gpwhite Posted March 20, 2016 Share #1 Posted March 20, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Have any of the Leica legacy experts here encountered a Noctilux f/1 with these characteristics? - ref 11822, original six-bit (the box shows the six-bit symbol Leica used for certain M lenses after 2006 introduction of M8) - sn 3984xxx with MADE IN CANADA E60 engraved with white paint on lens barrel If the lens really is Solms assembly with an original six-bit flange from the end of the 11822 run, what about the white painted engraving and the E60? I can only find that part on pictures of some, but not all, 11821. Thanks! Only on the Leica Forum would someone write and then find an answer about such esoterica . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 20, 2016 Posted March 20, 2016 Hi gpwhite, Take a look here Noctilux f/1 11822 question. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jcraf Posted March 22, 2016 Share #2 Posted March 22, 2016 Interesting. Having owned several Noctiluxes over the years, but never having been cured of my fascination with this Mandler masterpiece, I recently acquired an unused and fairly late 11822 Noctilux from a retired Leica dealer. The lens is #3985xxx, so possibly a bit later than your example. It is 6 bit, in a 6 bit- labelled silver box, with the box labelled 'Made in Canada'. The lens has E60 in white on the lens front bezel, and 'Made in Canada' engraved near the lens mount in the black anodised finish. It is not picked out in white, which makes your example unusual. My understanding from Noctilux f1 lore is that they were all made and assembled in Canada, latterly by Elcan/Raytheon. Further mythology states that just a few Elcan employees had the know-how, and even more bizarrely may have been brought out of retirement to assemble the last batches. I have no idea of the veracity of the last story. To counter that, presumably you have heard somewhere that the late lenses were Solms-assembled? But one thing is for sure, the f1 is a lens whose manufacturing history does indeed seem to be shrouded in a little mystery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted March 22, 2016 Share #3 Posted March 22, 2016 All Noctilux were assembled in Canada, this is sure; about your item... how is the writing around the front lens ? I mean, is it 11822 style, with E60 and typical fonts of those years ? A possible explanation about the white writing at base is that they used an "old" component (spare ?) to assembly a "new" lens.... they were the last batches... anyway, an interesting item by sure : have you some pictures ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheshireCat Posted March 22, 2016 Share #4 Posted March 22, 2016 Don't know about the Noctilux, but I have seen some copies of the Summilux 75 lenses of the "1913-1983" special edition with that engraving in white on the bottom of the barrel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted March 22, 2016 Share #5 Posted March 22, 2016 Don't know about the Noctilux, but I have seen some copies of the Summilux 75 lenses of the "1913-1983" special edition with that engraving in white on the bottom of the barrel. Some of them, indeed... not all : 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/258373-noctilux-f1-11822-question/?do=findComment&comment=3012196'>More sharing options...
CheshireCat Posted March 22, 2016 Share #6 Posted March 22, 2016 Some of them, indeed... not all ... which is funny, considering that they were supposed to be just 150 copies taken from the first batch of 2000 lenses with the telescopic hood. It would be interesting to know if their product code is 11815 or still 11814. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpwhite Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share #7 Posted March 22, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) All Noctilux were assembled in Canada, this is sure; about your item... how is the writing around the front lens ? I mean, is it 11822 style, with E60 and typical fonts of those years ? A possible explanation about the white writing at base is that they used an "old" component (spare ?) to assembly a "new" lens.... they were the last batches... anyway, an interesting item by sure : have you some pictures ? It would seem your explanation is the most plausible one, according to what I have been able to learn about the lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted March 23, 2016 Share #8 Posted March 23, 2016 ... which is funny, considering that they were supposed to be just 150 copies taken from the first batch of 2000 lenses with the telescopic hood. It would be interesting to know if their product code is 11815 or still 11814. "relabeled" 11815, according to those pictures (and with box "adapted" for the absence of external hood) : http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/Leitz_75mm_1,4_1913-1983/00_pag.htm (I won't cease to praise Marco Cavina articles... ) Time to time, the stories about the Ontario factory which introduced "new manufacturing methodologies" do emerge... : probably they took more care to use the actually manufactured parts even sacrificing absolute consistency between theorically identical items... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheshireCat Posted March 23, 2016 Share #9 Posted March 23, 2016 (I won't cease to praise Marco Cavina articles... ) I also love Marco's articles. Full of technical and historical details. Feel his passion for photography. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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