Leica Summaron 28mm f/5.6

Leica Summaron 28mm f/5.6

Few Leica wide-angles pack as much collector appeal into so little metal as the 28mm f/5.6 Summaron. Introduced in 1955, it replaced the older and slower 2.8cm f/6.3 Hektor and gave screw-mount users a properly corrected wide-angle just as the Leica IIIg arrived [1][2]. The modest f/5.6 maximum aperture was a deliberate trade: by keeping the lens slow, Leica could make it flat, light, and pocketable, qualities that still define the lens today. A six-element, four-group optical design sits behind a 34mm filter thread, and the whole assembly weighs only around 150 to 162 grams, which makes for an unusually small and balanced setup on a screw-mount or M-mount body.

The lens is fully rangefinder coupled, and its short barrel and fine, closely spaced focusing and aperture rings reflect its mid-1950s origins. Reviewers note that the compactness can make the controls a little fiddly to operate, particularly with the hood fitted. Because neither the screw-mount cameras nor the M3 carried 28mm frame lines when the lens launched, an accessory viewfinder was required for accurate framing, an extra item that original-era users had to buy separately. Minimum focus is one meter, in keeping with the wide-angle rangefinder lenses of its day.

The original f/5.6 Summaron was made in Leitz screw mount (LTM/M39) and was produced only until 1963, when the faster 28mm Elmarit superseded it. Production was small, with figures often cited around 6,228 units, and this scarcity has pushed prices high in the collector and auction markets, where the matching crackle-finish SOOBK lens hood is itself rare and sought after. In 2016 Leica revived the design as the Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6, an M-mount, six-bit coded lens that, according to Leica, retains the original optical formula and rendering [3]. Care should therefore be taken to distinguish the vintage LTM lens from the modern reissue when researching values and features.

Optical qualities

Rendering Documented impressions describe a compact wide-angle that performs better than its age might suggest. One long-term user shooting a 1958 example reported excellent color and sharpness even at higher film speeds. The original lens is praised for a notably good coating that lends it a fairly modern look. The slow aperture and simple design keep the lens small but limit it to brighter conditions; reviewers recommend it mainly for outdoor or well-lit use, or with flash, rather than dim interiors.

Distortion and vignetting Some vignetting is reported and was apparently known as a characteristic of the lens in its day; on digital bodies it is easily corrected in post-processing.

History

Development and Launch During the Leica screw-mount era the company had few wide-angle options, and the existing 2.8cm f/6.3 Hektor was limited by its slow aperture and simple design. With the launch of the IIIg approaching, Leica introduced the Summaron 28mm f/5.6 in 1955 as a better-corrected replacement, built around a six-element, four-group layout.

Production Evolution The f/5.6 Summaron was produced in screw mount until 1963, when it was discontinued in favor of the faster 28mm Elmarit. In 2016 Leica reissued the design as the M-mount Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6, a six-bit coded lens that Leica states keeps the original optical formula and intended rendering, offered in silver and black finishes with a brass hood.

Collector Notes Original f/5.6 Summarons are scarce, and the low production total has made clean examples expensive at auction. The correct period accessory is the SOOBK hood, a crackle-finish piece that is itself rare and commands a premium, so its presence and originality are worth verifying before purchase. Because the lens launched before 28mm frame lines existed on Leica bodies, buyers planning to use it on vintage cameras should account for an accessory finder. Finally, the vintage LTM lens and the 2016 M-mount reissue share a name and formula but differ in mount and coding, so identification matters when buying.