Leica Summaron 35mm f/3.5 with OVU SOONC

Leica Summaron 35mm f/3.5 with OVU SOONC

The Leica Summaron 35mm f/3.5 SOONC, product code 11005, is the early Leica screw-mount version of the classic 3.5cm Summaron wide-angle lens. It was made for Leica L39 / LTM / M39 rangefinder cameras and is one of the key postwar Leica wide-angle lenses. Kamerastore lists this lens as “Leica 3.5cm f3.5 Summaron (Type I) (SOONC / 11005)” and identifies it as a Leica Thread Mount / M39 rangefinder lens [1].

This entry covers the SOONC / 11005 screw-mount Type I version, paired or described with an external optical viewfinder. The OVU is an accessory finder for framing, not the fixed goggled M3 rangefinder unit used on the SOONC-MW / SOMWO 11107 version. This distinction matters because the SOONC / 11005 lens is a standard LTM rangefinder-coupled lens, while the SOONC-MW / SOMWO is a Leica M3 goggled M-bayonet configuration.

Kamerastore describes the SOONC / 11005 Type I as the first version, manufactured up to serial number 1423140, using push-on A36 filters and the FOOKH hood. It lists 6 elements in 4 groups, 1m minimum focus, 10 aperture blades and 170g weight. This entry should be kept separate from the later E39 Summaron 35mm f/3.5 versions and from the M-bayonet Summaron variants.

Optical qualities

Rendering

The Summaron 35mm f/3.5 is a compact vintage Leica wide-angle with restrained speed, smooth tonal rendering and classic postwar Leica character. The SOONC / 11005 version shares the 6 element, 4 group optical layout of the early 3.5cm Summaron family.

Sharpness

A clean and correctly adjusted copy can give good central sharpness, especially stopped down. As with many early Leica wide-angle lenses, performance depends strongly on sample condition. Haze, cleaning marks, coating wear and element condition can have a large effect on contrast and apparent sharpness.

Contrast and color

Contrast is typically lower than later Leica 35mm lenses, especially the later Summaron 35mm f/2.8 and Summicron 35mm f/2. Clean optics are important because haze is common in older Summaron lenses. Coating condition should be checked carefully before making strong image-quality claims.

Bokeh and transitions

As a 35mm f/3.5 lens with a 1m closest focusing distance, this is not primarily a shallow-depth-of-field lens. The 10-blade aperture helps keep stopped-down aperture shapes relatively rounded, but the lens is better understood as a compact documentary, travel and landscape wide-angle.

Handling

The SOONC / 11005 Type I uses push-on A36 filters and the FOOKH hood according to Kamerastore. Since screw-mount Leica bodies do not provide 35mm framelines, an external optical finder is normally used for framing. This is likely what “with OVU” refers to in a listing or database title.

Digital use

The lens can be used on Leica M bodies with an L39-to-M adapter and on mirrorless cameras with suitable adapters. Rangefinder coupling, infinity focus and adapter accuracy should be checked on the exact body. On digital cameras, haze and low contrast may be more visible than on film.

History

Development and Launch

The Summaron 35mm f/3.5 became Leica’s important postwar wide-angle lens for screw-mount cameras. Kamerastore lists the SOONC / 11005 Type I as starting in 1950 for LTM / M39 cameras. The design gave Leica users a compact 35mm option before later M-bayonet and faster 35mm lenses became common.

Production Evolution

The SOONC / 11005 Type I is the earlier A36 filter version. Kamerastore states that this first version was manufactured up to serial number 1423140 and uses push-on A36 filters. Later Summaron 35mm f/3.5 versions used E39 filters and appeared in M-bayonet forms, including non-goggled and goggled M3 versions.

Special Editions/Variants

No commemorative factory special edition is documented for the SOONC / 11005. Collector-relevant distinctions are mainly Type I A36 versus later E39 versions, screw mount versus M bayonet, distance scale, hood/finder completeness and whether the lens is sold with the correct external 35mm viewfinder.

Collector Notes

Collectors should verify the SOONC / 11005 identity, L39 / M39 screw mount, A36 front, serial number, chrome finish, rangefinder coupling and whether the external finder is included. Important condition checks include haze, cleaning marks, fungus, coating wear, aperture function, smooth focusing, infinity focus and thread condition. Do not merge this with SOONC-MW / SOMWO 11107, because that is the goggled Leica M3 version.

Special editions

No confirmed commemorative factory special edition is currently documented.

Known collector-relevant variants and related versions include:

• Leica Summaron 35mm f/3.5 SOONC / 11005, Type I A36 Leica screw-mount version, this entry.
• SOONC / 11005 examples sold with external optical viewfinder, collector-relevant when complete.
• Later E39 Leica screw-mount Summaron 35mm f/3.5 versions, separate documentation required.
• Leica Summaron 35mm f/3.5 SOONC-M 11105, non-goggled M-bayonet version, separate entry.
• Leica Summaron 35mm f/3.5 SOONC-MW / SOMWO 11107, goggled M3 version, separate entry.
• Leica Summaron 35mm f/2.8, later faster Summaron generation, separate entry.