Leica 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0
By: Thorsten Overgaard
The 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 is the most sold Leica lens for the Leica M series. For a period the 28mm took its place on the Leica M8 and Leica M8.2 cameras to make up for the 1.3X crop factor. With the Leica M9 full frame digital camera we are back where the 35mm is bound to be the standard lens for M rangefinder cameras - as it has always been.
The 35mm is a great all-round lens, the Summicron-M f/2.0 with better chance of getting focused correctly than the 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4, yet with nice bokeh and selective focus fully open.
The sample photos on this page was taken with my Leica Summicron-M f/2.0 Version I from 1960.
"The King of Bokeh" is the nickname of the Leica 35mm Summicron-M (IV or Version 4) f/2.0 though none of the Leica 35mm Summicrons seem to lack pleasant bokeh: Though usually the 35mm Summicrons, as it is the case with in fact all of Leica's lenses, become better as new editions arise.
Leica 35mm Summicron-M lenses f/2.0 |
No |
Introduced |
Ultra |
 |
| Summicron (I) screw mount [by Dr. Walter Mandler]
|
11 808 |
1958 |
1963 |
|
Summicron-M (I) M bayonet [by Dr. Walter Mandler] |
11 308 |
1958 |
1969 |
|
| Summicron-M (II) M bayonet [by Dr. Walter Mandler]
|
11 309 |
1969 |
1971 |
|
| Summicron-M (III) M bayonet [by Dr. Walter Mandler] |
11 309 |
1971 |
1979 |
|
| Summicron-M (IV) M bayonet [by Dr. Walter Mandler] |
11 310 |
1979 |
1997 |
|
| Summicron-M ASPH (V) M bayonet [link] [by Peter Karbe]
|
11 879 |
1997 |
current |
|
| |
|
Leica M9 and 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (Version 1) @ f/2.0, 200 ISO, 1/710 second.
Leica M9 and 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (Version I) @ f/2.0, 200 ISO, 1/180 second. This one is very special, the bokeh and the handling of light. It's actually been improved a great deal in terms of contrast in Lightroom. But as one said, that's the "fashion look, you pay thousands to get someone to create that look in photoshop." Well, no need to anymore, just find an old lens and a new Leica M9.
Leica M9 with 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (I), 200 ISO.
Having fun with the Leica M9 and my daughter. 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (I), 200 ISO, "aged photo" in Lightroom.
Leica M9 evening photo at 1250 ISO, 1/125 second, 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (I). (+ 0.26 EV adjustment in Lightroom). And below a 100% crop:
Another Leica M9 evening shot through a shop window. 1250 ISO, 1/125, 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (I). (-0.3 EV in Lightroom)
 Leica M9, 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (Version I), 400 ISO.
Sigfred's Kaffebar, Århus Denmark, March 2006
Leica M4 with 35mm Summicron-M F/2.0 (Version I) on 100 ISO Fuji Astia run as 200 ISO, scanned on Hasselblad/Imacon Photo slide scanner. Available light from a large window to the right + a 100 cm silver reflector reflecting a sunbeam from below the chair in the left corner.
Leica M9 and 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0, 400 ISO, 1/40 second.
Leica M9 with 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0, 200 ISO.
My daughter shot with Leica M9 and 35mm Summicron-M f/2.0.
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