The Sacrilegious Resurrection
In the pantheon of Leica optics, the Summarit 40mm f/2.4 occupies a heretical throne—a lens born in the Minilux/CM compacts, now reborn as an M-mount rogue. While purists decry “camera murder,” this 400Frankenstein(bodybutchery+400Frankenstein(bodybutchery+200 adaption fee) delivers 90% of a Summicron’s soul at 30% the cost. Your moral dilemma? Let’s call it creative recycling.
Optical Autopsy
1. Heritage DNA
- Design: 6 elements/4 groups, cloned from 1973’s Summicron-C 40mm f/2
- Aperture: f/2.4—Leica’s cheeky nod to non-conformity
- Coatings: 1990s-era anti-flare witchcraft (pre-ASPH mystique)
2. Size Matters
- Dimensions: 45mm x 35mm—smaller than a Summicron collapsible
- Weight: 180g (lighter than your smartphone)
The “Leica Look” Decoded
Shoot this against Voigtländer’s Color-Skopar 35mm f/2.5, and the myth materializes:
| Scene | Summarit 40mm f/2.4 | Color-Skopar 35mm f/2.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait @ f/2.4 | Skin tones like aged parchment | Clinical, digital-ready |
| Backlit Leaves | Glow without CA, OOF swirls | Harsh edges, purple fringing |
| Night Bokeh | 14-blade circular highlights | Hexagonal stress balls |
This is Leica’s pre-digital je ne sais quoi—not measured in MTFs, but in whispered “Damn, that’s smooth.”
The 40mm Conundrum
Leica’s red-headed stepchild focal length serves multiple masters:
- Street: 5% wider than 50mm = breathing room without 35mm’s distortion
- Portrait: 0.6m MFD for intimate candids
- Compromise: Too wide for classicists, too narrow for modernists—perfect for rebels
Build Quality: Expect Imperfect Perfection
- Wobble Gate: Yes, the front element rattles like a spray can. So did Hemingway’s typewriter.
- Focus Throw: 90° from 0.7m to ∞ (zone focus by muscle memory)
- Aperture Click: Detents softer than a Leica M lens—think velvet switches
Adapt or Die: The Minilux Mining Rush
Market Reality Check (2023):
- Leica Minilux: 800−800−1,200 (up from $300 in 2015)
- Adaptation Cost: 150−150−400 (depending on machinist’s whiskey budget)
- Alternative: Voigtländer 40mm f/1.4 MC ($500 new)
Verdict: If you find a donor Minilux under $600, cannibalize without guilt.
Who Should Buy This?
- Film Purists: Craving compact M6 pairings
- Digital Heretics: Sony A7C owners wanting “Leica glow” sans $3k tax
- Contrarians: Those who’d rather explain their lens’ backstory than shoot
Avoid If: You think EXIF data matters.
Final Shot: Leica’s Trojan Horse
The 40mm f/2.4 is Leica’s greatest hustle—a gateway drug disguised as salvage. Use it for a month, and you’ll start eyeing 35mm Summicrons. But in a world of clinical mirrorless optics, this flawed gem reminds us: Character can’t be engineered, only inherited.
Rating: 4/5 (for poets) | 2.5/5 (for spec-sheet warriors)
A lens that shouldn’t exist—and thank God it does.
Pro Tips:
- Pair with Ilford HP5 pushed to 1600—grain loves the Summarit’s soft contrast
- Shoot at f/4 for Zone System-level depth
- Ignore the wobble; it’s the lens’ way of saying “Relax, it’s just photography.”
Forty
millimeters,
Wobbles like a drunk samurai—
Leica’s
bastard child.