Summicron Dummy Lens - Attrappe

[doubice]

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This has recently come my way - not something that one can use and not something I would have bought, had it not come with a IIIc and Leicavit.....

 

Thread Mount Summicron 50mm f:2 dummy lens or - Attrappe, as Leitz used to call these. Note absence of serial number.

 

Cheers,

 

Jan

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[doubice]

Just to add some more information about the lens - the outer lens barrel is complete, all that is missing are the screws which couple the aperture ring to the internal diaphragm mechanism. The diaphragm mechanism was not installed and there are no optics, except for the front element. It is painted flat black on its back side - I don’t know if this was done by the factory or by the previous owner….

 

For those who are wondering what a ‘dummy lens’ is - it has nothing to do with its quality or, its owner’s IQ. To reduce stocking costs to dealers, Leitz used to make so called ‘Attrappe’ cameras and lenses and dealers could purchase those at costs far below the real item. These cameras and lenses were missing all their internals and sometimes the outer shells were factory rejects, with minor blemishes. Most bodies were engraved with a special serial number, followed by an ‘A’ - obviously for ‘Attrappe’ - German for ‘dummy’ or mock-up.

 

From my bottomless pit of useless trivia…..

 

Cheers,

 

Jan

[luigi bertolotti]

That 's an interesting collectible... when you say that the barrel is complete, do you mean that focusing helicoid and lens' retracting mechanism are present and "operative" ? It seems to me that even the RF coupling cam is present...

[doubice]

Luigi,

 

Yes, the lens is fully operational 'mechanically' - the focusing helicoid, including the RF cam is complete and it collapses as a 'real' Summicron would. The only task the lens cannot do is produce images.....

 

Best,

 

Jan

[giordano]

The only task the lens cannot do is produce images.....

 

Just right for a collector [gd&r]

[doubice]

......... not something I would have bought, had it not come with a IIIc and Leicavit.....

Cheers,

Jan

 

Just right for a collector [gd&r]

 

Exactly - and as I mentioned in my opening post - "not something I would have bought, had it not come with......"

 

Best,

 

Jan

[jc_braconi]

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Some were activated like this one vIII formerly a dummy one, (note no s/n) as the M4, activated also

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[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Everybody,

 

To add a bit: These pieces were used as window or counter displays. Not as demonstrators.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael