"New" Noctilux 1.2/50mm Chrome

[NigelG]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The silver chrome 50 lux ASPH is made of brass  - I have both black-anodised alloy (c.340g) and silver-chromed brass (c.460g) versions...

Edited March 26, 2021 by NigelG

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jaques]

supposedly Jeff Bezos made over $100 million dollars US per day in 2017.

[insideline]

38 minutes ago, NigelG said:

The silver chrome 50 lux ASPH is made of brass  - I have both black-anodised alloy (c.340g) and silver-chromed brass (c.460g) versions...

We were speaking specifically about current version Leica lenses IE: the 50 1.2 Alloy black, and the 50 1.4 Black Chrome Summilux Asph lens at $5100 vs the black alloy Leica 50 1.4 Asph at $4395.00.

[ELAN]

4 hours ago, insideline said:

Again NO for the last time. The differential between the BRASS version not silver alloy is $700 please come up to speed on how these lenses are manufactured as you posted pictures of two alloy bodies lenses thank you. 

Pictures of standard lenses posted are silver brass and black alloy. I have the standard silver chrome model 11892 and I can assure you it’s brass.  I wish Leica made more standard brass versions like they used to. 

[wattsy]

5 hours ago, insideline said:

Again NO for the last time. The differential between the BRASS version not silver alloy is $700 please come up to speed on how these lenses are manufactured as you posted pictures of two alloy bodies lenses thank you. 

"Last time" or not, you are wrong about this. The 50 Summilux-M ASPH is the last remaining lens in the catalogue that is available in traditional silver chrome over brass construction. Before the advent of the silver anodised aluminium bodies lenses, most of the Leica M range were available in a silver chrome over brass construction version for a very modest price premium compared with the standard black aluminium lens.

[pedaes]

59 minutes ago, wattsy said:

traditional silver chrome over brass

Just for completeness, from the 'Classic' range our 28mm Summaron's are also brass.

[wattsy]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

11 minutes ago, pedaes said:

Just for completeness, from the 'Classic' range our 28mm Summaron's are also brass.

Yes, true – and it is also true of the Thambar-M – but those lenses are not available in anodised aluminium (I'm assuming the limited run matt black Summaron was still brass) so it's not possible to use those lenses to make the cost comparison being argued here. I think one thing is clear – the price of the silver chrome Noctilux (RRP price, not the "Schouten" price) does not reflect the extra cost of making lenses in brass rather than aluminium. Maybe it's the fancy retro box (which I rather like) that accounts for the extra £9k? 😀

[insideline]

6 hours ago, wattsy said:

"Last time" or not, you are wrong about this. The 50 Summilux-M ASPH is the last remaining lens in the catalogue that is available in traditional silver chrome over brass construction. Before the advent of the silver anodised aluminium bodies lenses, most of the Leica M range were available in a silver chrome over brass construction version for a very modest price premium compared with the standard black aluminium lens.

Time for me to bow out but just for clarity we were discussing modern lens that Leica is making currently and the prices for those specifically the 50 1.4 black chrome against the black alloy version as there is $700 difference. Using old pricing that is taken from where and at what time is fruitless, but again we were talking about these current lenses with accurate current and known pricing and also about the differences between the black alloy new 1.2 Noctilux and the brass limited edition version. 

And no the current silver chrome 50 Lux Asph is an alloy body as Leica has not offered the brass chromed version for quite a few years now. 

[NigelG]

51 minutes ago, insideline said:

And no the current silver chrome 50 Lux Asph is an alloy body as Leica has not offered the brass chromed version for quite a few years now. 

Maybe go to a Leica dealer and ACTUALLY look at one...there's a reason they are still specified as Silver Chrome and not Silver. Still in production. Still Brass.

[insideline]

3 minutes ago, NigelG said:

Maybe go to a Leica dealer and ACTUALLY look at one...there's a reason they are still specified as Silver Chrome and not Silver. Still in production. Still Brass.

Oh my goodness, yes please do go to the Leica dealer as they are not brass and have not been for years. I know I own 27 Leica lenses including the brass and alloy versions. The current 50 1.4 Asph Summilux is silver chrome meaning silver anodization over alloy body. Knock yourself out if you wish them to be brass bodied. 

[NigelG]

No

Silver anodized alloy lenses are called correctly called  “Silver Anodized” in the Leica lens lists. Silver chrome plated brass lenses are listed as “Silver Chrome”. Of the regular production lenses currently available in both silver and black versions the lists call out “Black or Silver Anodised”. There is only one lens on the list that is different which is the listing for the 50 lux ASPH which states “Black Anodised or Silver Chrome” because the silver one is plated because it is still made of brass. I have both lenses here.

If you can buy a lightweight silver Anodised alloy 50 lux ASPH not a heavy silver chrome plated brass one then I would do that and then call Schouten Select because you will have something rarer than even the 50 Noct 1.2 chrome we were originally discussing...

[insideline]

55 minutes ago, NigelG said:

No

Silver anodized alloy lenses are called correctly called  “Silver Anodized” in the Leica lens lists. Silver chrome plated brass lenses are listed as “Silver Chrome”. Of the regular production lenses currently available in both silver and black versions the lists call out “Black or Silver Anodised”. There is only one lens on the list that is different which is the listing for the 50 lux ASPH which states “Black Anodised or Silver Chrome” because the silver one is plated because it is still made of brass. I have both lenses here.

If you can buy a lightweight silver Anodised alloy 50 lux ASPH not a heavy silver chrome plated brass one then I would do that and then call Schouten Select because you will have something rarer than even the 50 Noct 1.2 chrome we were originally discussing...

Like I said head down to any Leica dealer and you cannot purchase a new current brass bodied silver lens in a 50 1.4 Asph Summilux no matter what you call it. Ive been at this for 50 years now and pretty sure I have the lenses figured out, you?

Edited March 27, 2021 by insideline
spell

[mikeamosau]

46 minutes ago, insideline said:

Like I said head down to any Leica dealer and you cannot purchase a new current brass bodied silver lens in a 50 1.4 Asph Summilux no matter what you call it. Ive been at this for 50 years now and pretty sure I have the lenses figured out, you?

Sorry, you are wrong. 
 

[ELAN]

2 hours ago, insideline said:

Like I said head down to any Leica dealer and you cannot purchase a new current brass bodied silver lens in a 50 1.4 Asph Summilux no matter what you call it. Ive been at this for 50 years now and pretty sure I have the lenses figured out, you?

You are wrong. The current silver chrome 50 lux is made of brass. 

[chasdfg]

I recall reading that Leica supposedly switched to Silver anodised for the 50lux asph at one point, but I've only held the Silver one in brass (and it definitely is heftier than the black anodised one). Never seen a silver anodised one in the flesh. Also there was a thread I stumbled upon a while back  (but not years ago, probably sometime within the past year) where someone bought a new Silver 50lux asph thinking it'd be anodised but it turned out to be brass. 

[pedaes]

20 hours ago, insideline said:

And no the current silver chrome 50 Lux Asph is an alloy body

You are so wrong on this. The only silver Summilux 50mm FLE lens's are brass. Go check the facts, then come back here and make a humble recognition that you were wrong.There is no "current silver chrome 50 Lux Asph is an alloy body".

[mmradman]

I find it amazing how easily it is to misinform, at least in this instance true facts are given robust defence.

This is my contribution. Comparing weights would be a good starting point to determine metal used to make the lens, brass is heavier than aluminium.

Regarding the cost of brass products the alloy is cheap and easy to machine, standard brass is an alloy of copper and zinc usually 64/36% ratio. If I walk into hardware store today I can buy heavy duty padlock made of brass for something like £/$10.

As stated/hinted in several posts price differential for optically identical lenses has very little to do with material used to make them.

[insideline]

2 hours ago, pedaes said:

You are so wrong on this. The only silver Summilux 50mm FLE lens's are brass. Go check the facts, then come back here and make a humble recognition that you were wrong.There is no "current silver chrome 50 Lux Asph is an alloy body".

Leica web site today: 50mm 1.4 silver Summiliux Apsh 335 grams, Leica 50mm 1.4 black Summilux Asph 335 grams, Black Chrome "made from solid brass" 460 grams. I guess Leica has made a mistake in their web site and you guys are all correct instead......

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[pedaes]

29 minutes ago, insideline said:

Leica web site today

Or you are misreading the information and assuming there is a silver anodised version.Can you give a link, please?

See below for what is available.

Edited March 27, 2021 by pedaes

[pedaes]

If you look here https://leicastoremiami.com/collections/leica-m-system-m-system-lenses/products/leica-summilux-m-50mm-f-1-4-asph-silver?variant=342827743 you will see the correct weight.

Leica may have stopped building the lens in brass, although most dealers have them available. There is no information I can find of a anodised silver being available as of now.