50 Summilux ASPH/Pre-ASPH differences ?

[leicaoptik]

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Rafael the BP ASPH is an LHSA special. Some came with MP3 bodies and a Leicavit, some were sold as single lenses. I forget the numbers but I think there are about 2000 of them, half silver chrome and half BP and they are identical looking to the pre-ASPH v.1. The black ones are tough to come by, Rich Pinto or Tony Rose may be able to get you one. The pic below shows what they look like compared to my v.2 pre-ASPH.

 

 

Hi, Peter do U have both, Silver and BP, LHSA?

 

I have the preasph. in BP on my MP3 and I like it, I compared it to the asph.-LHSA BP and it is more compact and shorter, the focusring is nicer IMOH.

The separate hood and the filter diameter E43 vs E46 on the preasph. was it then what made the decision to hook for the preasph. in BP.

OK the optical difference is an argument, but I love the, in somewhat smoother, bokeh of the older Leica designs, e.g. M-35'chron 4th gen., R-80-lux,R-280-Apo-telyt.

With my decision I kept some £££ in the house, the asph-LHSA was tripple the price of the lux in BP.

But I have seen a silver LHSA-lux to be sold in new condition...

Philip

[peter_n]

Looks like you and I have the same pre-asph. IMHO it is the most beautiful lens in all Leicaland

Yes Alan, it is a wonderful lens. Mine is a not-very-much-used sample from an estate sale that DAG CLA'd and it is perfect.

If someone ever finds a BP ASPH, please contact me as I'm looking for one.

Maybe this is taking altruistic behavior a little too far?

Are the 50 Summilux's PRE ASPH'? in Peter N's photo both the chrome and black? Is the shorter one the ASPH?

Rafael I'm sorry for the confusion but Andy has it right above. From left to right are the pre-ASPH Summilux v.2, silver chrome LHSA Summilux ASPH, and black paint LHSA Summilux ASPH.

No, it has a scalloped focussing ring and 43mm filter thread.

The only lens that doesn't take a 0.5mm thread pitch 43mm filter is the last pre-ASPH Summilux with the pull-out hood and 0.7M closest focus. It takes a 46mm filter with a regular 0.75mm thread pitch. It can be tricky finding an E43 filter that fits as Leica kept the 0.5mm pitch on the LHSA lens.

Hi, Peter do U have both, Silver and BP, LHSA?

Yes Philip I used to have both but I recently sold the silver one and bought a dSLR zoom lens. The pre-ASPH and ASPH lenses are so different it is worth having both.

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[rafael_macia]

Thank you Andy!

And Peter

re: The only lens that doesn't take a 0.5mm thread pitch 43mm filter is the last pre-ASPH Summilux with the pull-out hood and 0.7M closest focus. It takes a 46mm filter with a regular 0.75mm thread pitch

 

That is the lens I have.

 

It seems to me that an accurate identifying aspect, of this lens, that shows it to be tha latest Pre ASPH BP is the aperture numerals are on a flat dial, rather than printed on to a sloped ring, (dial)

 

as in the small shot of Peter's pair of lenses (which I know are ASPH's but share the shape and filter size of the original PRE)

I think this lens is a keeper.

R

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[colorflow]

.....It seems to me that an accurate identifying aspect, of this lens, that shows it to be tha latest Pre ASPH BP is the aperture numerals are on a flat dial, rather than printed on to a sloped ring, (dial)

 

I believe your lens was manufactured very recently, concurrent with the current asph lenses. I don't think it was released until second half of 2008. Also see the late serial number. Perhaps Leica thought why waste all these leftover parts for this great lens...

 

Alan

[peter_n]

Don't go by the serial nr., Leica doesn't assign them consecutively. A lot of BP lenses' serial nrs. begin with a 4 but they were manufactured years ago.

[wizard]

Don't go by the serial nr., Leica doesn't assign them consecutively. A lot of BP lenses' serial nrs. begin with a 4 but they were manufactured years ago.

 

Exactly. Those lenses belong to the millenium edition of the M6TTL. They were manufactured and sold in 2000 and 2001. Why they used serial nos. in excess of 4.000.000 at the time remains a mystery to me, but I did see those lenses (all with serial nos. in excess of 4.000.000) in the shops in 2001. The pictured lens is a non-asph Summilux 50mm.

 

Andy