Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yes, the 90/2 with the 49 filter and the really stupid hood was made for two years, between 1980 and 1982, the serial numbers on most of the ones I have seen have been in indicated as an earlier lens. Maybe Leica was using up "un- assigned" numbers. Mine was # 2814063, which would indicate a 1978/79 lens although the lens was only released in 1980. I think that there was enough people complaining about the hood sliding over the aperture ring to make even Leica take notice and redesign it. Optically I think it was the same design as the current one. As for collectability, who knows. I was offered one not to long ago and turned it down, as I remembered the frustrations with the hood. There are some interesting lenses in the 1980 range. The closer focussing 21/2,8 (0,4 m), the elusive "flat front element" 21/2,8 ( evidently recalled because of poor performance) and the early 75/1,4 with the Noctilux hood as well as the aforementioned 90/2. Tom A