[Leica] And I Thought Leica M Lenses Were Expensive

[red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone)]

FWIW, the Noctilux I believe is the oldest lens design in the M lineup.  All 
the other lenses have been ASPH'd, APO'd, or otherwise
modified ( except the venerable 50/2.  Old Summicrons never die!) 

When Leica sold off ELCAN to Hughes, later Raytheon, there was talk of 
discontinuing all lenses from ELCAN because of glass
availability, assembly costs, etc.  The production was supposed to move to 
Germany ( or other).  Never happened for all these years.

Add to this the fact that the EU has banned certain chemicals from 
production ( I think one of the rare earth elements in the Nocti
was to be banned) and you have problems... no glass, increasing production 
costs, and old design.

Is this Noctilux the same design as the previous versions?  Or is this a 
ASPH Nocti?  APO Nocti?

Your other choice is..... just plain expensive Nocti.

Frank Filippone
red735i@earthlink.net 

Another though that I had is they stopped making them in Canada and  
started in Solms so they had to raise the price. Does anyone know  
where the current ones are being made?