Leica Summaron 35mm f/2.8 SIMOM

Leica Summaron 35mm f/2.8 SIMOM

The Summaron 35mm f/2.8 sits quietly in the shadow of Leica's faster 35mm lenses, and that low profile is much of its appeal. Introduced in 1958, it arrived in the same year as the 35mm Summicron f/2 and gave Leica users a more affordable wide-angle option, with the f/1.4 Summilux completing the lineup two years later [1]. That family of 35mm lenses stayed in the catalogue until the Summaron was discontinued in 1974[2]. It replaced the earlier and slower 3.5cm f/3.5 Summaron, sharing a similar character while offering a wider maximum aperture, and Leica also marked the change by referring to it as 35mm rather than 3.5cm. The SIMOM designation and model number 11306 identify the standard M bayonet version.

Optically the lens uses six elements in four groups, the same arrangement as its f/3.5 predecessor. It is small and light, with a brass-based barrel that gives it a solid feel despite a pocketable 29mm length, and it focuses down to 0.7m on an M body. The focus throw is noticeably longer than on modern lenses, particularly at close distances, and the barrel includes an infinity lock that users tend to like. It takes common 39mm filters, which makes filters and clip-on hoods easy to source. As a coupled M-mount lens it works on the full range of Leica M cameras, film and digital.

The standard 11306 is the version most owners want for general M use, but there are closely related variants aimed at specific cameras. A goggled version, model 11106, carries auxiliary finder optics so that the 35mm field of view fits the larger M3 finder, which otherwise only shows down to 50mm framelines; the goggles also alter the rangefinder coupling, so they are not meant to be removed. A screw-mount LTM/M39 Summaron was also produced for Barnack-type bodies, focusing to 1m, and a less common dual-mount version came with a screw-to-M adapter that allows 0.7m focusing on an M. According to Leica's source materials, all of these 35mm f/2.8 Summarons use the same optics.

Optical qualities

Rendering The Summaron is a competent rather than dramatic performer, well suited to everyday and street photography, especially in black and white. It is not an extreme dreamy lens, and it produces little distortion, flare, or contrast loss in normal use.

Sharpness Stopped down, the lens delivers a high level of sharpness and contrast that can be hard to distinguish from a modern 35mm in contrasty, front-lit scenes, even at the edges. Wide open at larger focus distances it loses some sharpness and contrast, so a modern lens is a better choice for critical work in dim light. One long-term user also notes field curvature that softens the extreme corners and edges, while the center remains pleasingly gentle.

Flare resistance Shooting into the sun shows the limits of its older coatings: a modern lens holds micro-contrast better and flares less in those conditions, though hoods help and several compatible hoods exist.

History

Development and Launch The f/2.8 Summaron was introduced in 1958 as a more affordable wide-angle alternative to the new 35mm Summicron and, from 1960, the Summilux, a tiered 35mm range that Leica maintained until 1974. It followed the screw-mount-era 3.5cm f/3.5 Summaron, which had itself replaced the older 3.5cm Elmar. Leica positioned the f/2.8 as a standard wide-angle for general black-and-white and color photography where the cost and speed of the faster lenses were unnecessary, and period price lists showed the Summicron and Summilux commanding substantial premiums over it.

Special editions There are no widely documented exotic factory special editions; the meaningful variations are functional ones tied to camera type. These include the goggled M3 version (11106), a screw-mount LTM/M39 version, and a rarer dual-mount version supplied with a screw-to-M adapter.

Collector Notes The Summaron has remained relatively easy to find in good condition and comparatively affordable, with prices rising gradually rather than spiking. Buyers should confirm which variant they are getting, since the goggled M3 version behaves differently on non-Leica bodies and its goggles should not be removed because of the altered rangefinder coupling. A common modification exists that the f8low review suggests avoiding, so originality is worth checking before purchase. Documented hoods include the 12585 and its plastic 12538 counterpart, the IROOA, the 12504, and the rectangular 12526, none of which reverse-mount on this lens. Note that published weights for this lens vary among sources, with some listing values heavier than the figure recorded here.