Variations of 35mm Summicron ( Early / Version 1)

[john_newell]

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The quote below was in a separate thread on the 28mm Elmarit but discusses the early / version 1 35mm Summicron. I'm interested in following up on this, if possible. My first question is: did the early 35mm Summicrons (and other black lenses) really have black chrome mount parts, as opposed to either black painted brass or black anodized aluminum?

 

Thanks for any info!

John Newell

 

Hi Luigi, there are many variants of the Black Paint / Black chrome lenses from the late 50's to 60's. All of these for the most part were low production numbers in comparison to the 'standard' chrome lenses (apart from say the 1st Vers 35/1.4 Summinlux Ollux hood type in chrome and the black version which is ultra rare) because they were special order and mostly for pro photographers and journalists.

 

An example of the variants of just one type of lens, for instance the BP 35/2.0 1st V that you have are [only referring to M Mount series here]:

 

1. Very very early, probably the first batch ever made, Wetzlar - the mount is completely brass black paint. Part black paint / Part black chrome. Red scales. Infinity lock unit and focusing ring is one unit and the side engraving is 'Germany' on this same ring. Closest focusing distance engraved with 2'4" instead of 28". Heavy black painted brass lens cap.

 

2. Early Canadian - all black chrome. No black paint parts (except maybe the holding screws). Chrome mount and chrome infinity release button. Infinity lock unit and focusing ring is one unit with the side engraving is 'Canada' on this same ring. Closest focusing distance engraved with 2'4" instead of 28"

 

3. Wetzlar - the mount is chrome, but the last ring is black painted. Part black paint / Part black chrome. Red scales. Infinity lock unit and focusing ring is one unit. Side engraving is 'GERMANY' on the second to last ring. Closest focusing distance engraved with 2'4" instead of 28" S/N approx 18XXXXX

 

4. Same as 3. but the last ring is chrome. Closest focusing distance engraved with 28" and all lenses onwards. Batches made with 199XXXX.

 

5. Last of the Black Paint / Black chrome. approx 213XXXX Red scales, GERMANY on the second to last ring. BP lens release. But the infinity lock unit and focusing ring are separate. Light black chrome lens cap

 

6. Wetzlar - All black chrome with Yellow scales. These were the very last 1st V 35/2.0. Made for the late BP M4's. Chrome mount and chrome infinity lens release. Infinity lock unit and focusing ring separate. Side engraving is 'LENS MADE IN GERMANY' on the second to last ring. Actually these are harder to find than 4 from my experience of how often they come up. I prefer the BP/red scale versions myself

 

Regarding the 28/2.8 1st version lens with Yellow scales, I can only say that I have seen Canadian ones. Engraved LENS MADE IN CANADA S/N approx 219XXXX with chrome infinity release button. Wetzlar ones may exist with yellow engravings but I have not seen them. I very much doubt they do myself.

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[john_newell]

Well, I guess I'll keep this moving a little by adding that I now have had an opportunity to examine one of the black 35mm Summicrons and this one is the third version mentioned above (2. Early Canadian - all black chrome. No black paint parts (except maybe the holding screws). Chrome mount and chrome infinity release button. Infinity lock unit and focusing ring is one unit with the side engraving is 'Canada' on this same ring. Closest focusing distance engraved with 2'4" instead of 28"), serial no. 16566xx. It does indeed appear to be chromed rather than painted. I'm curious about Leitz going back and forth on chroming vs. painting the black brass lenses...

[leitz_not_leica]

I'm not heavily involved in collector minutia, all I can do is add my data point. I have a ver. 1 35/2, its serial no. begins with 227XXXX, so, either you reported a wrong no. (too early), or it is for a different lens. I cannot help you. BTW, I also had a ver. 1 28/2.8, but sold it to someone in Japan for an obscene price, and did not record the no..

[john_newell]

I'm not heavily involved in collector minutia, all I can do is add my data point. I have a ver. 1 35/2, its serial no. begins with 227XXXX, so, either you reported a wrong no. (too early), or it is for a different lens. I cannot help you. BTW, I also had a ver. 1 28/2.8, but sold it to someone in Japan for an obscene price, and did not record the no..

 

No, the serial number is correct, and is correct for a 35mm Summicron. It's a very early example but within the ranges shown in the various books.

[wizard]

In Sparkie's post above, he discusses 6 variants of the Summicron 35mm lens. All these 6 variants, however, belong to the first version of this lens (8 element Summicron 35mm). Serial numbers range from about 163xxxx to about 231xxxx if I remember correctly.

 

Andy

[luigi bertolotti]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkie

Hi Luigi, there are many variants of the Black Paint / Black chrome lenses from the late 50's to 60's. All of these for the most part were low production numbers in comparison to the 'standard' chrome lenses (apart from say the 1st Vers 35/1.4 Summinlux Ollux hood type in chrome and the black version which is ultra rare)

 

 

Sparkie... I do not understand well what you say about the Summilx "OLLUX type".... FWIW, it was produced for 6-7 years (tilll '66, n° 2.166.701 - Lager): are you saying that the black version of the lens is super rare ? Are there figures about ? And what about the goggled version ? Seem to me to have seen them only in black...