Rigid Summar 5cm f2 is an early variant of the Summar produced in limited numbers. It features a nickel barrel and carries a serial number in the 180,000 range, dating it to 1933. The Leitz product code is SUMAR.
The Rigid Summar has long been treasured for its distinctive design and rarity. It is also considered an exceptionally stylish lens when paired with a black and nickel Barnack Leica.
However, this lens is also notorious for certain issues, including faulty rangefinder coupling and improper polishing that can lead to focusing problems. As such, it’s known as one of the riskier lenses, and testing it with actual shooting before purchase is highly recommended.
This particular example has been fully overhauled, with excellent rangefinder coupling and reliable optical performance. It is a dependable lens you can confidently use.
The nickel plating on the edge of the barrel has slightly worn down in places. There is a small scratch near the infinite focus mark on the base of the barrel.
This lens has undergone a full overhaul in December 2024, including a play correction. The aperture and helicoid operation are exceptionally smooth, just as expected. The rangefinder coupling is perfectly accurate.
There is a very thin balsam separation, resembling a faint cleaning mark, on the front group of the lens, but this has no noticeable effect on real-world shooting. It is barely noticeable even under LED light, and is not likely to progress. Other than that, there are minor signs of glass aging, with very light cleaning marks on both the front and rear elements. These are unlikely to affect the image quality. There is no sign of fungus or haze, and the glass is in very good condition for a rigid Summar.
The test shots came out excellently. Even after just one shot, the high-quality rendering of this lens is immediately evident. Example shots have been posted in the test gallery, and I hope you find them insightful. All shots were taken wide open. From wide open, the lens produces sharpness with excellent color rendering.
The lens comes with its original front and rear caps. The front cap is a slightly rare type made of aluminum with black paint.
