yeahyoung Posted October 9, 2020 Share #1 Posted October 9, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I just bought a Leica 90mm APO with "Lens Made in Germany" engraved on lens barrel, and "Lens Made in Canada" printed on the lens box (see image). I did a quick search in this forum and apparently this happened to some earlier copies. But the serial number of the lens (388xxxx) puts the date of manufacture in 1999 - 3rd year of its production. Is it plausible that at the 3rd year of the lenses' production, they are still recycling boxes from the Canada factory? I also heard that the earlier copies of the 90 APO are difficult to calibrate. Should I be concerned? 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/314080-leica-90mm-apo-made-in-germany-with-made-in-canada-box/?do=findComment&comment=4060247'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 9, 2020 Posted October 9, 2020 Hi yeahyoung, Take a look here Leica 90mm APO Made in Germany with "Made in Canada" Box. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
lct Posted October 10, 2020 Share #2 Posted October 10, 2020 You got the lens second hand i guess. It is quite possible that the box has been got separately by your seller. Better sell a lens with an old box than with no box at all. Déjà vu but i may be wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tritentrue Posted October 10, 2020 Share #3 Posted October 10, 2020 Mine's also 388XXXX and came in a black/silver box with matching serial number. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeahyoung Posted October 10, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted October 10, 2020 5 hours ago, lct said: You got the lens second hand i guess. It is quite possible that the box has been got separately by your seller. Better sell a lens with an old box than with no box at all. Déjà vu but i may be wrong. I see. A box for 90 apo with "made in Canada" is also quite interesting, isn't it? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeahyoung Posted October 10, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted October 10, 2020 5 hours ago, tritentrue said: Mine's also 388XXXX and came in a black/silver box with matching serial number. Good to know. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeahyoung Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted October 15, 2020 On 10/10/2020 at 3:26 AM, lct said: You got the lens second hand i guess. It is quite possible that the box has been got separately by your seller. Better sell a lens with an old box than with no box at all. Déjà vu but i may be wrong. Just received the lens today. The serial number on the box matches the number on the lens. The box says "lens made in Canada", with a lens says "lens made in Germany" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie Posted October 15, 2020 Share #7 Posted October 15, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am sure Ken Rockwell would tell you that Canadian made boxes are not nearly as good as those made in "The Holy City of Wetzlar"! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeahyoung Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted October 15, 2020 2 minutes ago, Susie said: I am sure Ken Rockwell would tell you that Canadian made boxes are not nearly as good as those made in "The Holy City of Wetzlar"! Haha. It's not a "Canadian made box" though, it's a box with a label that says "Lens Made in Canada". So do I trust what it says on the box or what it says on the lens? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted October 15, 2020 Share #9 Posted October 15, 2020 (edited) 25 minutes ago, yeahyoung said: Haha. It's not a "Canadian made box" though, it's a box with a label that says "Lens Made in Canada". So do I trust what it says on the box or what it says on the lens? Interesting, as the Midland plant was sold in 1990. Leica were financially strained in the 90's so who knows what happened. If you are likely to 'be concerned', shouldn't you do your research before you buy? Edited October 15, 2020 by pedaes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 15, 2020 Share #10 Posted October 15, 2020 See post #4 in this no old thread... apparently, "canada boxes" are quite rare... 😉 ... but Canadian lenses even more, according to this dealer : https://www.meister-camera.com/en/second-hand/9581/leica-apo-summicron-m-2090mm-asph-pre-series-canada Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeahyoung Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted October 15, 2020 4 hours ago, pedaes said: Interesting, as the Midland plant was sold in 1990. Leica were financially strained in the 90's so who knows what happened. If you are likely to 'be concerned', shouldn't you do your research before you buy? Nah I am not concerned at all. Was just joking. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 16, 2020 Share #12 Posted October 16, 2020 (edited) 14 hours ago, pedaes said: Interesting, as the Midland plant was sold in 1990. Leica were financially strained in the 90's so who knows what happened. That's true, Midland Plant sold to Hughes in 90, then in turn to Raytheon in 97 (military concerns) , but they continued to provide lenses to Leitz (most famous case, the Noctilux 50 f1) : probably, given Leica own issues in the 90's, they had planned to count on Midland plant also for the 90 AA... and designed the boxes accordingly... an "elegant" cardboard box must be made in a decently big batch to have economical sense... maybe they planned and ordered a batch of 500 or even more (*)... then something "went wrong" about the lens' manufactuiring (see Meister's story above linked... was is really as they say ? Who knows... 🙄) , production shifted in Germany...with the batch of already made boxes following... So.. yeahyoung, I'd say you must be HAPPY of your combo ! An oddity which ADDS value !! 😃 (*) I suppose that cardboard boxes were outsourced... even for a thriving company the proud of "we make ALL in house" has some limits... 😁 Edited October 16, 2020 by luigi bertolotti 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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