Leica Summicron 35mm f/2 III

Leica Summicron 35mm f/2 III

The third version of the 35mm Summicron is the smallest of Leica's pre-aspherical 35mm f/2 lenses, a short barrel of only 33 mm that carries a six-element optical design in a body weighing 170 g [1][2]. It belongs to the family of compact wide-angle Summicrons that replaced the original eight-element design of 1958, and it shares its optical layout with the immediately preceding second version, so the two are frequently grouped together as the 6-element Summicrons. For collectors and users it is valued less for clinical performance than for its compact handling and its distinctive rendering, which sits between the glow-prone early lenses and the more corrected fourth version that followed [3].

Optically the lens uses six elements in four groups and a ten-blade diaphragm, with a maximum aperture of f/2 and a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 m, the standard close limit shared across the Summicron 35mm line. The barrel takes 39 mm (E39) filters and couples to the rangefinder on the Leica M bayonet. Because the lens is so short, Leica fitted a slim focusing tab, and the focusing action is generally praised as smooth. Aperture is set by a click ring at the front of the barrel. The lens predates Leica's six-bit coding system, so it carries no factory coding for digital M bodies.

The chief difference between this third version and the otherwise identical second version is a handling detail rather than an optical one: the type II carries an aperture control lever, while the type III omits it. Both versions were produced during the same 1969 to 1979 window and use the same six-element formula, which can make them hard to tell apart at a glance, so the presence or absence of the lever, together with the barrel engraving style, is the most reliable identifier. The lens was offered in black and silver finishes and assigned model number 11309. Many examples of these lenses were manufactured at Leitz Canada, a point worth confirming against the engraving on a given copy.

Optical qualities

Rendering Documented impressions of the third version describe a lens that is subjectively sharp at normal viewing and print sizes, with pleasing micro-contrast that picks out fine detail without rendering it harshly. Reviewers also note that the lens has a strong character and is comparatively prone to flare, an effect that can be unpredictable when shooting toward bright light, which some users treat as part of its appeal rather than a fault. Detailed laboratory data for this specific version is limited, and most accounts are based on film use and subjective comparison rather than rigorous bench testing.

History

Development and Launch The 35mm Summicron line began with the multi-element 8-element design of 1958. By the end of the 1960s Leica had moved to a simpler and more compact six-element formula, introduced with the second version and continued in the third, which was produced between 1971 and 1979. These compact 6-element lenses bridged the gap between the original design and the seven-element fourth version that arrived in 1979.

Production Evolution Across the 35mm Summicron family the optical formula changed from eight elements in the first version, to six elements in the second and third versions, then seven elements in the fourth. Within the six-element generation the second and third versions are optically the same; the visible change from type II to type III was the removal of the aperture control lever. Production took place in this era partly at Leitz Canada, and finish and engraving styles varied over the run.

Special editions No widely documented factory special editions are specifically associated with the third version of this lens. It was a standard catalogue item offered in black and silver under model number 11309.

Collector Notes The main point of confusion is distinguishing the third version from the second, since both are 6-element lenses made in the same period; the aperture lever and engraving fonts are the practical tells. Buyers should also confirm whether a given copy was made in Canada or Germany, as production origin affects collector preference within the broader Summicron range. As with any lens of this age, internal haze and cleaning marks on the coatings are worth checking before purchase, and the E39 filter thread and original caps and hood are accessories worth verifying for completeness.