Description
Available for the first time in 1953, the Summicron 2.0/50mm has been recalculated four times over the decades and manufactured with modified optical and mechanical design. Common to all four optical versions is the outstanding imaging performance of the respective type and the fact that the Summicron 50mm has repeatedly set new standards with regard to the imaging performance and quality of a standard lens for 35mm photography.
The differences between the individual optical calculations are, to some extent, very small.
Only the APO-Summicron-M 2.0/50mm ASPH, introduced in 2014, could once again surpass the performance of the current Summicron-M 2.0/50mm.
With the introduction of the APO-Summicron-M 2.0/50mm ASPH, Leica seems to have not only redefined the existing technical and optical limits with regard to the imaging performance of a lens for 35mm photography, but also to build the probably best 50mm standard lens.
The Summicron-M 2.0/50mm offered here belongs to the last and still current version of this lens type. The fourth version of the Summicron 50mm was built from 1979 with a light weight mount made of aluminum and brass and belongs to the new lens system of the Leica M4-P available from 1980 onwards. The lenses from this time are still in daily use worldwide and have distinguished themselves by outstanding optical performance and excellent mechanical quality.
The current version of the Summicron-M 2.0/50mm is still based on the optical design of 1979, but has been produced since 1994 with a modified lens barrel and integrated lens hood.
What makes the offered here Summicron-M 2.0/50mm lens so special, is that it is one of the extremely rare versions with a separate lens hood and a silver chromed lens barrel!
The first production lots of this version are dated to 1992, with the lens being listed in the sales lists from April 1993 onwards. In October 1994, the Summicron-M 2.0/50mm with attachable lens hood was listed in the Leica sales lists for the last time. The order numbers are 11819 for the black anodised and 11 825 for the silver chromed version. Both lenses are at this time paralell to the version with built-in lens hoods listed!
Within this very short production period, Leica has only produced about 1,400 units of the Summicron-M 2.0 / 50mm in silver chrome finish with separate lens hood.
It is noteworthy that among these lenses there are 650 units, which were produced as limited special edition models. This means that even a regular series lens of this type is exceptionally rare!
Total production: approx. 1.400 units only, 650 units of these were limited edition models
Rarity: R7
Rarity forecast: R8
