Another window light portrait, in front of my “famous” window.
However…
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…this time I offer a twist on an old theme: this image was taken with a recently acquired (and adjusted, in Japan) Leica 35mm Summicron (8 element) lens, otherwise known as Version 1 of the legendary 35mm Summicron. My lens was made in Germany in the early 60s. It’s an example of the relatively less common screw mount (LTM) version, but mine was subsequently converted to M mount by Leica.
The lens arrived today. I mounted it on my Leica M9P and fired off the above “test” shot, wide open at f/2.
Here’s what the lens looks like:
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It’s tiny, light, and another jewel in the Leica crown.
—Peter.
Prosophos 
Wow, nice colors and very cool story! Congradulations on your new “old” gem.
Cheers! JOCE
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Thanks J!
Peter, so glad to see you’re back with the Leica M9p. I love your photos, but I will admit I love them best when they’re made with the Leica, and specifically, the CCD Leicas. 🙂 happy to see you have snagged an 8-element Summicron too. I have a mid-60s version, and it’s been living on my m9p chrome for the past few months. The 8-Element truly is a gem in the Leica crown. Thanks for all you do, and enjoy your new lens!
Kim, thank you so much for your candour. Regarding CCD Leica cameras, I agree with you. I seem to coax more out of them than any other cameras I’ve tried.
This first version of the immortal LEICA SUMMICRON 35mm f/2, made by Ernst Leitz of Wetzlar, Germany, is among the finest 35mm lenses ever made. It is tiny, ultra-sharp, ultra-fast, and has no distortion. It is among my favorite 35mm lenses, especially for use on the world’s best 35mm camera, the LEICA M3…so far Ken R.
I would never like to miss my Summicron Type 3 from 1969:PERIOD. Those old lenses have a special gracefulness.
Peter, enjoy!
Perhaps this “collector lens” of a window could be renamed the “M-Peter window”. The light from the window combined with your eye, talent, and equipment renders beautifully….it and you make the most of Toronto’s seasonal sun offerings.
Love the image and selection of gear to capture it, Peter. The 8 element summicron is magic, as you know. I prefer it slightly for BW work, particularly on the MM, where it is one of my 4 favorite lenses, rendering both sharp and forgiving images particularly with natural backgrounds. I look forward to seeing how you approach it and your lovely family as you develop your bond…it’s certainly not the right lens for everyone and can render OOF areas harshly when there’s a lot of geometry in the background (not the best city lens), but in nature, oh my…amazing….