Leitz 85mm f/1.5 Summarex
The Leitz Summarex 85mm f/1.5 is a fast short-telephoto portrait lens in Leica screw mount (LTM / L39), produced in the postwar era for the Leica rangefinder system. It was Leitz's premium 85mm option, designed to deliver shallow depth of field and usable speed in low light, and remains a sought-after collector lens today.
At UK auction, hammer prices for the Summarex span a wide range — from around £750 for earlier or cosmetically tired examples up to roughly £5,000 for the cleanest copies, with a median around £1,500. Over the past five years clean copies have consistently fetched £2,400–£5,000 at saleroom level, so the lens is worth considerably more than its older results suggest; condition, glass clarity and the presence of the correct hood drive most of the spread. These are wholesale hammer figures and exclude buyer's premium, so retail dealer prices in 2026 sit meaningfully above what the lens sells for on the rostrum.
Variants
| Variant | Years | Edition | Sales | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTM | — | — | 4 | £501 – £836 |
| M | — | — | 0 | — |
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
| Date | Price | Source | Variant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | £875 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 4) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
black, serial no. 1008483, body, VG, elements, F-G, internal haze and some light signs of fungus, complete with lens hood (slight ding), maker's caps |
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| Apr 2025 | £1,500 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica (Lot 28) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
chrome, serial no. 1008276, body, VG-E, elements, VG, some light internal haze, complete with lens hood and maker's caps |
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| Nov 2024 | EUR 3,000 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 45 (Lot A01266) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm chrome Pre-Series
Description:
Rare early chrome version in almost mint condition, coated optics only showing a light haze and minor cleaning marks, feet scale, note the unusual red engraved DOF and slightly different barrel style, with a rare matching early hood with 4 slots and both caps, the lens was produced in approximately 1943 and, according to Leica records, this lens was delivered to Perrot, Biel (Germany) on 09.02.1950, it is the earliest chrome Summarex we have seen! Estimate: EUR 4,000 - EUR 5,000 |
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| Nov 2023 | £1,375 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica (Lot 27) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
1954, chrome, serial no. 1151306, body, VG, elements, VG, some light internal haze, complete with maker's lens hood and lens cap |
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| Jun 2023 | EUR 5,000 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 42 (Lot AI_20220121_1128_41176) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm SOOCX chrome 1st Version
Description:
rare early 1st version, from the very first batch, in very good condition, note the small dot in a circle as aperture index, good coated optics only showing some cleaning marks, with matching ORQPD hood, set of 4 filters: yellow, orange, green and type F (with E. Leitz NY red maker's box), rare matching finder SGOOD/1230 (in maker's box) and both rear and front caps Estimate: EUR 2,800 - EUR 3,000 |
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| Nov 2021 | EUR 2,800 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 39 (Lot AI_39_39634) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm SOOCX chrome
Description:
fast portrait lens in beautiful, near-mint condition, good optics (slightly hazy), with a matching hood, both caps and leather keeper Estimate: EUR 1,600 - EUR 1,800 |
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| Nov 2021 | £1,612 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science (Lot 37) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
1950, chrome, serial no. 823144, body, VG, elements, VG, some internal haze, complete with lens hood, maker's caps and original lens tube Note: Lot |
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| Apr 2021 | £2,480 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science (Lot 24) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
1943, black, serial no. 593294, body, G, elements, G-VG, some light internal haze, light cleaning marks and one single tiny chip to front element, |
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| Apr 2021 | £1,054 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science (Lot 25) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
1952, chrome, serial no. 1008714, body, VG, elements, G-VG, some internal hair-like marks, complete with maker's filter, lens hood, caps and case |
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| May 2020 | £4,655 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science (Lot 34) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens, 1943, black, serial no. 593091, body, G, elements, VG, some light cleaning marks, complete with maker's lens hood; |
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| Nov 2019 | EUR 1,000 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 35 (Lot AI_35_37802) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm chrome
Description:
fast portrait lens in excellent cosmetic condition, optics with slight cleaning marks and slight haze, with rear cap Estimate: EUR 1,400 - EUR 1,600 |
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| Apr 2018 | £1,140 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 1049) Title: A Leitz Summarex f/1.5 85mm Lens
Description:
1952, chrome, serial no. 1008027, body, VG, elements, G-VG, some light internal marks and haze, with lens hood and caps |
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| Mar 2018 | EUR 8,500 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 32 (Lot AI_32_35799) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm black paint 'Waffen SS'
Description:
early black paint Summarex, hand-engraved on the mount 'SS-KBA297' - According to James Lager: 'War correspondents (Kriegsberichter) used the Leica extensively during the Second World War. Some cameras, lenses and cases exhibit the SS-KB (Waffen SS war correspondent) markings. The numerals (297, 300, 325) may signify the specific correspondent that the equipment was assigned to. The initials KB means Kriegsberichter. Exactly this lens is illustrated in Lager I, page 89 and Lager II, page 68 - it was delivered on July 28th, 1943 to Bln.29777 (LOOKX.B.) Estimate: EUR 8,000 - EUR 10,000 |
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| Jun 2017 | EUR 7,500 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 31 (Lot AI_31_35257) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm black paint
Description:
original black paint Summarex in very fine condition with clean optics, barrel engraved 'Paul C. Snyder', complete with both caps (aluminium front cap), original black hood engraved 'Summarex 8,5 cm Ernst Leitz Wetzlar', very rare red maker’s box marked 'Leitz Objektiv 8,5cm 1:1,5 Soocx', only 276 black Summarex lenses were produced, only few wartime lenses survived. Estimate: EUR 10,000 - EUR 12,000 |
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| Nov 2014 | EUR 12,000 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 26 (Lot AI_26_31258) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm black paint
Description:
very rare coated Summarex in fantastic original condition, complete with extremely rare 8.5cm SOOLB finder, black painted aluminium hood engraved 'Summarex 8,5cm Ernst Leitz Wetzlar', black painted slip-on cap and black painted front screw-in cap, this outfit is illustrated in Vidom nr. 64, ex Bawendi collection Estimate: EUR 16,000 - EUR 18,000 |
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| Mar 2014 | EUR 1,200 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 25 (Lot AI_25_29513) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm chrome
Description:
in fine condition with clean lenses, complete with hood and caps Estimate: EUR 1,200 - EUR 1,500 |
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| Nov 2013 | EUR 1,700 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 24 (Lot AI_24_29123) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm chrome
Description:
in near mint condition, clean lenses, with ORQPO hood and both caps Estimate: EUR 1,500 - EUR 1,800 |
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| Dec 2010 | EUR 3,400 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 18 (Lot AI_18_12020) Title: Summarex 1,5/8,5cm
Description:
very rare chrome Summarex from first batch (with war-time serial number, delivered approx.1949) in perfect condition with matching early hood engraved 'Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Germany', both caps and original leather keeper Estimate: EUR 3,500 - EUR 4,000 |
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| Nov 2008 | EUR 3,800 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 14 (Lot AI_14_18137) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm black
Description:
early war-time Summarex in black paint finish, in fine and fully original condition with clean lenses, original front and rear cap, feet scale, with extremely rare original black painted hood engraved: Summarex 8.5cm Ernst Leitz New York Estimate: EUR 7,000 - EUR 8,000 |
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| Nov 2006 | EUR 750 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 10 (Lot AI_10_15306) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm
Description:
in very good condition (some faint scratches), in feet, hood, both caps, leather case Estimate: EUR 1,000 - EUR 1,200 |
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| Jul 2006 | £600 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Leica Cameras. The John Patrick Duigenan Collection (Lot 136) Title: Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 823236
Description:
Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 823236 Estimate: £500 - £800 |
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| Jul 2006 | £540 | Christie's | LTM | |
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Auction: Leica Cameras. The John Patrick Duigenan Collection (Lot 137) Title: Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 1008701
Description:
Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 1008701 Estimate: £500 - £800 |
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| Nov 2005 | EUR 7,000 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 8 (Lot AI_8_26012) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm Black Paint
Description:
very rare black, coated Summarex from the first series, delivered as late as May 5th,1949 to N. Nering Muenchen, complete with original black paint aluminum hood engraved: Summarex 8.5cm Ernst Leitz Wetzlar, black paint cap, leather case Estimate: EUR 7,500 - EUR 8,500 |
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| Nov 2005 | £540 | Christie's | LTM | |
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Auction: CAMERAS, MAGIC LANTERNS AND OPTICAL TOYS (Lot 145) Title: Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 593403
Description:
Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 593403 Estimate: £500 - £800 |
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| May 2005 | EUR 1,100 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 7 (Lot AI_7_25203) Title: Summarex 1.5/8.5cm
Description:
chrome Summarex in very good condition, complete with hood, both caps, case Estimate: EUR 1,200 - EUR 1,400 |
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| Sep 2004 | £836 | Christie's | LTM | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 68) Title: Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 593444
Description:
Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 593444 Estimate: £500 - £800 |
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| May 2004 | £501 | Christie's | LTM | |
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Auction: CAMERAS, MAGIC LANTERNS AND OPTICAL TOYS (Lot 124) Title: Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 593500
Description:
Summarex 8.5cm. f/1.5 no. 593500 Estimate: £400 - £600 |
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| Nov 2003 | EUR 1,042 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 4 (Lot AI_4_22824) Title: Summarex 1,5/8,5cm chrome
Description:
Schönes Summarex, saubere Linsen, original Sonnenblende, Deckel Estimate: EUR 19,510 - EUR 9,408,290 |
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| Mar 1999 | £1,092 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Cameras and Optical Toys (Lot 35) Title: Summarex f/1.5 85cm. no. 10083
Description:
Summarex f/1.5 85cm. no. 10083 Estimate: £600 - £800 |
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