Of all Leica M lenses, the Summaron-M 1:5.6/28mm is probably the one least likely to end up in the average Leica photographer’s bag. Yet it is incredibly small and light. But according to Karbe’s mantra of ‘never stop down’, a maximum aperture of f/5.6 represents a waste of potential.
I, too, spent a long time debating whether I should add another 28mm lens to my camera bag. To be honest, I found very few photos online taken with this lens that I actually liked. The only person who had nothing but good things to say about this lens and showed me some great photos was my mate Josh.
As I wanted a small, go-to lens for my M10 Monochrom, I spent several weeks mulling it over, and then one day I found myself at my favourite dealer’s in Hamburg. He offered to let me test the lens over the weekend. After just five minutes, however, I knew I would be keeping the Summaron-M 1:5.6/28mm lens…
The history of the Summaron-M 1:5.6/28mm
Today’s Summaron-M is a reissue. Originally only available with a screw mount, it was manufactured from 1955 to 1963. Optically, the current version stays true to the original – the only change is the bayonet mount. At under 2 cm long and barely 170 g, it’s a remarkably compact piece of glass. It’s almost hard to believe something this small can produce serious images – but then again, it is a typical Leica lens. It has superb contrast and wonderful rendering. The latter gives it an analogue feel. It’s a mystery to me how Leica manages to achieve this level of performance in such a compact M-mount package.
The lens also delivers sharpness, even with the 40-megapixel sensor of the M10 Monochrom. It is only at the very edges that the resolution begins to drop. I would argue, however, that you only notice this at 1:1 magnification. Across most of the sensor’s frame, the resolution is on par with that of a modern optical system.
Why don’t you show us some sample images…
Of course, the Summaron doesn’t have that indescribable look of the Summilux and Noctilux lenses. But even with its relatively small maximum aperture of f/5.6, it produces images with genuine personality. First, here’s a picture of Park Fiction taken in typical Hamburg weather – a bit of a grey, drizzly day. You can see the lens’s characteristic look here. After all, don’t forget that the image is practically straight out of the camera! So it’s not an OOC JPEG, but I have a one-click preset in Capture One. All my monochrome images go through this preset; in most cases, all I touch after that is the exposure slider.
I’m not sure if you can achieve this look quite so easily with other lenses. That said, there are alternatives, of course. Until now, the Elmarit-M 28 mm was the smallest lens for the Leica M. The Elmarit is actually barely 10 g heavier and just over a centimetre longer. Neither of these figures is a deal-breaker. Especially given that the Elmarit-M opens to f/2.8. I owned the Elmarit-M 28 mm a few years ago and had a good experience with it. Now, however, I own the Summilux-M 28mm, one of Leica’s top-of-the-range lenses. So I don’t need a good lens with an f/2.8 aperture, but I wanted one with character. And in that respect, the Summaron-M is clearly ahead of the Elmarit-M. As I shoot with an M10 Monochrom, two stops of light – even in poor lighting conditions – are no problem.
Some more examples
What I like and don’t like about the Leica Summaron-M 1:5.6/28mm…
The Leica Summaron-M 1:5.6/28mm is a superb lens, particularly when paired with my Leica M10 Monochrom. There are three things I particularly like about it. The f/5.6 aperture and the 28mm focal length are very close to the way the human eye sees. Despite its compact design, it delivers Leica-typical image quality. The 3D effect is also present, even at f/5.6.
What I don’t like is the lack of precision in the depth-of-field scale on the lens. I’ve tried several times to adjust the focus to the right, to the 5.6 mark, to improve the bokeh. All the photos came out blurred. In my view, the scale should be more precisely calibrated.
The lens has a detent to lock the focus ring in the infinity position. Perhaps it was designed for transport purposes – I don’t know the reasoning behind Leica’s decision. In principle, it’s quite practical, but I would have preferred this adjustment to be located elsewhere – or, even better, to be adjustable.
The filter mount issue
As you can see in the photo above, the lens uses a 34mm filter. The only place I’ve found that stocks them is Foto-Impex in Berlin. This shop is well worth a visit, though even there, black-and-white filters of this small diameter are rarely in stock. You can, of course, order them, and it takes a few days. However, the photos on this page were all taken without a filter, because I ordered the wrong one on my first attempt.
Getting the most out of this lens
Another tip for using the lens: I always set the focus lever a little too far into the close-up range. So let’s say I want to focus on something that’s 2 metres away from me. I then set the distance to 1.5 metres. Thanks to the generous depth of field at f/5.6, the subject is still within the lens’s depth of field, but I increase the chance of getting a bit more bokeh.
So the question remains: couldn’t I simply have used my Summilux-M 28mm at f/5.6 and saved myself a lot of money? Sure, but aside from weight and size, the little Summaron-M lens is just a hell of a lot of fun in the daily hunt for light and shadow.
