Black Plaint Rigid Summicron 5cm

[Guest JMF]

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Hi,

I've been looking online for informations about the various types of BP Rigid Summicrons and would appreciate any pointers !

Here is a photo of my lens:

 

M2 Summicron 5cm by JM__, on Flickr

 

It is from 1958 with serial number 158xxxx and thought it to have the product code 11117 . So far I found that it might be a SOSIC 11618 (brass mount) yet am after confirmation of the product code and amount of lenses in the batch made at the time !

 

It's quite a good performer actually:

 

Sydney "Coat Hanger" Bridge by JM__, on Flickr

 

Oh dear ! by JM__, on Flickr

 

Thanks  and best regards,

Jean-Marc.

Edited July 19, 2015 by jmanivelle

[luigi bertolotti]

Eh... the black painted Summicrons...  items like yours (lowercase writings and single distance scale) are rare and desirable... but it was not officially listed as black version in those times... they were probably treated as "special order" ... or ordered together with black bodies... so any black paint Summicron is worth to be closely inspected to assess its status... there are black items even in older numbers (1.4xx.xxx)... there are items with paint on brass in the front section but black anodized in the back section... a detailed picture of the flange could be of help to identify correctly this interesting lens :   anyway, it is questionable if it must be considered a 11117 (black, but listed only from 1961 around) or a 11118 (chrome - officially not available in black) : if I had to baptize it... given its number... I'd define it as a "SOOIC-M in black paint"...

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[Guest JMF]

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Eh... the black painted Summicrons...  items like yours (lowercase writings and single distance scale) are rare and desirable... but it was not officially listed as black version in those times... they were probably treated as "special order" ... or ordered together with black bodies... so any black paint Summicron is worth to be closely inspected to assess its status... there are black items even in older numbers (1.4xx.xxx)... there are items with paint on brass in the front section but black anodized in the back section... a detailed picture of the flange could be of help to identify correctly this interesting lens :   anyway, it is questionable if it must be considered a 11117 (black, but listed only from 1961 around) or a 11118 (chrome - officially not available in black) : if I had to baptize it... given its number... I'd define it as a "SOOIC-M in black paint"...

 

Luigi, 

thanks a lot for your insight, here are a couple of photos of the rear of the lens ! Hope these will help :-)

 

I'm missing the infinity lock, ordered some from DAG which did not fit. I wonder if I should scavenge one from a silver Rigid and have it painted black as Leica Solms don't have any left !

Are there any different infinity lock sizes?

 

Best regards, Jean-Marc.

Edited July 20, 2015 by jmanivelle

[luigi bertolotti]

 

Are there any different infinity lock sizes?

 

Best regards, Jean-Marc.

Apparently yes... I haven't direct evidence on my items...but here are two Summicrons 50... the one at left is more next to yours than the other (single scale - "small" knurled ring - btw, not visible in the pic, front writing is lowercase) : I haven't idea if a fine shop like DAG can have those odd variants... anyway, I think is a lens that definitely worths (*) to be completed with a painted knob... the quality of the paint is more important than that small difference in shape, imho. 

 

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(*) when I mean WORTHS... http://www.schouten-select.com/index.php/Leica-M-Mount/1411015-Leica-50mm-f2-Summicron-Black-Paint-Brass-Mount-Rare.html

Edited July 20, 2015 by luigi bertolotti

[Guest JMF]

Apparently yes... I haven't direct evidence on my items...but here are two Summicrons 50... the one at left is more next to yours than the other (single scale - "small" knurled ring - btw, not visible in the pic, front writing is lowercase) : I haven't idea if a fine shop like DAG can have those odd variants... anyway, I think is a lens that definitely worths (*) to be completed with a painted knob... the quality of the paint is more important than that small difference in shape, imho. 

 

Summicrons_50_knobs.jpg

 

(*) when I mean WORTHS... http://www.schouten-select.com/index.php/Leica-M-Mount/1411015-Leica-50mm-f2-Summicron-Black-Paint-Brass-Mount-Rare.html

 

Interesting, I'll have to double check on this infinity lock !

Yes, small knurled ring it is.

 

I had seen that Schouten listing... another one  listed on the Austrian side is even more "worths" :-) 

Did they stop fitting brass mounts for their cost or are they less resistant?

 

Cheers JM

Edited July 20, 2015 by jmanivelle

[luigi bertolotti]

Interesting, I'll have to double check on this infinity lock !

Yes, small knurled ring it is.

 

I had seen that Schouten listing... another one  listed on the Austrian side is even more "worths" :-) 

Did they stop fitting brass mounts for their cost or are they less resistant?

 

Cheers JM

No, they continued to use brass, but to have the black version they changed from painting (very prone to wear) to anodizing process, much more resistant (and later they changed again to black chroming process)

Edited July 21, 2015 by luigi bertolotti

[jc_braconi]

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No, they continued to use brass, but to have the black version they changed from painting (very prone to wear) to anodizing process, much more resistant (and later they changed again to black chroming process)

 chrome on brass, anodizing on aluminium, usually (given also different lenses weight)