A beautiful nickel Summar, collapsible type. This example is the all-nickel barrel version that followed the earliest fixed-barrel version, often nicknamed the Hyottoko Summar, and the black-front Summar.
The Leitz product code is SUMUS. Serial number is in the 200,000 range, manufactured in 1934. The distance scale is marked in meters. Straight helicoid. Hexagonal aperture. Double-Gauss optical design with 6 elements in 4 groups. The aperture scale is in the continental style: f2, 2.2, 3.2, and so on.
Wide open, it shows the characteristic edge softness of vintage fast lenses, along with the rich bokeh typical of a Double-Gauss design.
Its wonderfully retro appearance, full of old-lens character, pairs beautifully with Leica DII and DIII cameras from the same era. The Summar has many exterior variations, and it would certainly be satisfying to line them all up together, though the Hyottoko chrome and Tropen versions may be the major hurdles to completing such a lineup.
A very clean all-nickel example, highly recommended both for use and for collection.
This item was previously sold by our shop. It has been carefully used and remains in the same good condition as when we last sold it.
A slight amount of brass is showing on the front edge of the barrel. There are also some minor signs of use, such as light rubbing on the collapsible section, but no noticeable scratches or dents are present. For a nickel Summar that is around 90 years old, the exterior is in very good condition.
Fully overhauled in 2025, including focus adjustment. Thanks to the careful servicing, both the aperture and helicoid still operate very smoothly, with a pleasant feel.
The glass shows only an extremely slight balsam deterioration in an internal element, which should have virtually no effect on actual images. Otherwise, there are no noticeable scratches, fungus marks, or other issues, and the glass is beautifully clear. The results of our test shots were also very good. Sample images from the previous sale are posted in our Test Shot Gallery, and we would be happy if you could take a look.
The original bakelite front cap, black-painted brass rear cap, and a third-party filter are included.
