The Amazing (Almost) Auto-Focusing Summicron 35

The Summicron 35mm is one of my favorite lenses. I have used my Version 3 example for 35 years. I love its perspective, the tiny size and weight and, especially, the focusing tab. Embarrassingly, I found out recently that, although the focusing tab is an extremely useful device for focusing this tiny lens, I wasn't using it to its full potential.

I was certainly aware of using the hyperfocal distance at any given aperture as a way to ensure that everything between a given distance and infinity is acceptably sharp. And I often use zone focusing which allows you to preset the focus by estimating the distance to the subject and then setting it on the lens without having to bring the camera up to your eye.

But, I had somehow missed, even though it has been mentioned in several articles in the Viewfinder, the fact that, with any lens with a short focus "throw" (the travel of the focusing ring from the point of closest focus to infinity), you can train yourself to use zone focusing with the lens without ever looking at it.

The ability to do this accurately increases as the lens is stopped down. I suggest starting with an f-stop of 5.6 or smaller, i.e., a higher number. The position of the focusing tab at infinity on the 35mm Summicron is approximately 7:30 on the clock as you look at the lens from the front. At f/5.6 with the focusing tab in this position everything from approximately 25 feet to infinity will be acceptably sharp. At the six o'clock position everything from five feet to nine feet will be acceptably sharp, and at halfway between these positions the field of sharp focus will be from nine feet to over 30 feet. If something is really close, swing the tab over to five o'clock and you'll be right at four feet. By f/8 the focusing distances for these positions overlap enough that is becomes even easier to feel your way to sharp focus.

Other wide-angle lenses will vary slightly in the correct tab position for a given distance, but can be used equally well. The 50 mm Summicron with a focus tab can be used with this technique, but it takes a bit more practice. If you have a Leica with aperture priority, you can set the aperture beforehand and the focus by feel once you see your subject and you will have the ease of a point and shoot camera without the wait for the camera to focus.

The accompanying photograph shows what can be done using this method. This was taken on the Paris Metro and the Summicron really nailed it. I didn't notice that the young lady had freckles until I developed the film.

If you haven't tried this technique yourself, you may be missing out on a great way to take pictures.

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