Low serial number...

[Efra1]

Hi, can somebody tell me something about this? a 90 elmarit-M whit a serial number 0000002, Why this low serial number??

[SteveYork]

Sounds like a prototype to me.

[Efra1]

Can be a pre-serie ?
If this is a prototype, the price is more high that in a normal 90 Elmarit-M ??

[jaapv]

It can't be anything else but a prototype. Production lenses never are numbered this way. You are sitting on a collectors item.

[doubice]

Can you post a photo of the front of the lens (filter mount), where the original lens engraving is?

Best,

Jan

[luigi bertolotti]

Join Doubice in his request for a front view: "000000x" numbers were typical of prototypes, indeed, but usually they were engraved in lieu of the normal s/n... and I seem to remember that the Elmarit-M 90 was NOT built in the variant with the s/n on side of the barrel instead of front ring (Tele Elmarit 90 was, on the contrary) so we are all very curios to look at what is engraved on the front ring.

[Efra1]

Ok, tonight at home I´ll make a picture of the front ring, but I remember that it is all black, I mean, Nothing engraved in.

[Efra1]

Here you can see 4 more pics, as you can see there is no engraving in the front ring.

[luigi bertolotti]

WOW !!! Marked "LEITZ" on the barrel only .... it's definitely a rare prototype, I'd say... I'm not 100% sure, but I think this Elmarit, in its standard finishing has always been marked "Leica".
Of course, I would be a lot curios to know how and from who you got in possession of this lens... but it's an unfair question within collectors...

Isn't there any "made in..." engraving ? The "barrel engraving" was someway a "Ontario trademark"....

[Efra1]

LENS MADE IN GERMANY

That is the engravin text in the barrel.

The way I found the lens.. well that is a good question

[jpattison]

Doesn't the shape look like the R Elmarit? Have they used the R barrel to develop the M version?

John

[jaapv]

Another small detail. The correction numbers on the focussing barrel read "00"

[Efra1]

The "oo" is like the INFINITY FOCUS, I think so.

[jaapv]

No, those numbers indicate the real focal length, as created by the tolerances. The infinity symbol is left of the m, these are always on the other side. It means the focal length of this particular lens is exactly 90 mm and thus at the absolute minimum of the tolerance span. It suggests to me that this is a reference lens, used in the factory by QC to check other lenses against.
That would also explain the location of the 0000002, as it would be readable with the lens standing on a shelf.

[Efra1]

Originally Posted by jaapv

No, those numbers indicate the real focal length, as created by the tolerances. The infinity symbol is left of the m, these are always on the other side. It means the focal length of this particular lens is exactly 90 mm and thus at the absolute minimum of the tolerance span. It suggests to me that this is a reference lens, used in the factory by QC to check other lenses against.
That would also explain the location of the 0000002, as it would be readable with the lens standing on a shelf.

WOW, so if this is a refence lens, that can make this particular lens "better" than regular lens productions??

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by jaapv

No, those numbers indicate the real focal length, as created by the tolerances. The infinity symbol is left of the m, these are always on the other side. It means the focal length of this particular lens is exactly 90 mm and thus at the absolute minimum of the tolerance span. It suggests to me that this is a reference lens, used in the factory by QC to check other lenses against.
That would also explain the location of the 0000002, as it would be readable with the lens standing on a shelf.

Very good hipotesis... in some way, I am not convinced this is a prototype/test... your explanation of a "internal use" item could be the right one, indeed... I remember that, years ago I saw in the Italian official repair lab some lenses used for reference for items that had to be recalibrated (I saw a Summicron 50 made for this purpose... but do not remember the engravings).

[Efra1]

So, normal producctions lens did not have this numbers engraved?
I´m loocking all may lens now

I know the special character of the lens, but this numbers are new for me.

This numbers are only engraved in specials use lens?

Thanks for you help.

[jaapv]

Originally Posted by luigi bertolotti

Very good hipotesis... in some way, I am not convinced this is a prototype/test... your explanation of a "internal use" item could be the right one, indeed... I remember that, years ago I saw in the Italian official repair lab some lenses used for reference for items that had to be recalibrated (I saw a Summicron 50 made for this purpose... but do not remember the engravings).

The use of reference lenses is well documented; it was standard procedure in Wetzlar. Every lens shipped was checked against one of these lenses. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced this is an example.

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by Efra1

So, normal producctions lens did not have this numbers engraved?
I´m loocking all may lens now

I know the special character of the lens, but this numbers are new for me.

This numbers are only engraved in specials use lens?

Thanks for you help.

Yes, such numbers "0000x" are completely out of standard, so as the absence of engravings on the front ring...
THIS is a standard Elmarit-M 90:

[Efra1]

Thanks to all for the helps in this lens identification, so I must suppouse that all the lens whit the 00 Focal Lenghs are specials one, I have seen some of my stuff an can see a lot of Summicrome 50 whit diferent numbers, also the Summilux 50 have a 05...
My 75 Lux 1ºVersion has also a 00 code. this give something special to this lens?