Milan Swolfs and Leica’s retro steel-rim 35mm Summilux

Leica’s policy of creating modern versions of classic lenses is proving successful. It started with the 28mm f/5.6 Summaron, originally launched in 1954. This was followed by the 90mm f/2.2 Thambar, re-engineered to reproduce its classic forebear from the mid-1930s. And the long-anticipated 50mm Noctilux f/1.2 from 1966. Then, last October, we had the opportunity to buy a remake of the 1961 35mm Summilux (Version 1), known as the “Steel-Rim” because of this feature on the early versions. This remake has generated a great deal of excitement among Leica aficionados, and for good reason.

The Steel Rim and Italian architecture, by Milan Swolf and the Leica 35mm Summilux "Steel Rim"
The Steel Rim and Italian architecture, by Milan Swolfs and the Leica 35mm Summilux “Steel Rim”

It’s all about soul

As the great Erwin Puts found when he reviewed the Steel Rim in his 2002 book “Leica M-lenses: Their Soul and Secrets”,

This lens has low overall contrast at full aperture with a modest definition of fine details and subject outlines. Stopping down, the improvement is commendable, becoming excellent around f/8. The overall performance characteristic should be put in the context of its age and small volume.

But, as Jonathan Slack points out in his review of the new version of Steel Rim, while Erwin’s is a perfect description, it perhaps doesn’t cover the ‘soul’ angle enough. For, with these vintage remakes, it is all about the soul.

Jonathan Slack by Milan Swolfs, Leica 35mm Steel Rim
Jonathan Slack by Milan Swolfs, Leica 35mm Steel Rim

There’s a touch of pragmatism in the decision, too. If you aspire to own one of the original Steel Rims, you had better set aside $30,000 or even $40,000 for the pleasure. And add another two or three grand for a lens hood while you’re at it.

The modern iteration gives you an opportunity to enjoy the soul of the vintage lens at a more reasonable cost. And, perhaps more to the point, you are sure of getting a good one, as the original would have been at its best. Vintage lenses, because of the earlier production methods, can sometimes be unpredictable in performance.

The Leica 35mm Summulux-M ticked all the boxes for me and managed to lay hands on one of the first examples to arrive in London. It’s a gorgeous little lens, full of character.

The lens is a true Jekyll and Hyde classic. Dreamy and never sharp when used at full throttle, the 35mm Summilux can be extremely sharp when stopped down even to f/5.6. It is enormous fun to use.

Milan strikes a chord

Another, more recent, review by Milan Swolfs on Thorsten Overgaard’s website, therefore, struck a chord. Milan is a Belgian fine-art photographer who uses a range of Leica cameras and lenses to make portraits in the vintage and burlesque style. For him, the Steel Rim proved to be a compelling companion when he beta-tested it for Leica.

You could say that it is the opposite of the modern 35mm APO-Summicron-M. What was so far the shortcomings of 1961-technology, even when the lens designer Dr. Walter Mandler and his staff tried their hardest back then, is now considered soulful and charming – and worth a reissue. Be happy you live in a time where both the imperfect 1961 is again available, alongside the latest and greatest in the 35mm APO designed by lens designer Peter Karbe and his team, where all the charming imperfections have been corrected.

Copyright Milan Swolfs, Leica Steel Rim
Copyright Milan Swolfs, Leica Steel Rim

Milan’s photographs with the 35mm Summilux V1 really get the taste buds tingling and put you in the frame of mind to acquire this unusual and superbly entertaining optic. Even if you own the latest Leica 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 FLE, the remastered Steel Rim is a pure delight.

Milan hints that the Steel Rim is perhaps, even, the new King of the Night:

When we speak about the King of the Night, we often think about the Noctilux range but I feel the Steel Rim comes alive at night. It is the lens I would bring to a smoky jazz club or a bar, but also street scenes and Christmas markets. The results of the Steel Rim are often unpredictable, which makes it a very fun lens to use.

The "Steel Rim" mounted on the re-mastered 2022 version of the classic Leica M6. The new version comes with two hoods — a remake of the original (which falls off easily) and the more practical screw-in version seen here. Photograph by David Farkas
The “Steel Rim”, mounted on the re-mastered 2022 version of the classic Leica M6. The new version comes with two hoods — a remake of the original (which falls off easily) and the more practical screw-in version seen here. Photograph by David Farkas

Take a trip to Thorsten Overgaard’s photography website to learn more about Milan Swolfs’ experiences with the Leica 33mm Summilux Steel Rim. If you have a hankering for this lens or if you simply want to view some excellent photography, you won’t be disappointed.




6 COMMENTS

  1. Lovely images, as usual, from Milan. I have met Milan on a number of occasions at Leica Society International (LSI) meetings, most recently at our Dublin Conference last October. Indeed, one of the photos in Milan’s piece on Thorsten’s site was taken inside Photo Museum Ireland, which I chair.

    I don’t have this lens, but I have a later 35mm f1.4 Summilux – pre fLE. I am with Milan all the way on character v sharpness. As a collector, I would normally prefer originals to modern copies, but in this case there is a good argument for buying the modern copy given the prices of the originals. Those prices reflect collector demand rather than this just being a ‘good’ lens.

    I had a ‘discussion’ last week with a friend who is both a collector and a professional photographer since 1959, 64 years ago. He was officially declared a ‘genius’ by a well known British photographer and film maker many years ago. I can attest to this as nobody I know can handle indoor lighting like he can. Anyway, he did not understand my reference to ‘character’ and felt that a lens is either good or it isn’t. We, of course, agreed to differ on this. I said that it did not matter whether a lens was a Leica, Zeiss, Nikkor or even a Russian copy etc, I could tell immediately I saw an image whether the lens had a certain ‘thing’ which caused the images it produced to appeal to me. With the modern lenses, yes they produce a cleaner and sharper image, but as with many artistic areas e.g. music, a little bit of imperfection always assists with the ‘appeal factor’ for me.

    Ed makes a point about QC and good copies and bad copies. This can be true as in many cases I own multiple copies of some vintage lenses, but, in most cases, this variation affects IQ. For me the essential character of a lens usually shines through, irrespective of copy variation.

    When it comes to lenses, I am totally averse to pixel peeping. If you cannot judge a lens at normal viewing distance then any discussion on the matter is pointless.

    Finally, I could be wrong, but I think the photo above shows Jono sitting in the bar of the Davenport Hotel in Dublin where we held our LSI conference last October.

    And finally, finally, Milan , who is from Belgium, is chairing an LSI Spring Shoot in Rome in May and will also be speaking about his photography at the event. Details are available from the LSI website.

    William

    • HI William – you say:
      “Finally, I could be wrong, but I think the photo above shows Jono sitting in the bar of the Davenport Hotel in Dublin where we held our LSI conference last October.”

      Quite wrong I’m afraid – it was in Kennedy’s bar over the road! (at least 50 metres wrong!)

      The LSI Rome shoot the registration page is here:
      https://leicasocietyinternational.org/lhsa-meetings#!event-register/2023/5/18/lsi-2023-spring-shoot-rome
      But be warned. They’re letting me talk as well!

      All the best
      Jono

      • Kennedys used to be a regular watering hole for me about 40 years ago, but it has gone quite posh now with the figure of Oscar Wilde sitting outside the door etc. That and the bokeh are what threw me across the road!

        As regards ‘quite wrong’ we have a concept in Ireland called ‘nearly right’ ! I hope you bought your bar of Lemon Soap in Swenys on your way to Kennedys.

        Will you have to speak in Italian in Rome? I once reversed my car the wrong way up a one way street in Rome against oncoming traffic. If the Roman traffic police had appeared it would have been difficult to get away with only my ‘restaurant Italian’ to rely on.

        William

        • Nearly Right then William
          If I have to give my talk in Italian, then Emma will have to do it!
          Also if I have to talk to the police, then Emma will have to do that too!
          I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t buy my bar of Lemon Soap, but having grown up in a tourist town I’m rather allergic to those things . . . (but not Guinness!).
          I’m sorry you won’t be making it to Rome though

          All the best

  2. As a longtime owner and user of the later, perhaps plebeian 35 Summilux pre-aspheric, I have asked many people this question: “Is the steel rim actually different optically from the regular later issue of this lens?” And “If so, how?”

    No one has given me an informed answer, and my default understanding is that they are optically similar, if not identical.

    My own experience with the pre-aspheric is that it is small, light, similar to the 8-element Summicron in its classic optical drawing of a scene, but it has the useful, and at times optically wonderful, addition of an f/1.4 stop. I have been told that there are better and lesser individual lenses, because QC was not as good in the old days; I am happy because I think I acquired one of the good ones, albeit rather rough in outwards appearance having obviously been used quite a bit by previous owners.

    So, are we paying more for sizzle here, when the steak is the same?

  3. Jason, thank you for bringing Milan’s work to our attention. My first impression is that his landscape and portraits display the photographer’s mastery of lighting. It is appropriate and gorgeous. Choice of lens is almost immaterial, in comparison with subject, composition and lighting. I like them all because they meet those aims and do not shout at me the choice of camera or lens.

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