[Leica] Early 50 Summilux

[director at ubi.edu (Lucien vD)]

John,

AFAIK, the Summilux and the Summicron 50mm were never fully black  
painted. The focusing ring was always black chromed (or anodized).

Only the recent black painted 50mm were fully black painted (since  
2000).

Lucien

Le 21 f?vr. 2006 ? 19:57, John Black a ?crit :

> I need some information from the collectors on the list.  I just  
> acquired a
> box of Leica materials from the estate of a deceased gentleman (I  
> got it
> from his grandchildren) and, among other things, it contains a lens  
> that is
> a puzzle to me. It is a very early (1959) M 50 Summilux, ser #  
> 170XXXX, in
> Ex+ condition. The problem is, that it is black anodized finish over
> aluminum and the first band next to the mount is black enamel.  The  
> design
> of the focusing helix is the first version (heavy knurled grip).   
> According
> to my limited literature, which is ambiguous at best, the first  
> version
> Summilux was not made in black anodized, especially in 1959.  The  
> lens was
> apparently bought new in the early 60s by the grandfather but his  
> family
> knows nothing else about it.  Of course I can't tell which optical  
> version
> it is because the versions were so similar.  From the serial # it  
> should be
> the first version (1959-1962).
>
> Can anyone shed some light on it for me? Is it a parts piece made  
> up from
> odd year parts or something different?
>
> TIA
>
> JB