Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/08/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I don't have all my references at hand, but, trust me, the collapsible and rigid first-generation Summicrons ARE different. Take one of each and put them side by side: the rear element on the rigid is slightly larger and protrudes a bit further. The designs are quite close, but not identical. Leica has hemmed and hawed about this over the years, but one telling point is that they obtained a separate patent for the rigid version. The NF/DR lens MAY or may not be optically identical to the rigid: I suspect it is a bit different, but I cannot confirm this, and I'm not going to take any of my lenses apart to find out. The optical performance of the collapsible Summicron is great but the rigid and NF are better. The rigid is a bit sharper and has somewhat better edge performance than does the collapsible lens. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!