Re: [Leica] 35 Summicron

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

Well I am not sure I can help but I hope the following information will be
helpful. The early production of the third version of the 35mm summicron had
a tab to assist in changing the aperture. The tab is square in shape with
serration's on the extremity (when viewed from the front). It is located
just to the right of the f16 marking on the aperture ring when viewed from
above with the lens front pointed away from you. The third version was
produced from 1969 to 1979 and serial numbers run (approximately) 2 316 000
to 2 874 000. Pictures that I have found show lenses with  early serial
numbers (around 2 3xx xxx) having the aperture tab but later lenses (around
2 5xx xxx and up) do not have the tab. Perhaps with the advent of the M5,
Leica found, as you did, that it interfered with easy TTL metering and
dropped it(?). The lens was a redesign from the second version as elements
dropped in number from eight to six, however, it is acknowledged that the
next version(fourth­1979 to 1997) was the best non-asph 35. Sorry for the
delay but it was Xmas and I had to do a bit of digging on this one. Have a
Happy New Year. Cheers

John Collier



Mr. Rutledge wrote:

> - Was in a local shop looking at a 35 Summicron (2nd version, I think) with
> a tab on the aperture ring. When I mounted the lens the tab was on the top/
> right side of the lens. In attempting to adjust the f-stop with the tab my
> hand had to reach over the lens and interfered with the RF window. When I
> tried to move my hand out of the way, and adjust it from the bottom(a
> stretch for my fingers), my hand obscured the lens and meter. Is this tab in
> the right place? It seemed awfully awkward, and not very user friendly. I
> have read the lens body was redesigned in the third version, was this the
> cause? Can anyone help?