Is it a forgery

[BlakelyLloyd]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have purchased a Leitz lens, with the following inscription on the front of the lens: Leitz Lens, made in canada, summicron-m 1:2/35. There is no serial number. Would I be correct in assuming this is a fake?

David

[stunsworth]

I've never heard of M lenses being faked. I've no idea why there's no serial number though.

[k_g_wolf ✝]

On close inspection you will find a tiny number engraved on the barrel, without any white paint in it.

 

I do not think any forgery SUMMICRONs do exist. MADE IN CANADA is

the engraving of a regular production item of the LEITZ factory in

Midland, Ontario.

 

The place where all these wonderful MANDLER-lenses came from.

 

Your lens is a wonderful and very original LEITZ- lens, enjoy it !

 

 

 

 

 

Best

 

 

GEORG

[BlakelyLloyd]

Thanks guys,

I found it on the back of the aperture ring.

You are correct, it is a beautiful lens and fits well on an M9

David

[k_g_wolf ✝]

>> David,

 

In case you post the serielnumber here (x-out the last 2 digits for safety reasons)

I could have a look in my LEICA- book and tell you the year of production.

 

IF you are interested ...

 

 

Best

 

GEORG

[BlakelyLloyd]

Thanks Georg, but I have downloaded the numbers from the web.

I enjoy the forum and as a new Leica user, I think I am in for some schooling

cheers

David

[k_g_wolf ✝]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Good,

 

and all the best. Enjoy your LEICA-experience.

 

 

 

GEORG

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello David,

 

Please x-out last three digits.

 

Best regards,

 

Michael

[adan]

Leitz Canada had to move the serial number to odd places on the aperture rings of some lenses because the engraving "Leitz Lens Made In Canada" ate up all the room in the normal location around the front element. 90mm Tele-Elmarit-Ms also often have "hidden" numbers.

 

Eventually they moved the "Made in Canada" engraving to the lens barrel in black-on-black, as Georg says, allowing the SN to return to the more obvious location.

[luigi bertolotti]

We are so accustomed to see the s/n in front of all modern lenses (in several "old" SM lenses was not so), that the lenses of (about) '77 to '82 with the s/n on side are someway intriguing : for what I have seen (and in some case, for what I have) the lenses which exist with s/n on side are :

 

Elmarit 28

Summicron 35

Summicron 50

Summicron 90

Tele Elmarit 90 ("slim")

Tele Elmarit 135 (late version - but I am not 100% sure)

 

Does someone know if some other lenses do exist like this ? The Elmarit 21, maybe ? The Summiluxes 35-50 ?

 

Andy : thank for your explanation about the reason for repositioning the s/n... it's logical indeed... but I never thought of it...

[adan]

1977-82 was a major transitional era for M lenses, with complete revisions of the 28 f/2.8, 35 f/2, 50 f/2, and 90 f/2 all being introduced (and the 21 f/2.8 making its first appearance ever) in that time frame. And some of the revisions were revised cosmetically yet again after introduction.

 

OT: It is also the time when Leitz began engraving the focal length in big yellow numbers on the lens mount.

 

I've never seen a 21 f/2.8 or 28 f/2.8 v.3 of that era with numbers other than the "usual" place. The 35 f/2 and 90 f/2.8 (thin) definitely did have hidden numbers in most if not all cases. The "outgoing" 28 v.2 looks like it used the "long" Leitz Lens etc. etc., in the one reference image I find, so it probably put the SN on the aperture ring, too.

 

The "new" 90 'cron of 1980 had a very early exterior design, soon replaced, where the retracted lens shade covered the aperture ring (and also a 49mm filter size instead of 55mm) - and that early version had aperture-ring serial numbers, I think - moved back to the front when the barrel design was changed.

 

I think Leitz was somewhat in disarray at that time, with the introduction and abandonment of the M5 and CL (and the "C" lenses made jointly with Minolta), the "end" and rebirth of the M line, the abandonment of the SL/SL2 and transition to Minolta-based R bodies and a few Minolta-based R lenses. The careful labelling "Leitz lens Made in Canada" - which pushed the SNs off the front - was probably an effort to make sure people knew Canadian-made was still Leitz-made.

 

Eventually Leitz decided it was not necessary to be so wordy - but in the meantime they had been all over the map in labelling style.

[luigi bertolotti]

1977-82 was a major transitional era for M lenses....,I've never seen a 21 f/2.8 or 28 f/2.8 v.3 of that era with numbers other than the "usual" place.

.

 

My Elmarit 28 2,8 s/n 3.168.146 has the s/n on side (having the long "Leitz Lens etc..." in front) , so I'd say it's indeed a 3rd version (with the yellow "28" at the base).

[jc_braconi]

I have one Leitz Canada v.III 1980 with the s/n on the aperture ring

and one Leitz Wetzlar v.III 1992 with the s/n on the front ring