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Short help with summicron serial


arcimboldo

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Leica serial numbers are not perfectly definitive. For a long time they were pre-assigned - before manufacture - in blocks. They may still be.

 

As in your example, 1000 sequential numbers were assigned to be used on silver 50 Summicrons.

 

Once manufacturing begins, there may be a mismatch in supply and demand - more black lenses needed, and less demand for silver than anticipated. So some of the 1000 lenses are made in black.

 

Additionally, it may take 18 months to make and sell 1000 50 Summicrons - so while the numbers were assigned in 1994, any actual lens may have been made in 1995. Less so for a popular lens like the 50 Summicron. But an exotic lens like a Noctilux or 75 Summilux may take 10 years to "use up" 1000 serial numbers.

 

Serial numbers, for Leica, are just a way of keeping track of any one specific lens or camera (When did it leave the factory? Which country/dealer/consumer did it go to? Has it ever been back in for servicing?). They don't care if it confuses collectors and aficianados when things don't always match the records.

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