Thambar-M no longer listed in the classic line-up

[mole73]

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On the Leica website the Thambar-M is no longer listed in the classic line-up.

It is a very special lens in many ways and I use it rarely, but if so I love it's very special look.

For me it is/was the most special lens of all Leica lenses.

Robert

 

[mole73]

M9-P with Thambar-M

 

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[FrozenInTime]

31 minutes ago, mole73 said:

On the Leica website the Thambar-M is no longer listed in the classic line-up.

It is a very special lens in many ways and I use it rarely, but if so I love it's very special look.

For me it is/was the most special lens of all Leica lenses.

Robert

 

I do wish Leica would have a discontinued products section of their website.

What happens is marketing only cares about what they can sell; all other items cease to exist in their scope.

There is always interest in the historical lenses and their data-sheets. 

 

I picked up a second hand Thambar-M last month; surprisingly for a black paint on brass lens, it was priced at ~60% of new price.

[lct]

The Thambar-M 90/2.2 seems to be listed here:

https://leica-camera.com/en-int/search?query=Leica Thambar-M 90 f%2F2.2

[Stef63]

3 hours ago, FrozenInTime said:

There is always interest in the historical lenses and their data-sheets. 

Also, the wiki page of this very forum hasn’t been updated in ages, yet I still consider it a truly genuine source of information. A brand like Leica, with more than 100 years of history, should take responsibility for its own heritage.

At the very least, discontinued products deserve a proper archive with the basics: technical specs, production versions, matching hoods and caps, serial number ranges, and other essential references. This isn’t just about nostalgia — it’s about supporting the many customers who continue to use and value these products every single day.

I, for example, own nearly 30 Leica lenses with an average age of about 20 years. Historical data is critical for me. If Leica made such an archive available on their website, I would return frequently.

That’s not just good service, it’s also a marketeer’s dream. Loyal customers, coming back again and again — drawn by Leica’s respect for its own legacy.

[FrozenInTime]

48 minutes ago, lct said:

The Thambar-M 90/2.2 seems to be listed here:

https://leica-camera.com/en-int/search?query=Leica Thambar-M 90 f%2F2.2

It would have been interesting to see just how bad the MTF curves were for this lens. A set of aperture curves, spot-filter on and off, would have provided guidance on best use.

[Kiwimac]

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I found the details of the long discontinued 50 Apo Black Chrome (11811) lurking on Leica Miami’s website, marked as discontinued but still all the info etc was there. 
 

Maybe the Thanbar will be still up somewhere. 
 

I assume it was discontinued due to lack of sales? Or was it always announced as limited?

[graphlex]

Camerawest has 50mm Summilux BC (Portugal version) in stock. 

[Kiwimac]

5 minutes ago, graphlex said:

Camerawest has 50mm Summilux BC (Portugal version) in stock. 

Yes that one is still made. The other one was limited to 700 units. 

[farnz]

15 hours ago, Kiwimac said:

Yes that one is still made. The other one was limited to 700 units. 

So was the 50/1.4 Summilux BC ... until Leica quietly released second and third batches of 700. 

Pete.

[Kiwimac]

3 hours ago, farnz said:

So was the 50/1.4 Summilux BC ... until Leica quietly released second and third batches of 700. 

Pete.

Well I’m pretty sure they haven’t done so with the Apo given the significant price the few examples currently for sale are asking. 
 

https://classic.leica-camera.com/en/Leica-APO-Summicron-M-50mm-f-2-ASPH-Black-Chrome-11811/11811SH-4744173