The Leica 35mm Summilux Steel Rim Reissue Review (50+ Pics) — if i'm lost then how can i find myself?

tldr; i’d buy it new at full price. dora (wifey who doesn’t really shoot leica) would buy it new and at full price too.

tldr tldr; see pic above

What Leica did with this steel rim job is awesome (pun intended).

If the picture has no borders, it was shot with the Leica M10-R Black Paint with 35mm Summilux Steel Rim V2 Reissue. If it has borders, it was shot with the Leica M7 Titanium with 35mm Summilux Steel Rim V2 Reissue on Cinestill 800t Film. The lens was purchased by me for me at the wonderful Leica Store Bellevue shop.

Sweet cell phone swag chain in Gyeongbokgung Palace

Black and white wide open just is a ~~vibe~~

that fg blurrrrrr mmmmm + glowy background????? MMMMMMMMM

A little background about me (skip as you please because who wants to listen to this main character anyways): I am pretty deep into Leica lore, history, and culture (aka Leicamann). I have been blessed to travel the world quite a bit for my supply chain job where I have gotten the most blessed opportunities to spend most of my free time on travel outside of work hunting Leica film history (along with a bunch of other sweet vintage film brands) and taking pictures respectfully where I can as a pure hobbyist who started film really in 2018 as therapy for my severe ADHD and anxiety. I think in actuality I just was seeking to learn how to be a more present person, because of whatever crap I’ve been consuming (deliciously) in the world since forever. Shooting Leica has been such a conduit to meeting others and learning other cultures and it really has been super fun ever since. I have collected some awesome gear, but I’ll try to keep it to only 19 bunny trails to keep it in scope. Relevant lenses I have owned for further context: Summilux 222xxxx 35mm Infinity Lock, Summilux 254xxxx 35mm Canada, Summilux 35mm (M3 Version) 272xxxx, Summilux 35mm Titanium (pre-asph), Summicron 35mm V1 8 Element, Summicron 35mm V4 (King of Bokeh) Both Aluminum and Chrome. You may ask, why is the KoB relevant, since Leica called the new rim job the “true king of bokeh” but there is some truth to that because the lens design of the V4 summicron is actually super similar to the V2 Summilux 35mm. In my experiences, they render so similarly and are hard to tell the difference. The Lux is basically the extra glowy Mandler gooey stop of 1.4 while the V4 Summicron gives you that super sweet “I can actually use this to take a picture of my girlfriend at a cramped coffee shop while she drinks coffee” 0.7m MFD. Anyways let’s get to the lens samples and review.

i have no idea what it means but it just felt like a shot i needed to take because it reminded me of catholic school as a kid

kaokao is watching you jk the government is

Where I Bought It: First off, I want to give the biggest, loving kindness spreading shoutout to all my friends: Stephon (awesome dude who helped me pre-order), Mack Tha Knife, Brandon, Zachary, and everyone else (who are also friends too duh) at Leica Store Bellevue. I randomly moved to Seattle in 2015 and later moved to Bellevue and luckily (or unluckily jk) learned I lived right by the Leica Bellevue Shop. I bought this brand new - my literal first and only brand new lens I have ever bought from Leica.

korean air at incheon airport - just a good ass feeling when we landed

first sunrise - little polluted AQI only 79 though lol? still wow

some random flare-age in an artsy heart shaped box corner

Why I Bought It: I am financially irresponsible and wanted to be the ultimate Leica Chad.

Just kidding……It flares cool duh. I actually have been strictly a Leica/Contax Film Shooter with no meaningful connection to digital photography for years. I actually just started learning editing because of this lens on digital (bunny trail #12). My absolute favorite lenses I own are the Summicron 35mm 8 Element and 35mm Summaron 2.8 that are both infinity lock lenses I had repainted and overhauled by the GREATEST LEICA REPAIR SHOP OF ALL TIME….KANTO CAMERA JAPAN!!!! Please….if you contact them be kind and respectful of their time as they are some of the most truly amazing Japanese people that value your time to the max level, regardless of how you treat them - that I have ever been blessed to meet (bunny trail #13). So I love infinity locks. I am a pretty hardcore into the classic Leica lenses and film cameras. I am kind of a Solms-Era Leica or earlier /or bust sort of fan when it comes to overall Leica experience. I just never felt much of the obtainable stuff post Solms-Era really stuck with me over the years compared to the earlier stuff. Just ‘built diff’ as they say nowadays. Who knows? I do, so it must be true. If you read the above about me, you would see that I owned way too many versions of the V2 summilux lens. I basically sold it every time because I was always comparing it to my Summicron and Summaron, but at the same time I always loved the render of the lens….looks like a glowy gooey creamy yummy delicious render wide open, especially black and white. Stopped down it was soooo sharp and distrotion-free giving that beautfiul Grey’s Anatomy Season 1 / Breaking Bad Season 1 vibe sort of color tones in the sunsets and the beautiful Life Magazine tones otherwise. Wide open you could get some awesome creepy haunted house looks too. It was just a fun lens. I just felt the overall sum of 1MFD, No Filter Capability, Infinity Lock Versions were insanely expensive to keep, and less cool build quality compared to the V1 Summilux Steel Rim / Summicron 8e always led me to sell it. (Yes relative to other lenses is a factor to me when I want it to be - why can’t i own the 25k-30k version cuz i deserve it and it’s built way cooler and better??? ugh!)

the stunning gf with her canon g12 and iphone camera on at the same time (shes always been the superior multi tasker)

awesome snacks outside the palace in standard color

shoutout to dora for showing me this cool idea to snap :) :) :)

I was worried about buying the lens sight-unseen and touch un-touched.

Early reports by the Leica fanboy perusing I did made me worried about the build quality in terms of the infinity lock not looking as faithful to the OG. I REALLY love satisyfing, tactile infinity lock engagements. Also the notching of the lens base and the aperture ring looked a bit more cost cut (yes I said it, shots fired) than the OG since the knurling’s on the reissue are wider. Also the way the ring outside of the front lens element looked a bit less clean and sort of took away from the BIG FAT GLASS jewel the V1 and V2 had was famous for. The modern block print has always been a MEH for me (dealbreaker on the black paint mp for me - bunny trail #14), but I was still intrigued because this was still…..the only way to own an infinity lock summilux steel rim for not 30k. Also the Leica information was all sorts of ambiguous when it came to “is it actually brass.” I still felt compelled to buy this lens because I enjoyed the originals so much and this was really the only ‘new’ leica lens that has ever related to me (because it’s hip and vintage). Combine this with the actual awesomeness of kind and genuine service at Leica Store Bellevue - it kicked me over the edge to buy this baby. Bought this with my own hard earned cash. I grew up humbly to say the least in South Carolina by the way for those remotely thinking I am made of true Leicamann cash.

temple corners should never be cancelled

the wide open glow really helps me capture pseudo movement in my photography

spiral movement by the girl that still makes my head and heart spiral (in the best way)

What I have tested the lens with so far: the wifey’s Leica M10-R Black Paint (also purchased from Leica Store Bellevue - woot woot) and Leica M7 Titanium on Cinestill 800T (box iso). These pictures were all taken in the beautiful city of Seoul, Korea on a weeklong vacation in November 2022 with the wifey. Beautiful beautiful (arumdaun) city. Daebak food too. My editing skills are even more amateur than my pic taking so judge freely and as brutally as you please. I actually don’t take things like that personally (and I’m from America!! USA USA!!). I also use a B+W UV Titanium Filter.

first roll film leak is always a must - i call this seoul apocalyptico

Things I Love About The Lens: The infinity lock is pretty darn satisfying. It isn’t an original, but it is different and I love it in a different way. It still builds muscle memory infinitely better for me than those less-desirable-to-me finger tabs on like the Summicron ASPH 35mm. I love the Aperture Tab (still isn’t as good as the Summilux titanium tab though). I love the yellow coating colors, the silver body shape, and filter threading. The weight and size - as brilliant as the OG.

seoul has so much energy at night it is a gift to be around

loved how the guy (who i randomly think is her son smoking a cigarette) is watching grandma work

love this one too - was able to capture like a floating on air but also jumping higher in happiness feeling of the night

What I Don’t Love About the Lens (but not deal breakers obviously because I woulda sold it if they were): The hoods (they both are useless with a filter and the black one is straight ugly fr fr). Mine has a little more resistance in focus smoothness going closer towards infinity but it has improved a little with use (one other guy on the forums said he had this issue too). The Modern block print font (but i don’t like it on any leica - have you seen how beautiful the og fonts are???). The unboxing experience could be better - my moncler jacket felt way cooler to open. Luxury experiences should be held to Luxury standards.

loved the “…” like….is it sustainable or not??? the suspense

dora is perfection. seriously wouldnt change a thing about her

I don’t really know what to write outside of posting pictures so I’ll just make up random questions I would ask myself via self-therapy.

Would I Buy This Again If I Could Do It Over Again?: Yes. The pictures I have gotten from this lens are worth it. You can still sort of cheat a 0.7m MFD Leica Selfie with your partner if you can shoot it at like F11 and stick your arm way out (sorry to the shorter arm people out there, maybe F16?). As someone who has shot a zillion, money wasteful but still worth film shots with Mandler lenses - I love the look of the lens and it fits me. Skin looks sooooo smooth. People look like people to me. Jon in Real Life feeling. Even on digital.

was feeling k-drama inspired walking here so wanted to capture it

this family was living in 2050 putting their iPhone in brick cracks to take selfies with it

incredible - also has a lex luthor evil villain vibe to it haha

Would I Still Buy This Again at Retail Price/New?: Yes. Worth.

korea is so dense but so beautifully built

seemed like there was a lot of “action” going on here

(Funny Litmus Test Idea for Lens Value) Would Dora (My beautiful wifey who doesn’t shoot Leica much) think this lens is worth it: Yes, she loves the pictures I take with this lens and I have spent many years making pictures she doesn’t love (but always chasing the dragon of a dream to take good ones of her). Where she lacks in Leica usage, she more than makes up with in her eye for quality and honest value for use. She is a straight shooter - if she hates the pics she will tell me, if she hates the lens, she will tell me. She doesn’t care if I got a rare limited edition lens, I do.

just some shadow art u know no big deal it’s my lifestyle

Anything worth mentioning about using the lens?: It doesn’t always look great wide open in color (especially without editing). Sometimes it can look like a fuzzy face and ghostly. Just pretend that’s the look you wanted like I do and that is half the battle. In black and white, this lens is to DIE FOR (not literally please). It gets kind of a filmy look really easily too for a noob editing person like me.

randomly took a picture of this group and later realized watching TV this person is a masked singer judge on korea tv

wide open in a film snapshop shop dora looks EtHerEaL and pretty

found a pho place! didnt try tho. sign and lighting was aesthetic

My goal is provide this review is to firstmost provide a writing outlet for my thoughts that jump around a billion times an hour and to give me something to read when I feel like doo doo. I also felt like I could share a little real life down to earth as-me-based-on-the-sum-of-my-life-experiences-commentary from a regular mortal human that bought one of these lenses for the sake of using it a lot. My scale in life is do I want it or not and will I love using it.

this guy almost looks like he was built to pose for street photography - love it

outdoor drinking! cost of entry - buying an appetizer

another banger - love this pic of my two new amazingly kind, welcoming, and genuine friends living in korea

So this lens is super worth it to me if you couldn’t tell.

Thank you Kevin, Kyu, Harold, Genji, Chris, Chris, Isabel, Silas, Paul, Jon2, Chi, and Shuehe and everyone for helping me get the lens.

The worst is that now it is no longer just an expensive (but worth) lens I own, I also have to buy the M10-R Black Paint from the wifey because I love that too now. Tough I knoooow. If you go to Leica Store Bellevue, let me know. If you liked this review or found it in any way helpful, let me know. My grammar and writing is shit but I really have a decent sized Leica brain. If this review sucks, let me know too. If you have any questions or suggestions for improvement let me know too. If you’re too shy, let me know (too) - The 1975 (sickest band in life bunny trail #19).