Leica Summarit-M 35mm f/2.5

Leica Summarit-M 35mm f/2.5

The Summarit-M 35mm f/2.5 belongs to a quartet of lenses that marked an unusual move for Leica: the launch of a complete, more affordable M lens family. In 2007 the company introduced four Summarit designs in 35, 50, 75 and 90 mm, all sharing a maximum aperture of f/2.5, half a stop slower than the long-established Summicron line [1]. The name deliberately echoed the f/1.5 Summarit of 1949, once Leica's fastest lens, and the new range was positioned to give M users, including newcomers, a credible Leica option below the price of the Summicron and Summilux families [1]. Industry observers have linked the project to competitive pressure from lower-priced M-mount lenses appearing around the arrival of the digital M8, which created a fresh market for compatible glass [1].

As a 35 mm lens of this generation it uses a conventional spherical optical layout of six elements in four groups rather than an aspherical formula, a choice that shapes its rendering. It is a small, light lens, and a nine-blade diaphragm gives a rounded aperture for out-of-focus areas. The lens is rangefinder coupled with a 39 mm filter thread and focuses to 0.8 m, and it carries the model number 11643 with the six-bit code 101011 for recognition by digital M bodies. Reviewers using it on the M9 found build quality consistent with Leica standards; one noted the lens weighs about 6.9 oz without its hood, lighter than the contemporary 35 mm Summicron and Summilux, while the aperture action is not quite as refined as on the costlier Summilux lenses [2].

The Summarit line was relaunched in 2014. The aperture was widened slightly to f/2.4, with strong evidence that the optical formula was essentially carried over, and the revised lenses gained included hoods and revised, more attractive hood designs as well as silver versions, the latter produced in anodised aluminium rather than the earlier brass-chrome finish [1]. Leica quietly discontinued the Summarits in 2020, a decision dealers confirmed in March of that year [1]. The original lenses were initially sold without lens hoods, which had to be bought separately, a point that contributed to the line's reputation as budget gear despite its build quality [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering The Summarit-M 35mm f/2.5 is widely described as a balanced rendering lens rather than a clinical or overtly vintage one. A reviewer shooting it on the M9 characterised the look as sharp but smooth, sitting between modern and classical, an effect attributed in part to its non-aspherical design [2]. Some loss of fine detail toward the edges of the frame at the widest aperture was noted, considered part of the lens's character, while contrast, colour and out-of-focus rendering were judged pleasing across the aperture range [2]. Several long-term M users have reported that, in practice, the optical results are hard to distinguish from the more expensive Summicron, with the differences often smaller than a photographer's own variability [1].

History

Development and Launch The f/2.5 Summarit family was announced in 2007 as Leica's attempt to offer a coherent, lower-cost set of M lenses spanning the most useful focal lengths, the 35 mm sitting alongside 50, 75 and 90 mm versions [1]. The choice of f/2.5 placed the range just below the Summicron in speed and price, and commentators have connected the strategy to the need to retain buyers who might otherwise turn to cheaper third-party M-mount lenses then entering the market [1].

Production Evolution In 2014 the line received a significant update, with the aperture opened marginally to f/2.4. Reports indicate the optical design was largely unchanged, but hoods were now included, hood styling was improved, and silver finishes were offered in anodised aluminium rather than the heavier chrome-on-brass of earlier years [1]. Pricing rose only moderately over the lens's life before the range was withdrawn in 2020 [1].

Special editions No major factory special variants of the 35 mm Summarit are widely documented beyond the standard black and silver finishes and the later f/2.4 revision of the line [1].

Collector Notes Despite consistently positive assessments of their optics and build, the Summarits sold modestly and were long overshadowed by the Summicron name, leaving them undervalued for years [1]. Commentators have observed that, as used Summicron prices climbed, the Summarits began to look like strong value, and some predicted gradual appreciation of used prices as their qualities became better known [1]. Buyers should confirm whether a given example is the original f/2.5 (model 11643, six-bit code 101011) or the later f/2.4 version, and verify the presence and originality of the separately sold hood on early copies [1][2].

Sources

• [1] Macfilos (Joerg-Peter Rau). Farewell to the Summarits: Good and faithful servants but sadly misunderstood. https://www.macfilos.com/2020/04/06/farewell-to-the-summarits-good-and-faithful-servants-but-sadly-underestimated/
• [2] Steve Huff Photo. The Leica 35 Summarit Lens Review. https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2010/01/23/the-leica-35-summarit-lens-review/