Fences — (the modern) Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6

[Godfrey]

I'm enjoying "new lens joy" having acquired a Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 just a week and some ago. As a modern re-issue of one of Leica's classic wide-angle lenses, it is small, light, slow, and has absolutely beautiful imaging character. I traded my modern Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH for it, and am delighted I did so.


Fences - Santa Clara 2024
Leica M10 Monochrom + Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6
ISO 640 @ f/8 @ 1/90 + green filter

The only issue that I've found with this lens is the rather poor availability of E34 sized filters nowadays. I was able to get a Heliopan 34->39 adapter ring, which is what I used for this photo, but with that in place you cannot use the lens hood. My ultra-short lens hood vignettes with the adapter and filter in place; and Leica changed the outside diameter of the front bezel from 36mm to 37.5mm meaning you cannot use their own clamp on filters or hood accessories. Ugh. With a lot of hunting, I was able to find both Orange, Green, and Yellow E34 filters (old used items from the 1950s by Leitz) and one vendor in the UK making a house brand set of filters in E34. I'm still waiting for the new filters to arrive, but the old ones I found in Austria arrived yesterday and do fit with the lens hood in place.

It was a bit of a pain, but only until I got the filters I wanted. Now I'm just going to have fun... 😀

G

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I'm enjoying "new lens joy" having acquired a Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 just a week and some ago. As a modern re-issue of one of Leica's classic wide-angle lenses, it is small, light, slow, and has absolutely beautiful imaging character. I traded my modern Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH for it, and am delighted I did so.


Fences - Santa Clara 2024
Leica M10 Monochrom + Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6
ISO 640 @ f/8 @ 1/90 + green filter

The only issue that I've found with this lens is the rather poor availability of E34 sized filters nowadays. I was able to get a Heliopan 34->39 adapter ring, which is what I used for this photo, but with that in place you cannot use the lens hood. My ultra-short lens hood vignettes with the adapter and filter in place; and Leica changed the outside diameter of the front bezel from 36mm to 37.5mm meaning you cannot use their own clamp on filters or hood accessories. Ugh. With a lot of hunting, I was able to find both Orange, Green, and Yellow E34 filters (old used items from the 1950s by Leitz) and one vendor in the UK making a house brand set of filters in E34. I'm still waiting for the new filters to arrive, but the old ones I found in Austria arrived yesterday and do fit with the lens hood in place.

It was a bit of a pain, but only until I got the filters I wanted. Now I'm just going to have fun... 😀

G

Godfrey, I had 34mm filters from the UK for my VC 40mm Heliar, and the cost/quality/delivery time were all good! Enjoy the 28mm! There's a lot to be said for tiny lenses!

 

[splitimageview]

What's the UK source?

 

[Deleted member 65559]

What's the UK source?

34mm Orange Filter | SRB-Photographic.co.uk. Has orange filters.
Heliopan 34mm yellow filters are still being produced

 

[Godfrey]

SRB Photographic

Providing camera accessories, filters, tripods and more to all levels and types of photography since 1967. Check-out the SRB Photographic UK store today.

www.srb-photographic.co.uk

They have a wide variety of filters in many "odd", small sizings. They have orange, green, blue, red, yellow, etc.

G

 

[splitimageview]

Thank you!

 

[Richard G]

Glued to my M9-P: a wonderful little lens. The light fall off to the sides in landscape produces interesting images with rich blue skies and deaccented foreground in portrait orientation. I accidentally damaged mine by bumping the focus lever and bending it affecting the mount. It was repaired at not too much cost. I never use the hood and have no filter. The lens is well protected from finger prints.


Mason Street by Richard, on Flickr



Richmond by Richard, on Flickr

 

[Richard G]

Would like a black one for the Monochrom.

 

[robert blu]

Godfrey, I’m sure you will enjoy this small lens, I like very much mine.
It was difficult to find filters in the 34 size, I found a yellow and I think a ND (because of some renovations work at home I cannot check my gear).
This lens full open gives a special look at your images, both with film or digital.
I never use the hood (which is very nice!) : the front lens is recessed enough to hive a degree of protection.
Please keep posting more photos!

 

[Godfrey]

Would like a black one for the Monochrom.

I was looking for a black one, but they have achieved a "collectible" status and are often being sold at double the new lens price. Too silly for me. There's another price differential between examples that say "Made in Germany" vs "Made in Portugal" .... they're physically and quality-wise identical! ... so I went for a MINT Portugal example and left the $200 more expensive EXC++ Germany example on the table. Such it is.

Personally, I always use a lens hood, with any lens, and I've seen some flare with the 28 Summaron that is completely eliminated with the lens hood. On the M10-M, the green filter general nets such near-perfect tonalities that most of what I've posted is straight through LR Classic at the defaults, needing only a little straightening and cropping to my intended frame. So a filter that can be used with the lens hood proved a necessity for me ... Now that I have the ones I need, the annoying bit is over.

I have made almost all the photos I've shot so far with the 28 Summaron either wide open at f/5.6 or at f/8. I'm thoroughly delighted with it! 😀

G

 

[Ororaro]

I like this lens so much, I went for the Black and Silver germany.
I’m insecure like that.

 

[Godfrey]

I'd love the black one. Im just too cheap. 😉