Leica Lenses Nomenclature Help

[ckwong]

Hi there,

I was trying to understand the Leica lenses and reliased that they have various "Models" e.g. Summilux, Elmarit or Tri-Elmar. Does this make a difference? or it is just a name to differentiate various lenses.

I have to apology if it have been asked before but If you have links about this topic, do post it so I can read it myself.

Thanks.

 

[waileong]

For links, please google yourself.

Basically the nomenclature means this:

Hektor/Summar/Summaron/Summarit-- Cheap
Elmar/Elmarit-- Moderate
Summicron-- Expensive
Summicron Asph/APO-- More expensive
Summilux-- Very expensive
Summilux Asph-- Very very expensive
Noctilux-- Opens a F1.0 hole in your wallet

Hi there,

I was trying to understand the Leica lenses and reliased that they have various "Models" e.g. Summilux, Elmarit or Tri-Elmar. Does this make a difference? or it is just a name to differentiate various lenses.

I have to apology if it have been asked before but If you have links about this topic, do post it so I can read it myself.

Thanks.

 

[toffeespin]

try this link
http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FHJQ&tag=

 

[ckwong]

Hi waileong/toffeespin,

Thanks for all your help and it now making more sense when reading some article .

 

[cocoa]

If I may add:

Hektor/Summar/Summaron/Summarit/Elmar -- Cheap n good, fun to use, no longer produced.

Elmarit-- f2.8
Summicron - f2
Summilux- f1.4
Noctilux - f1.0

 

[ckwong]

I am not sure is it those label directly co-relate to f-stop? e.g. Summilux always in 1.4?

Thanks.

 

[cocoa]

I am not sure is it those label directly co-relate to f-stop? e.g. Summilux always in 1.4?

Thanks.

IIRC, these are the f1.4 lenses for M-series:

M35f1.4; M50f1.4 (ASPH currently, pre-ASPH); and M75f1.4.

All of them are named: Summilux.

cocoa

 

[timothychanzl]

That was useful ... I never could make sense of all the different names and what it meant ..

 

[bigu2fan]

Great info! Should be a sticky for those unfamiliar with Leicas...Helped me a lot

 

[cocoa]

Not that it's of any importance, but just for completeness and fun.
There are a few leica lenses not mentioned above:

Anastigmat 50/3.5(1924, first lens by Leitz)
Elmax 50/3.5
Elmar 50/3.5 (this must be the most famous leica lens, which is optically identical to a Zeiss Tessar lens, 4E3G)
Summarex (named after a dog, Rex, of Leitz lens designer Max Berek)
Hektor (also named after his dog)
Thambar 90/2.2 - a famous soft-focus lens, super expensive today

BTW, Leica is quite shameless in using lens designed by others:

15mm f8 - Zeiss Hologon (a super expensive collector item)
21mm f4, f3.4 - Super Angulon (Schneider)
50mm f1.5 - Xenon (also by Schneider), later the coated version was named Summarit.

Have I left out any?

cocoa

 

[LKSC]

Look under "Lens Advice" here:
http://www.kbcamera.com/mreviews.htm