Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/20

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Subject: [Leica] Red Scale Elmar?
From: "Jim Licquia" <licquia@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 06:35:02 -0500

I recently acquired a 50/3.5 Elmar in mint condition, serial # 9065xx. This
is, of course, in LTM. Dennis Laney's book "Leica Collector's Guide" dates
the beginning of the so-called Red Scale, recomputed version as occurring in
1951 at serial # 900000 and up. I seem to remember reading elsewhere that
the transition from the original Elmar to the Red Scale was less precise and
that Leitz went back and forth between the two.

What is the prevailing view on this lens and is there another way of telling
which lens I have? Dennis also says that early Red Scales may not have been
printed in red.

In any event, it is a very nice lens and I am very happy with it.

Jim Licquia
River Forest, IL