Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/05/23

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Subject: Re: [Leica] 90 Summicron-M, version 2 or 3?
From: John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca>
Date: Fri, 23 May 2003 17:57:46 -0600

Third version of the 90/2 produced from 1980 to 1998. Takes E49 filters 
up to 3 177 210; E55 after that.

John Collier

On Friday, May 23, 2003, at 05:08 PM, Peter Klein wrote:

> I am trying out a 90 Summicron-M.  But I'm having trouble identifying 
> it.
>
> The lens fits Stephen Gandy's (www.cameraquest.com) description of the
> first run of the 5-element version that was produced from 1980-82.
>
> - The front ring is marked Summicron-M.
> - The lens hood obscures the aperture dial when retracted.
> - It is marked "90" on the barrel.
> - It's smaller and lighter than the old 680-gram Summicron.
> - No tripod socket or removable lens head.
>
> BUT:
> - It takes 49mm filters rather than 55mm.
> - The focus ring is a little further up the barrel than the E55 
> version's.
> - The serial number is on the underside of the aperture ring.
> - The serial number is 2,814,3xx.
>
> I believe that serial number is from 1977, And both Stephen Gandy's 
> site
> and Erwin's book says that the 5-element version started in 1980 with
> serial numbers a bit over 3,000,000.
>
> I'm confused.  Is this lens the 6-element 90 Summicron (Generation II) 
> or
> the 5-element Summicron-M (Generation III)?  I'm a shooter, not a
> collector, so I don't have copies of Lager, Sartorius and Nostradamus 
> on
> hand :-)
>
> I've read that the later version is supposed to be a bit better wide 
> open.
> Can anybody tell me more about this particular variety of 90 Summicron?
> Has anyone compared its performance to other 90 Summicrons?

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