Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]If a lens has a "-M" it is indeed newer than a similar lens which does not, but, it is not necessarily the latest and greatest. It was strictly a cosmetic design change. The Noctilux has had the same optical formula since 1976 and later ones have the "-M" while earlier ones do not. The 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit (thin 1973-1989) also "earned" a "-M" at the end of its life. The 35/1.4 (non-asph) even attained "-M"dom at the end (though I heard that it had to rewrite the test several times and finally the examiners had to close their eyes when the lens was at f1.4 for it to get through!). One lens that never made the grade was the 35/1.4 Aspherical (1990-1994) so they are available cheap! ;-) John Collier > From: Krechtz@aol.com > > Believe it or not, it actually appears that the lenses suffixed "-M" are in > fact the latest generation, and I agree that it is indeed confusing, in light > of the long-standing use of the M to denote a whole series of bodies and > lenses. Look for the hyphen! >