Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/22

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Radioactive lenses
From: pieter@world.std.com (Pieter Bras)
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1999 11:42:06 -0400

A few weeks ago there was some discussion of the use of radioactive
thorium glass in an early version of the 50mm Collapsible Summicron and
its prototype, the Summitar*.

Are there any other Leitz lenses known to have incorporated radioactive
glass?

The only printed comment on this matter I've found is in Morgan's
"Leica Manual", 14th edition (1961) where on page 67 the then recently
introduced 35mm Summilux f/1.4 lens is described as "principally made up
of Lanthanum rare-earth glasses ... and contain no radio-active thorium."

- -- 
Pieter Bras