28framelines Posted July 30, 2022 Share #1 Posted July 30, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) I believe my question says it all. I just can’t find anywhere on the internet that says whether or not it was made with radioactive materials for lens coatings because I’d like to avoid it if possible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 30, 2022 Posted July 30, 2022 Hi 28framelines, Take a look here Is the Leica 35mm Summicron V3 Radioactive?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
earleygallery Posted July 30, 2022 Share #2 Posted July 30, 2022 Why avoid it? It's not going to pose any risk to you. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeicaR10 Posted July 30, 2022 Share #3 Posted July 30, 2022 (edited) Earleygallery, Plus 1 on your comment. r/ Mark Edited July 30, 2022 by LeicaR10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted July 30, 2022 Share #4 Posted July 30, 2022 Run it by a geiger counter if you're so worried. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frame-it Posted July 30, 2022 Share #5 Posted July 30, 2022 12 minutes ago, 28framelines said: I believe my question says it all. I just can’t find anywhere on the internet that says whether or not it was made with radioactive materials for lens coatings because I’d like to avoid it if possible. i thought only the collapsible summicron 50mm had radioactive elements even then, unless you hold it upto your eye for a while its not going to affect you https://www.youtube.com/user/uyt384/videos 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28framelines Posted July 30, 2022 Author Share #6 Posted July 30, 2022 11 minutes ago, earleygallery said: Why avoid it? It's not going to pose any risk to you. Because my family is prone to cancer maybe? 2 minutes ago, spydrxx said: Run it by a geiger counter if you're so worried. I cannot, as I’d be buying one off eBay most likely. If I could do that, why would I be asking here? Lol. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted July 30, 2022 Share #7 Posted July 30, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) 2 minutes ago, 28framelines said: Because my family is prone to cancer maybe? I cannot, as I’d be buying one off eBay most likely. If I could do that, why would I be asking here? Lol. If you're in the USA your local fire dep't or police station probably has a geiger counter because of hazardous waste spills and fires - FWIW. If you have an old wristwatch, its lume would have higher radiation levels than most radioactive lenses. You could try contacting Leica in Wetzlar with the serial number as well, their records might be useful in answering your question. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted July 30, 2022 Share #8 Posted July 30, 2022 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28framelines Posted July 30, 2022 Author Share #9 Posted July 30, 2022 12 minutes ago, spydrxx said: If you're in the USA your local fire dep't or police station probably has a geiger counter because of hazardous waste spills and fires - FWIW. If you have an old wristwatch, its lume would have higher radiation levels than most radioactive lenses. You could try contacting Leica in Wetzlar with the serial number as well, their records might be useful in answering your question. Thank you! That is very helpful! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 30, 2022 Share #10 Posted July 30, 2022 1 hour ago, 28framelines said: I believe my question says it all. I just can’t find anywhere on the internet that says whether or not it was made with radioactive materials for lens coatings because I’d like to avoid it if possible. You could always avoid any theoretical risk - real or imagined - by simply not buying one. Seriously; how many alternative 35mm lens options are out there? Philip. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted July 31, 2022 Share #11 Posted July 31, 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, 28framelines said: I believe my question says it all. I just can’t find anywhere on the internet that says whether or not it was made with radioactive materials for lens coatings because I’d like to avoid it if possible. No Leica M lenses have radioactive "coatings." One Leica M lens used radioactive thorium oxide in the glass itself (not a coating) - the original 50 Summicron (the 1953 collapsible design). The heavy metal oxide in the glass improved the light-bending ability. Today, those lenses put out about 1.14 to 1.5 microsieverts/hour of alpha/beta radiation, as detected at the front/back surface of the lens unit. https://petapixel.com/2018/06/07/a-radioactive-lens/ For comparison, in a year, the average human is exposed to around 2400 microsieverts from the natural world. To get that exposure from a 50mm Summicron Collapsible would require picking up the lens by the mounting flange (worst case - close encounter with the back end of the lens) about 1600 times per year. Or putting one's hand very close to the front of the lens (e.g. change a filter or remove/replace the lens cap) about 2260 times a year. That's in addition to the expected natural background exposure, thus doubling it. Not absolutely negligible, but it depends on how often one does those things. And a cloth glove about the thickness of the M shutter curtains is enough to block the radiation. In any case, Leica replaced the thorium glass with lanthanum glasses in the next design of the 50mm Summicron (1956 - the non-collapsible "Rigid" or "Dual Range" lenses). Thorium glass use in consumer photographic lenses was phased out around 1970 (just before the creation of the 35 Summicron v.3 in 1971). Because it was found the radioactivity degraded the glass itself over time (yellowing). Edited July 31, 2022 by adan 6 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28framelines Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share #12 Posted July 31, 2022 51 minutes ago, adan said: No Leica M lenses have radioactive "coatings." One Leica M lens used radioactive thorium oxide in the glass itself (not a coating) - the original 50 Summicron (the 1953 collapsible design). The heavy metal oxide in the glass improved the light-bending ability. Today, those lenses put out about 1.14 to 1.5 microsieverts/hour of alpha/beta radiation, as detected at the front/back surface of the lens unit. https://petapixel.com/2018/06/07/a-radioactive-lens/ For comparison, in a year, the average human is exposed to around 2400 microsieverts from the natural world. To get that exposure from a 50mm Summicron Collapsible would require picking up the lens by the mounting flange (worst case - close encounter with the back end of the lens) about 1600 times per year. Or putting one's hand very close to the front of the lens (e.g. change a filter or remove/replace the lens cap) about 2260 times a year. That's in addition to the expected natural background exposure, thus doubling it. Not absolutely negligible, but it depends on how often one does those things. And a cloth glove about the thickness of the M shutter curtains is enough to block the radiation. In any case, Leica replaced the thorium glass with lanthanum glasses in the next design of the 50mm Summicron (1956 - the non-collapsible "Rigid" or "Dual Range" lenses). Thorium glass use in consumer photographic lenses was phased out around 1970 (just before the creation of the 35 Summicron v.3 in 1971). Because it was found the radioactivity degraded the glass itself over time (yellowing). Thank you for the detailed explanation! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted July 31, 2022 Share #13 Posted July 31, 2022 Never heard of anything radioactive in the Summicron 50/2 v3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rramesh Posted July 31, 2022 Share #14 Posted July 31, 2022 Not sure how accurate this is, but it might be useful for OP. https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Radioactive_lenses Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Posted July 31, 2022 Share #15 Posted July 31, 2022 The Leica "glow", is it radioactive? Inquiring minds want to know... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frame-it Posted July 31, 2022 Share #16 Posted July 31, 2022 4 minutes ago, Danner said: The Leica "glow", is it radioactive? Inquiring minds want to know... no Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted July 31, 2022 Share #17 Posted July 31, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, Danner said: The Leica "glow", is it radioactive? Inquiring minds want to know... The 'glow' refers to a rendering quality of the lens, not what happens to the photographer using it 😉 Edited July 31, 2022 by logan2z Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted July 31, 2022 Share #18 Posted July 31, 2022 4 minutes ago, logan2z said: The 'glow' refers to a rendering quality of the lens, not what happens to the photographer using it 😉 My daughter "glows" when somebody compliments her photographs....just sayin😄 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted July 31, 2022 Share #19 Posted July 31, 2022 After 665 shots of radiation plus one shot of gamma ray in 35 days I have more radiation in my crotch that a Leica lens. Don’t worry about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdg1371 Posted July 31, 2022 Share #20 Posted July 31, 2022 (edited) Edited July 31, 2022 by mdg1371 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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