Anyone sitting on a Summicron 35mm "Japan Edition"?

[Borna]

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I met up with a fellow Leica shooter here in Sweden that had a very interesting lens on his camera. He explained that when Leica in Japan opened up there was a very limited amount of lenses for sale named 'Japan Edition' or 'Japanese Edition'. 

Basically it is a Cron 35mm with a screw mount.

I found some interesting information about the lens on meister-cameras homepage. 

"In the end of the 1990s it was really hip and cool amongst japanese teenagers to shoot pictures with the classic Leica srew mount models. For that reason Leica made a available three of the then current M-series lenses in a special screw mount version. Even if the prices for Leica lenses has been lower in that decade the three offerings were mostly unaffordable for the young japanese photo enthusiast. But that does not affect the sales because of the high limitation the japanese collector's stepped into the scene. So it could be assumed that most of these beautiful build lenses has never seen service as photographic tool and were regarded instead as showpieces of engineering mastership. Most of the produced lenses are still in new or mint condition these days."

Is there any photos of cameras with this lens or does anyone have this one? What do you think about it?

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[pippy]

Yes; there are a few members here who own a copy.

From what I have gathered previously from info posted on the web it would seem that the 11 608 lenses were made, in 1999, in two batches* - the first numbering 550 units (ser. # 3867717 to 3868266) with a further run of 200 (3880747 to 3880946) - and were, as you know, a screw-mount version of the 1996 ('97?) 35mm Summicron ASPH. As seen in your photo they came with the older-style metal 'Series VII' type 12504 hood rather than the more usual rectangular plastic 12 526.

Despite their relative rarity they come up for sale fairly regularly and here in the UK seem to command a premium of around 50% over the M-mount version.

Philip. * Towards the bottom of this page : https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/35mm_f/2_ASPH_Summicron-M

Edited March 11, 2023 by pippy

[pgk]

There are a few on eBay but the prices are high. Also produced in LTM at the same time were50/1.4 and 5/2 LTM lenses. (Check out the wiki here under the M lenses as there are links to forum discussions).

[Matlock]

My IIf with 35mm Summicron and, just for fun, my IIId with 50mm Summilux.

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[madNbad]

In 2018 there was one at a local shop. It sat on the shelf for nearly a year before they sold it at a bargain price.

[Kl@usW.]

vor 14 Stunden schrieb pippy:

Yes; there are a few members here who own a copy.

From what I have gathered previously from info posted on the web it would seem that the 11 608 lenses were made, in 1999, in two batches* - the first numbering 550 units (ser. # 3867717 to 3868266) with a further run of 200 (3880747 to 3880946) - and were, as you know, a screw-mount version of the 1996 ('97?) 35mm Summicron ASPH. As seen in your photo they came with the older-style metal 'Series VII' type 12504 hood rather than the more usual rectangular plastic 12 526.

Despite their relative rarity they come up for sale fairly regularly and here in the UK seem to command a premium of around 50% over the M-mount version.

Philip. * Towards the bottom of this page : https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/35mm_f/2_ASPH_Summicron-M

Yes, I´m one of those members. After searching for a clean Summaron 35 LTM without success for a while , I bought the LTM ´Cron  from the Classic Shop in Wetzlar in mint condition some years ago. They told me the correct hood was the plastic 12526 albeit this was missing;  I  found a new old stock to complete the set. Actually I put that hood  away with the paperwork and box of the lens and use the round clamp on hood, I prefer the round hood for the looks and practical reasons. 

My comment on the lens: well, it´s just another ´Cron v4, but in LTM and chromed brass, thus very dense and  an mfd of 1 m, not  0,7.  I used the lens on my Barnacks,  but actually I think it´s a mismatch --lens is too large and too heavy for the delicate  Barnacks, particularly for my favorite II (D). So the Cron has found its place  on my chrome MP, where its a perfect match for the body and the set is a nice solution  for the ´One camera-one lens ´ trip. 

Potential buyers who plan to use it on a Barnack  should-imho- consider a  more practical solution.  

K. 

[Matlock]

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2 minutes ago, Kl@usW. said:

Yes, I´m one of those members. After searching for a clean Summaron 35 LTM without success for a while , I bought the LTM ´Cron  from the Classic Shop in Wetzlar in mint condition some years ago. They told me the correct hood was the plastic 12526 albeit this was missing;  I  found a new old stock to complete the set. Actually I put that hood  away with the paperwork and box of the lens and use the round clamp on hood, I prefer the round hood for the looks and practical reasons. 

My comment on the lens: well, it´s just another ´Cron v4, but in LTM and chromed brass, thus very dense and  an mfd of 1 m, not  0,7.  I used the lens on my Barnacks,  but actually I think it´s a mismatch --lens is too large and too heavy for the delicate  Barnacks, particularly for my favorite II (D). So the Cron has found its place  on my chrome MP, where its a perfect match for the body and the set is a nice solution  for the ´One camera-one lens ´ trip. 

Potential buyers who plan to use it on a Barnack  should-imho- consider a  more practical solution.  

K. 

Probably not too suitable for early Barnacks but entirely suitable for IIIc onwards.

[pippy]

1 hour ago, Kl@usW. said:

...My comment on the lens: well, it´s just another ´Cron v4...

Silly question I know, Kl@us, but are you sure? Is the v4 not the version built between 1979 and 1996?

I was under the impression (backed up by the text on the box seen in the OP) that it used the same optics as the '96 ASPH rather than those of the v4 but, of course, as I don't have either lens myself I could well be mistaken in which case apologies in advance!

Philip.

Edited March 12, 2023 by pippy

[Matlock]

31 minutes ago, pippy said:

Silly question I know, Kl@us, but are you sure? Is the v4 not the version built between 1979 and 1996?

I was under the impression (backed up by the text on the box seen in the OP) that it used the same optics as the '96 ASPH rather than those of the v4 but, of course, as I don't have either lens myself I could well be mistaken in which case apologies in advance!

Philip.

You are correct Philip, Most certainly not a version 4.

[Kl@usW.]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb pippy:

Silly question I know, Kl@us, but are you sure? Is the v4 not the version built between 1979 and 1996?

I was under the impression (backed up by the text on the box seen in the OP) that it used the same optics as the '96 ASPH rather than those of the v4 but, of course, as I don't have either lens myself I could well be mistaken in which case apologies in advance!

Philip. 

Not silly Philip, you are  right. The LTM version derived from the 1997 Summicron-M 35 f2 ASPH was issued in 1999.   That would make it  a V 5 ? 

https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/35mm_f/2_ASPH_Summicron-M

And thank you for the correction,  

Klaus 

[Borna]

Question: is the aperture ring more stiff and “click”-ier on a chromie than a black version? 

[Matlock]

33 minutes ago, Borna said:

Question: is the aperture ring more stiff and “click”-ier on a chromie than a black version? 

With mine, about the same.

[Huss]

On 3/11/2023 at 10:39 AM, Matlock said:

My IIf with 35mm Summicron and, just for fun, my IIId with 50mm Summilux.

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The style of the 35mm looks too modern for the camera, if that makes sense?!

[Matlock]

7 hours ago, Huss said:

The style of the 35mm looks too modern for the camera, if that makes sense?!

I tend to agree but it yields good results.

[pippy]

2 hours ago, Matlock said:

I tend to agree but it yields good results.

Curiously - considering the whole ethos of the Barnack cameras / lenses was that they would be small - the 50 Summilux, although considerably larger/bulkier than the 35 Summicron, doesn't (IMO) look out of place at all. Somewhat reminiscent of the 50mm f1.5 Xenon / Summarit lenses. At the risk of going off-topic for a second my own #1 50mm for the Barnacks is a Serenar-style Canon f1.8. Performs half-way between Vintage and Modern and sits very much at-home on the IIIc.

It IS nice when the look of the camera/lens pairing is a good match stylistically-speaking but, ultimately, I agree that 'Results trumps Looks'.

Philip.

[69xchange]

I got one 35mm cron asph LTM and three 50mm cron v5 LTM… don’t ask

[69xchange]

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[Kl@usW.]

vor 18 Minuten schrieb 69xchange:

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Perfect!

[lct]

On 3/12/2023 at 11:11 AM, pippy said:

[...] I was under the impression (backed up by the text on the box seen in the OP) that it used the same optics as the '96 ASPH rather than those of the v4 but, of course, as I don't have either lens myself I could well be mistaken in which case apologies in advance!

My impression too but i don't have the lens either.

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Edited March 14, 2023 by lct

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Hallo,

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[pippy]

1 hour ago, lct said:

My impression too but i don't have the lens either....

On 3/12/2023 at 1:18 PM, Kl@usW. said:

...The LTM version derived from the 1997 Summicron-M 35 f2 ASPH was issued in 1999.   That would make it  a V 5 ?...

Having had a pretty good look around the www it seems that the 11 608 is definitely modelled using the original ASPH formula which was introduced in 1997. As far as naming goes, however, there's hardly anyone who refers to the '97-on lenses as 'v5'; rather they are invariably called ASPH v1 and ASPH v2 (year-dependent).

Luckily I'm not very susceptible to bouts of GAS because I've come to the conclusion that a v4 in silver-chrome finish is, IMO, a thing beautiful to behold......😻......

Philip.

Edited March 14, 2023 by pippy