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Unusual Leica lens?


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While doing my weekly browsing for Leica lenses, this week I came across a somewhat older lens, a 1959 Summicron 1:2/90 on eB*y, that appears to be in nearly excellent condition. Not an extraordinarily unusual find, I know, but this particular lens in noted in the description as being one of only 500 manufactured for its particular model. Does anyone know if this is true? Antique lenses are out of my field, but I was still intrigued by this as it would appear to be a fairly scarce lens that would not come up very often.

 

On a side note, I was considering upgrading from my current D-Lux 4 - any suggestions?

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Hi

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

There were many sub variants of the cron even if the ebay lens is one unless you are a collector I'd stay away, the early crons are very heavy and optically antique, not practical except as gbag lead ballast.

 

Get a cheap M2 and modern Elmar, be careful about where you get it.

 

Noel

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I have no idea of rarity - maybe 500 were made of that model for that year? i.e. not rare at all.

 

However, if it is a rarity, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of Leica collectors 'watching' the auction, ready to bid on it in the last 30 seconds of the sale.

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Hi

 

There were many small variations of the very early crons that collectors might wet their pants off, rather fewer then 500 off, if this was one expect a feeding frenzy, but the type I crons are not for normal users...

 

If it were one of these a BIN would be snapped up, but normally 9cm crons are not expensive.

 

Noel

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Per Laney's Leica Collector's Guide:

 

less than 500 90 'crons were made in screw-mount - between 1957 and 1962.

 

The first M versions, beginning in 1957, were basically the screw version with an M adapter mounted and glued in place at the factory. About 1300 of those were made in the original style (chrome with a separate lens hood) before the switch to the much more common version with a telescoping built-in shade in 1960.

 

Pix of this fairly rare separate-shade version can be seen here, with both LTM and M mounts: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/RF-Nikkor/Leica_RF/LeicaLSOOZI90mmf2.htm

_____

 

BTW, I find 3 copies of the early version for sale on der bay, but only by searching "9 cm" instead of "90 mm".

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