Nickers Posted March 1, 2011 Share #1 Posted March 1, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I telephoned my favourite local dealer yesterday to enquire about how long I might have to wait for a new Summilux 50, to my delight they had one in stock. Needless to say, within 30 minutes, I had one! Wow, what a piece of glass, can't wait to put it through it paces! My question to the forum is, whilst admiring my acquisition, I noticed that there is a small '14' engraved on the focusing ring, just to the right of the meter/ft scale. This number is visible on the Leica web site for this lens so my example is not unusual, but it does not appear on any of my other lenses or from what I can tell, any other lenses in the current range. Does anyone know what it donates? Thanks, Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 1, 2011 Posted March 1, 2011 Hi Nickers, Take a look here Marking on Summilux 50. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wattsy Posted March 1, 2011 Share #2 Posted March 1, 2011 51.4mm actual focal length. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickers Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted March 1, 2011 Thanks Ian, simple as that. Odd though that they don't do it for other lenses. I also have a 24mm Elmar 3.8 and as I understand it, this lens is also not exactly a 24mm but a 24.5mm. Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted March 1, 2011 Share #4 Posted March 1, 2011 Odd though that they don't do it for other lenses. They do it for other lenses, too, but not for all ... in particular not for wide-angle lenses AFAIK. However even when the marking is missing, it does not necessarily mean the actual focal length matched the nominal value. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted March 1, 2011 Share #5 Posted March 1, 2011 The make the focus helicoids with a range of throws to allow the helicoids to match the actual lens focal lengths, so an assembly person will assemble a paired set. The lens head will have a similar figure internally somewhere, the number you can see is (usually) the helicoids specification. They should be able to assemble the lens semi skilled. They only need to have the numbers where there is a possibility of a miss match in production or where the lens is dismantled during use like a lens head usable on a visoflex. Hasselblad backs internals are similarly serialized. Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickers Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted March 1, 2011 Thanks Noel, That could explain why the image of the 'Lux 50 on the web site has a '14' and the image on the 'lux 50 on the downloadable Technical Data sheet has a '15' on it. Cheers, Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted March 1, 2011 Share #7 Posted March 1, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thanks Noel, That could explain why the image of the 'Lux 50 on the web site has a '14' and the image on the 'lux 50 on the downloadable Technical Data sheet has a '15' on it. Cheers, Nick Exactly – the focal length number is not a generic one for the design, it is individual. Lenses of 50mm or longer have them. And the design focal length – as distinct from the nominal length – of "50mm" or "5cm" Leica lenses has been close to 52mm ever since Max Berek designed the first Leitz Anastigmat in late 1924. The current 50mm Summarit may be an exception. The old man from the Centimeter Age Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickers Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted March 1, 2011 Thanks Lars. Whilst we are on the subject of markings, I seem to recall somewhere a Noctilux which had a particular mark to distinguish it as 'reference' or of notably high quality. I am unsure where I saw this, perhaps it was a dream. Damn, I am dreaming about lenses now? Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted March 1, 2011 Share #9 Posted March 1, 2011 Hi Lars You are correct, sharp eyes. Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted March 1, 2011 Share #10 Posted March 1, 2011 Thanks Lars. Whilst we are on the subject of markings, I seem to recall somewhere a Noctilux which had a particular mark to distinguish it as 'reference' or of notably high quality. I am unsure where I saw this, perhaps it was a dream. Damn, I am dreaming about lenses now? Nick Hi Nick Canon called their f/0.95 5cm rfdr lens the dream lens, some people call it the nightmare. The super speed lenses are compromised to obtain speed a Elmar at /5.6 will be 'nicer', cost, weight, bulk, vignetting, veiling flare. Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted March 2, 2011 Share #11 Posted March 2, 2011 My 75 Cron has "50" on it. Does that mean it's actually 75.5 or 80 mm? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted March 2, 2011 Share #12 Posted March 2, 2011 My 75 Cron has "50" on it. Does that mean it's actually 75.5 or 80 mm? Neither. It means it's 75.0 mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted March 2, 2011 Share #13 Posted March 2, 2011 Right. It's the two last digits of the focal length in millimeters, to the first decimal. I do have an old v.2 Tele-Elmarit that is actually marked "00" meaning that it is exactly 90.0mm. Ye olde manne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted March 2, 2011 Share #14 Posted March 2, 2011 My 75 Cron has "50" on it. ... That seems to be a rare orchid. Mine hasn't got any numbers and I have read from other people here missing them, which already lead to the assumption that Leica gave up this tradition. May I ask what serial number your lens has (first four digits are enough)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted March 2, 2011 Share #15 Posted March 2, 2011 That seems to be a rare orchid. Mine hasn't got any numbers and I have read from other people here missing them, which already lead to the assumption that Leica gave up this tradition. May I ask what serial number your lens has (first four digits are enough)? My 75mm Lux has '00' engraved just to the right of the distance scale. (perpendicular to the scale lettering) Serial # 31511xx So, does that mean it is a 70mm? (I'd be surprised). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted March 2, 2011 Share #16 Posted March 2, 2011 Hi Uli, Here is a picture - first four digits 3988*** If the 50 is mm, I don't follow this meaning that the lens is 75 mm. If that were the case, wouldn't it be 00? Cheers John 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/145338-marking-on-summilux-50/?do=findComment&comment=1604722'>More sharing options...
Nickers Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share #17 Posted March 2, 2011 I have been taking a close look at an old 2006 Leica brochure and all but a few of the lenses 50mm and longer have these additional markings. Could be a quick visual way to date a lens approximately without knowing the serial number? Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted March 2, 2011 Share #18 Posted March 2, 2011 My 75mm Lux has '00' engraved just to the right of the distance scale. (perpendicular to the scale lettering) Serial # 31511xx So, does that mean it is a 70mm? (I'd be surprised). I'm not sure I follow Olaf's logic at all. My 50 Lux Asph has "14" on it, which apparently means that its actual focal length is 51.4 mm. This suggests that the number is the extent to which the focal length of your lens actually departs from what it says it is, in 1/10 mm. In the case of my 50 Lux, add 1.4 mm to the placard focal length. So if your 75 Cron says 00, then I suspect that means it is exactly what it says it is - 75 mm. That would mean that mine is actually 80 mm (which is a lot different to its placard 75 mm). Can't say I mind overly - an actual focal length of 80 mm is useful! I do find it rather touching that Leica has gone to the effort to actually measure what the focal length of the lens is (or rather they have recorded the actual design focal length - presumably it varies in batches?). as a matter of interest, have there ever been -ve numbers? I have been taking a close look at an old 2006 Leica brochure and all but a few of the lenses 50mm and longer have these additional markings.Could be a quick visual way to date a lens approximately without knowing the serial number? For what it's worth, my 75 Cron was made in 2005 (marked 50), and my 50 Lux in 2010 (marked 14). Cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted March 2, 2011 Share #19 Posted March 2, 2011 Hi Uli, Here is a picture - first four digits 3988*** If the 50 is mm, I don't follow this meaning that the lens is 75 mm. If that were the case, wouldn't it be 00? Cheers John Thank You! Your's should be one from 2007; mine from 2008 with no. 4045xxx hasn't got the "50". The first digit of the number always stands for last digit of the focal length in millimeters and the second one indicating 1/10 mm. So "00" would be the markings for a lens of (almost) exactly 50 or 90mm , for a 75mm it is "50". The data sheet for the 75mm Cron says it has 74,98mm. Edit: Picos information, that the 75lux has "00" shows that Leica wasn't always consistent in marking the lenses; so perhaps they decided - wisely - to leave it away, when it doesn't make any difference. The 50 Cron (current version) has "22" (52,2mm), the 90 Cron AA has "09" (90,9) mm, the 135 Apo-Telyt "57" (135,7mm - the data sheet says 136mm). The sheet for the 50 lux asph says it has 51,6mm, while on the lens you find "14", which makes it 51,4mm. The pre-asph 50 lux had 51,6 and a "16". On wide angle lenses Leitz/Leica never gave the numbers, though there are also slight differences: 35Lux asph (both versions): 35,6mm; 28 Cron: 28,5mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted March 3, 2011 Share #20 Posted March 3, 2011 Thanks Uli - that makes sense. That makes my 75 bang on 75 mm. For what it's worth, you can't rely on the serial numbers for much when it comes to production dates. Leica confirmed my 75 Cron was made in 2005 when I had it coded and checked for focus shift in January. Cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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