28 Summilux - practicality in size and weight

[dkmoore]

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On 5/16/2025 at 8:29 AM, Kiwimac said:

I agree; at the price it’s worth a punt. 
 

It’s a very clean copy, cheaper than a new 28 Cron. Next year these lenses will be another 15% more expensive no doubt so buying now is as cheap as it will get. 
 

Maybe it gets sold/traded. Maybe I love it and become world famous for my 28 Lux images. Who knows?

 

 Only one way to find out!

Definitely worth trying out for $5k under retail. That’s a great price for a seriously fantastic lens. 
 

If you don’t end up liking it, you will easily be able to sell it for minimal if any loss. In fact, maybe I’ll buy it from you, will be my 6th copy. 🤣🤣

[Kiwimac]

I know what you mean. When I owned the 35 Apo I almost never took it off. 
 

It was very small but also very dense so heavier than it looked. 
 

I’ve more or less concluded that 28/35/50 are the three focal lengths I can focus reliably without resorting to the EVF or rear screen. How people ever manage things like the 90 Lux I’ve no idea. 
 

I’m still leaning towards buying it. Finding a thorough review of it isn’t as easy as you’d think but it does seem spectacular in many of the images I’ve seen shot with it. 
 

I’m thinking I’ll aim for 50 Apo, 35 Steel Rim reissue and 28 Lux. If I win lotto or get a letter from a form of solicitors advising me that a relative I didn’t know had left me $100 million I’ll buy one of each lens they produce….!

[Ken Abrahams]

The lens is a good size on the SL cameras I think. I can understand why some find it heavy or too large. Those who walk around with Apo SL lenses probably wouldn’t find it a problem. I mainly shoot M Lenses and enjoy the mobility and quality. I am an 80’s kind of photographer where canon and Nikon lenses were a similar size to M’s although the 55 F 1.2 was thick barrelled.

M lenses are  good for street photography, I love them a lot. I know some who have huge Zeiss lenses and who are experienced with that size but wouldn’t consider M lenses for being too small. They say M lenses don’t look right, there is maybe an inherent psychological barrier where the thinking “only bigger is best”. They really struggled to accept the quality of small M lenses at first.

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[Kiwimac]

I have the 28 Lux and the 50 Apo now. 
 

I’m trying to work out if the 28 is one of those lenses that has a blanking ring that screws into the filter threads or not. 
 

I’ve seen a video in which it does and an oldish post here that says it does. 
 

However there’s no mention of such a ring in the instructions and it’s not listed on the diagram that identifies the parts of the lens nor under the list of spare parts. 
 

Either mine is missing (in which case I’ll ask the dealer to look for it or order a replacement) or Leica stopped using them. 
 

Any ideas?

[FrozenInTime]

1 hour ago, Kiwimac said:

I have the 28 Lux and the 50 Apo now. 
 

I’m trying to work out if the 28 is one of those lenses that has a blanking ring that screws into the filter threads or not. 
 

I’ve seen a video in which it does and an oldish post here that says it does. 
 

However there’s no mention of such a ring in the instructions and it’s not listed on the diagram that identifies the parts of the lens nor under the list of spare parts. 
 

Either mine is missing (in which case I’ll ask the dealer to look for it or order a replacement) or Leica stopped using them. 
 

Any ideas?

There is not - Fred Miranda tried hard to persuade Leica to make one https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1795958/

[philipj]

Leica made one for me (based off of the hood), but I can't understand why it was just a one-off. Should be standard issue IMO.

[Ken Abrahams]

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I received a ring on my 28 Summilux and proceeded to take the ring off and place it carefully in that Indian art bowl with lid. This is the location of all those kind of treasures you need to find one day and without too much of a thought, know exactly where it is. 

[Kiwimac]

That’s really strange. I found a video on YT which featured the silver 28 Lux and clearly showed the owner undoing the ring. 
 

I also found a thread here from several years ago in which somebody asked how to put a filter on and the responses all said take off the ring and one showed a photo of it. 
 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/292474-28-lux-filter/

[IkarusJohn]

6 hours ago, Kiwimac said:

I have the 28 Lux and the 50 Apo now. 
 

I’m trying to work out if the 28 is one of those lenses that has a blanking ring that screws into the filter threads or not. 
 

I’ve seen a video in which it does and an oldish post here that says it does. 
 

However there’s no mention of such a ring in the instructions and it’s not listed on the diagram that identifies the parts of the lens nor under the list of spare parts. 
 

Either mine is missing (in which case I’ll ask the dealer to look for it or order a replacement) or Leica stopped using them. 
 

Any ideas?

Mine is in the bottom of the leather case, under the foam.

[FrozenInTime]

There are two rings :

The one that ships with the lens is a dress ring for use under the hood when there is no filter attached.

A ring to protect the hood threads when no hood is attached does not exist - an oversight by Leica. This outer dress ring would be valuable when using a variable ND with the lens.

[Kiwimac]

7 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

Mine is in the bottom of the leather case, under the foam.

I’ll have a look there but the bottom didn’t seem especially removable. It’s cut to fit the lens hood shape. 
 

It’s odd that the parts diagram doesn’t identify it. 

[Kiwimac]

I checked the bottom of the pouch. There is a layer of foam covering the entire bottom and then a second layer glued to that base layer which is die cut for the rectangular shape of the hood. There’s no way to remove it to put anything under. Ditto the inner of the lid part. 
 

I found a replacement ring on sale (but out of stock) at Leica Miami so I’ll forward that page to the dealer I bought it from to check whether it’s in another box (the lens was part of a large collection they are selling on behalf).

 

 The dealer is excellent and I’m sure they’ll get me a new one if it can’t be found. 

[Kiwimac]

To circle back to my original question now that I have the lens in hand:

 

 Obviously I’ve not really been anywhere interesting to shoot with it but my initial thoughts are that it’s not as big or as heavy as you might initially suppose, especially mounted on a fully brass M11 (or presumably on an SL body). Sure, it’s not the smallest or lightest option, but it’s got a very painterly feel in the out of focus rendering which I like. 

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[sandro]

Good to see and read that your first experiences and impressions of the lens are very positive. Size and weight of lenses can be very personal and one can sometimes easily get used to. I like to use my Summicron-M 2/50 (4th version) a lot, and had to get used to the size of the Biogon 2/35mm when I could use one several months ago. When using it I was soon rather happy with it.

Enjoy your lens!

Lex

[Kiwimac]

Thanks. I shall!

 My other lens is the Apo Summicron 50 version 11811.. it’s solid brass so although physically smaller than the 28 Lux, it weighs more. 
 

I’m guessing that on a fully brass M11 that combination is around 1kg. 
 

Next up is a 35 f2 for a single lighter option; possibly the LLL version if I can find it in a version I like. 

[IkarusJohn]

On 5/25/2025 at 10:07 AM, Kiwimac said:

I’ll have a look there but the bottom didn’t seem especially removable. It’s cut to fit the lens hood shape. 
 

It’s odd that the parts diagram doesn’t identify it. 

Sorry, Mac - I confused the 28 Summilux with the 35 APO Summicron (which has a threaded cover ring under the foam in the bottom of the leather pouch for when you remove the lens hood).  I don’t have such a ring for the 28 Summilux.

[Kiwimac]

It’s very strange. 
 

It’s not shown in the parts list but Leica Miami sell replacements!

[NigelG]

From memory my copy (now sold) had a inner filter-thread cover ring at the bottom of the case…but there was no trim ring for covering the external thread if the hood was removed - unlike most other metal-hooded Leica lenses 🤔

[FrozenInTime]

3 hours ago, NigelG said:

From memory my copy (now sold) had a inner filter-thread cover ring at the bottom of the case…but there was no trim ring for covering the external thread if the hood was removed - unlike most other metal-hooded Leica lenses 🤔

I’m convinced that some junior mechanical engineer misunderstood the requirement and designed the wrong part. Leica will not admit this so, we are today stuck with no hood external thread trim ring.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Kiwimac]

It certainly is strange to have a ring that blanks the inner threads which are neither visible nor at risk but not to have one for the outer threads which are both visible and at risk. 
 

It’s possible that Leica wanted to guide users not to take the hood off, I suppose. However a simple line in the instructions warning that taking it off had potential consequences for both IQ and front element damage would have covered that.