New Lens

[paul_nelson2]

I've been using an old 1962 50/1.4 Lux for decades, and decided to upgrade to a

newer lens. Managed to purchase a 1992 Cron, 50/2 in chrome, complete with a

black focus lever, "Lens made in Germany". It is mint condition.

 

I only wanted the lens for use between my 35 and my 90, when I rummage about

with just my M6. I'm into B&W, process and develop my own.

 

Then I was told that the lens is a "Panda" lens, and since it was made in

Germany, in "Silber", and has the black focus ring. I'm told it was a

collector's item.

 

Any truth to all this?

 

Cheers from Oz.

 

Paul Nelson

[paul_nelson2]

For those of you that may get confused with my question, "any truth to this" I of course mean is the lens really a collector's item, or "panda" as I was told.

 

(sometimes you ask a question and get savaged!)

 

Paul Nelson

[raymond_tai]

is the entire focus ring black or just the tab? The German silver tabbed version is scarce. I

have never heard of one with a black focus ring.

[michael s.]

Paul - Those more familiar with the variations will offer better answers, but I'm not sure there was a "panda" lens as such. I thought the term referred to an M6 camera body. <p>

 

Does your new lens <a href=http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Fver>look like this one </a>? If so, there's some info in that thread that might be helpful.

[paul_nelson2]

Raymond: Just the tab is black.

Mike S: Yes it does look like the one in your link.

 

cheers, PN

[paul_nelson2]

I'm thinking about picking up a hood for the lens too, as it doesn't come with a hood unfortunately. Any views on the Heliopan rubber hood?

 

PN

[colin_elliott]

That would look very classy mounted on my M6 Panda.

 

However, I've never believed my Panda body to be a collector's item.

 

Do the other "thousands" of Panda owners out there, believe they are of collector status?

[astral]

There was a "Panda" M6 in boxed, near mint condition advertised recently on a Leica/vintage specialist's online shop here in the UK at 650GBP. But it turned out to be just a "no Leica name M6" version, and was subsequently readvertised correctly at the same price. Generally there's no significant price difference as far as most UK dealers are concerned.

 

Incidentally, 'cos I always haggle and am a regular customer I got it for 590GBP with warranty & 15 day trial: seems a fair price to me - I wouldn't have paid any more if it was a Panda, in fact I would pay less. AC

[alan_wilder1]

The "Panda" series were simply chrome bodies that were fitted with blach external parts because the company didn't have enough of those parts on hand in silver finish. As with most Leica products, there is a cult-like mystique and Panda was a clever moniker to make something out of nothing. Current tabbed silver chrome lenses also have the black tab. Interesingly, older tabbed lenses like the 35 Summicrons from the 60's have silver chrome tabs.

[ronald_moravec1]

Buy the chrome shade for current 50 2.8 Elmar. It is as effective as the big vented shade.

 

A flared rubber one will block the viewfinder partially