How old is my M 50/2?

This week I recieved my first Leica M, a used M6 which is in very good condition cosmetically (the frame counter doesn't show the correct number but that's another thread).

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My first lens is a Summicron 50. It has the serial number 2407xxx. It is black and has no built in sun-shade, nor does it have a focus tab. When was this lens made, is this the current optical formulation?

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Thanks, Peter

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PS. I've been photographing with the camera by now in -15 centigrades (+5 Fahrenheit) and the camera and lens are as smooth as in normal room-temperature. Impressive!

The lens was made in 1970. I don't know about it's optical

formulation.

I have a S'cron 50 with serial 2518xxx, it's of 1969-1979 vintage and therefor not the current optical formulation but the second optical design. The current S'con 50 with built in hood and its predecessor have the third optical design if I'm not mistaken.

Did you know you can unscrew the front part of the lens and use it as an macro lens in combintion with a Leica bellows

Your lens is from the last optical formula before the current

incarnation It was produced from 1969-1979, with the upgrade coming

in 1980. The current version started with a tab and external hood,

and was later changed mechanically to the non-tabbed and built in

hood, but retaining the same optics.

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I have both models, yours and the current model, and I find them to

have a similar performance on film when photographing real subjects.

I am sure that there is a difference if you wanted to go for

measurements that require instrumentation, but for photography your

lens should fine assuming no defects.

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I would get a hood if you don't have one. Look for model(s) 12585

(same vintage metal) or 12538 (last version plastic). These will

offer flare resistance as well as protection of the glass.

This is the first six element design, in five groups, (latter came

the six in four groups).A lent with no tab.

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I have seen pictures of HCB using this lens on a just gifted M6.

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This was made betwen ´69 and ´79.

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Very similar to lattest design, just elements four and five are not

cemented, so this goes into five groups intead of four as lattest.

Don´t know much about performace, but for sure coments are coming.

There are four different optical design for the 50/2 Summicron.

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1 - 1953-1960 Collapsible

2 - 1960-1968 Rigid and Dr or NF

3 - 1969-1979 your model

4 - 1979-today focusing tab (1979-1994) and built-in hood (1994-today)

1 - 1953-1960 Collapsible

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2 - 1960-1968 Rigid and Dr or NF

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3 - 1969-1979 your model

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4 - 1979-today focusing tab (1979-1994) and built-in hood (1994-today)

1 - 1953-1960 Collapsible

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2 - 1960-1968 Rigid and Dr or NF

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3 - 1969-1979 your model

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4 - 1979-today focusing tab (1979-1994) and built-in hood (1994-today)

I have used your lens since I bought it new in 1973. Leica

designates it as #11817. I always liked it and got great pictures

from it. The various 50 Summicrons have been subject of a number of

lively opinionated articles and debates through the years. One

school says that they have gone downhill since the original rigid and

dual range versions. Another avers that the tabbed 4th version is

the best cron ever. Here's a reference to an article by Irwin Puts

on his testing and preferences.

http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/v10/msg00013.html

Another guy wrote that the #11817 was the best 50 cron and that the

later versions lacked its smoothness and had a 'wiry' look. I have

to say I just got a tabbed version #11819 about a month ago so the

jury is still out at my house. I'm going to send my #11817 to Golden

Touch for a CLA because the dot that the aperture lines up to has

been loose for a couple of years. I don't really believe there is a

bad 50 summicron, just very slight variations in the look and

contrast/sharpness equation. Cheers.

I own an 11817 (like yours)and the current 50/2 with built-in shade.

At f/2 and to a lesser degree at f/2.8 I can detect more contrast in

the newer design. The earlier lens is smaller and lighter, and

unless I know specifically I'm going to be shooting at the widest

apertures, I prefer to have less to carry around. Ditto my

sentiments regarding the oft-compared "thin" 90-TE and current

90/2.8.

My 50mm Summicron is of the same vintage as yours, made sometime

between 1969-1979. I purchased it used and sent it off to Leica a

little over one year ago to get a good CLA. They did an excellent

job. Optically, I find the lens an exceptional performer. One piece

of advice; use a filter (UV or colored, depending on which film you

are using) and always use a lens shade. Your lens is capable of

producing stunning images.I hope you enjoy your new outfit.Best of

luck.

On the following electronic editions of the <a

href="http://www.lhsa.org/">Viewfinder</a> (Leica Historical Society of

America - LHSA), there <a

href="http://www.lhsa.org/viewfinder.html">papers</a> are about your

lens.

A <a

href="http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/testm/scronhist.html">L

eica M Summicron 50mm Historical comparison</a> by Erwin Puts

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<img

src="http://www.leicagallery.com/images/leica50mmsummicronssmall.jpg">

Thank you for all the answers. One reason I asked is because the lens

is marked "Lens made in Germany" at the "bottom". I thought it would

have been marked "made in West Germany" if made before the 90's.

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The lens shade is the plastic one, 12538, and is made in Canada. I

will order some filters for the lens for black & white work. I will

get the UV-filter too, thanks for that tip. Some color markings have

worn off, which makes the depth of field markings difficult to see.

I'm thinking of getting some white paint to fill in those markings

with a thin brush. The aperture click stops works perfectly and I'm

very pleased to note what looks like 10 aperture blades - this makes

a nice roundish diaphragm.

I also have both the 69-79 SUmmicron, and the Tabbed version. I find

the tabbed version to be very flare-prone. My impression at this

point is that the 69-79 is less so; but this will require more

experience to really be able to say.