 years from 1958 to 1968.
The Summaron name was only used in 28mm and 35mm, a name that was rarely used.

The lens mounts are M-mount and L-mount, and the only one with glasses is the M-mount version for the M3. All lenses are equipped with a stopper at the infinity position.

The lens barrel is the same as the original Summicron, so the lens hood named IROOA can be used. As there is an infinity stopper, the hood cannot be attached backwards, just like the original Summicron.

2．Usage

A lens that is half a stop darker than the Summicron, and perhaps because it is an old lens, when backlit it produces flashy ghosts or strange flares that reduce contrast. When in front light, I feel that the image is normal for a 35mm lens.

The infinity stopper attached to the lens is a matter of preference for some users, but I don’t think it is an essential piece of equipment, as with manual focus lenses, if the lens has a moderate helicoid weight, the focal length will not shift even without this stopper.

However, I am positive about its function, and since it locks automatically when the lens is returned to infinity, it is good that it eliminates the need to slide a slide switch like with modern AF lenses.

Also, if the lens is in good condition, there is a satisfying click sound when it is returned to infinity, and the precision mechanical gimmick, which is not possible today due to cost, has the effect of increasing the satisfaction of owning it.

3．Add info.

This lens is sandwiched between the legendary Summicron and the inexpensive F3.5 Summaron, and the rangefinder 35mm is one of the most popular focal lengths along with the 50mm. It’s hard to answer if you ask if this lens has any outstanding features among 35mm focal length lenses.

The lens structure is almost the same as the Summaron 35mm F3.5 (Sunhands Summaron) 2, and as far as the diagram on the Leica Wiki goes, the gap between the laminated lenses at the rear of the lens and the last lens, and the size of the front lens, etc. appear to be different, but it is thought that the brightness has been increased to F2.8 through fine adjustments.

In order to make it as bright as the Summicron 35mm34’s aperture maximum value of F2, the lens structure was fundamentally revised, so it is appropriate that the Summaron F3.5 and F2.8 have the same lens name.

In the 2000s, when the Leica M8 was on sale, this lens could be found for under 100,000 yen, and it was a wallet-friendly lens that allowed you to experience the feeling of an 8-element Summicron, including the stopper mechanism, but in the 2020s, it can be found for over 200,000 yen without glasses, and I feel that it has become very expensive.

Looking at the number of lenses produced, it is much more than Leica R lenses, but the fact that the current price has been maintained is partly due to the popularity of M-type Leica, but unless you are very interested in this lens, it seems that the meaning of choosing and owning this lens is fading.

Some shops sell this lens with different lens coatings such as blue coating depending on the year, but if you are shooting with a digital camera, the condition of the lens affects the image, so I think it is better to think of the coating as a bonus.

There are people overseas who are comparing them on Flicker and other sites, so I guess there are people who care about the difference.

It’s fine to spend your abundant financial resources, but if you are going to buy it, you will regret it if you are not fully aware that it is an old lens.
Leica itself has collectors all over the world, so if you don’t choose the wrong seller, I think the damage will be minimal, but if you sell it through a domestic dealer, the selling price will be high, but the trade-in price will be about half to one-third of that. In particular, if there is even the slightest deterioration of the coating or peeling of the balsam, the purchase price will be low, so you need to be careful when purchasing.

Specification

Items	Value	Note
Focal length(mm)	35
Max aperture	2.8
Min aperture	22
Lens Construction	6elements in 4groups
Min distance(m)	0.7	0.65m with glasses type
Lens length(mm)	29
Max diameter(mm)	51	excluding focusing knob
Filter Size(mm)	39
Weight(g)	210
Release date	1958 *1
Production number	52,400 *1