Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...

ISO 3200. 1/500 f8. M11. Macro-Elmar 90mm

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!

  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

Late Fall in the Woods

CL 90 Elmarit 

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!

  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

90mm Elmarit-M, M240.

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!

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Getting 'beamed up'. Sony A1 with Summicron 90mm.

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!

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Sony A1, Summicron 90mm,  ISO 2500, 1/500th, F8.

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!

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 2/22/2022 at 2:46 PM, Christophorus said:

Thank you Cobram.  The lens is pre ASPH 11136 - I think that is referred to as v3

I would love to find an explanation somewhere of the Version numbers of Leica lens. Up to now I have always just looked at the number of the lens type and then the serial number. Version number is new to me.

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, idusidusi said:

I would love to find an explanation somewhere of the Version numbers of Leica lens. Up to now I have always just looked at the number of the lens type and then the serial number. Version number is new to me.

Erwin Puts (RIP) is a good source on "versions" - which relate purely to the optical design sequence, era of production and imaging characteristics. At least up through 2001. Includes non-M Leitz/Leica lenses such as those for the screw-mount cameras, the R-system SLRs, and the CL of the 1970s.

https://www.amazon.com/Leica-Lens-Compendium-Erwin-Puts/dp/189780217X

The problem with the 5-digit type-numbers (e.g. 11167) is that they are/were literally Leica's dealer catalog order numbers, so they vary with cosmetic differences (black, chrome, titanium) even if the imaging is absolutely identical. For example a 90mm f/2.0 v.3 could be ordered as a 11136 (standard black anodized) or 11137 (silver chrome exterior) - exact same pictures, different color on the outside.

Another adequate source is the Forum's own Leica Wiki. Although since it is crowd-sourced, the "versions" sometimes still acquire "collectors' fingerprints" regarding non-essentials such as whether the same glass and imaging were made with or without a built-in lens hood. ;)

Sometimes requires some reading between the lines and comparisons with other sources for clarity.

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M_Lenses_x_Focal_Length

You can also find there a .pdf booklet, also by Erwin Puts, covering a subset of the M lenses only. Dated 2002 and covering only back a couple of versions/generations. For example, includes the 90mm APO-Summicron-M-ASPH (ASMA) and the 90mm Summicron v.3, but not the v.1 or v.2 (which were pre-1980 - and significantly different).

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/images/3/3a/Puts-2002-M-lenses.pdf

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you for the detailed explanation. I suspected that the 5 digit lens number might be different for each (black, silver, etc). So that is clearer now in my grey cells. Would I be right to think that the Version number relates to a range of years, it certainly seems that way? The Erwin Puts and the Leica Wiki links are also going to be useful so thank you!

Link to post
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, idusidusi said:

Would I be right to think that the Version number relates to a range of years, it certainly seems that way?

Yes - but often a highly variable range of years. Some versions (e.g. 50mm Summilux v.1 -1959-61) were only produced for as little as 2 years before Leitz/Leica came out with a new optical design, while other optical versions were made for more than four decades unchanged (50mm Summilux v.2 - 1961-2005**).

Additionally, it should be noted that serial numbers are not an absolute guide to year of production (or even version) due to Leitz/Leica's habit of pre-assigning serial numbers for a lens type in blocks of 500-2000. E.G. "The next 2000 90mm Summicron-M s we make will be numbered (for example) 3575001-3577000."

Fast-selling lenses like 50mm and 35mm Summicrons may go through 2-3 such blocks in one year - while slower-selling lenses (such as 90mm Summicrons in the 1970s, when SLRs were preferred for focusing fast teles) may take 2-3 years to use up just one block.

Case in point: I have had several of the early-production 90mm Summicron v.3s. That version was formally introduced in 1980, yet all those early-production lenses had serial numbers from 1976 (277xxxx or 278xxxx).

It took Leica five years to use up the S/N block set aside for 90 Summicrons in 1976 - and during that time there was a version change. But Leica frugally kept using the number sequence already assigned for 90 Summicrons, until it ran out sometime during 1980-81, and a new block of numbers (in the low 3-millions) were assigned for the next x-many 90 Summicron-Ms.

_______________

** Again, some claim that the 50mm Summiluxes made between 1992 and 2005 were a "new" version III. Because in 1991 Leica added a sliding built-in lens hood, changed the filter size to E46 from E43, and changed the focus threading to focus to 0.7m instead of 1m.

I don't buy that. Nor did Erwin Puts - his Soul and Secrets .pdf refers to the 1961 50 Summilux v.2 as still the "current lens" in 2002. The glass and imaging from 1961-2005 (the important stuff) did not change until the really new ASPH 50 Summilux arrived. All that changed were the mechanics. Which have changed with other lenses, without anyone claiming they were "new" versions. ;)

New catalog numbers, possibly, but not new versions.

Edited by adan
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Anyway, to get back on track:

NO WAR, Denver, 90mm Tele-Elmarit-M at f/4.0, M10.

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!

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

vor 4 Minuten schrieb adan:

Additionally, it should be noted that serial numbers are not an absolute guide to year of production (or even version) due to Leitz/Leica's habit of pre-assigning serial numbers for a lens type in blocks of 500-2000.

And it gets worse. The black paint Summilux 50, Summicron 35 asph and Summicron 90 lenses which were issued with the M6TTL Millenium edition camera all have serial numbers over 4 million, but those lenses were sold in 2000 and 2001 when regular production Leica lenses were still in the 3 87x xxx to 389x xxx range. I do not know exactly when regular lens production exceeded the 4 million mark, but it was only several years later.

  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Sony A1 and Summicron 90mm. Playing around with Overgaard Custom Styles for C1, hence the B & W version. Focussed at about 8 feet through a window.

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!

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Starting to understand how careful one needs to be with Peaking display on the Sony A1 and the Summicron 90mm. ISO 200, 1/100th, F4,

looking forward to the M11.

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!

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Caricaturist at Work, Leitz 90mm Tele-Emarit-M, f/2.8, M10

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!

  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

Gestures (Painter and his painting), 90mm Tele-Elmarit-M, M10

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!

  • Like 5
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Sony A1 and Summicron 90mm

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

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...