Leica 50mm rigid Summicron. Little fungus inside, also little dust. No scratches on optics. Focusing is smooth and aperture moves freely. Lens is Made in Germany. This lens is famous for its glow. Made in 1962. See my pictures for more details.
Optical Characteristics & The "Leica Glow"
- The Vintage Glow: At f/2.0, the lens produces a signature romantic, gentle glow around highlights. This is caused by uncorrected spherical aberrations typical of the era, blended with incredible central resolution.
- High Micro-Contrast: It yields exceptional mid-tone detail, making it legendary for classic black-and-white photography.
- Vignetting & Distortion: Expect gentle corner shading (vignetting) wide open, which disappears by f/4. Linear distortion is practically zero.
- Satin-Smooth Bokeh: Features a 10-blade aperture design that produces beautifully rounded out-of-focus highlights and a smooth, cinematic background blur.
Build & Mechanical Design
- Solid Brass Construction: Unlike modern aluminum lenses, the rigid body is hewn from heavy, chromed brass, giving it a dense, premium weight.
- Infinity Lock: Equipped with a classic focusing lever that mechanically locks into place at infinity, requiring a gentle press to release.
- Tactile Controls: Features precise full-stop aperture clicks from f/2.0 down to f/16. The knurled metal focus ring offers a highly dampened, smooth throw.
- Fixed Barrel: Built as a "rigid" non-collapsible barrel, which improved optical alignment stability over the Version 1 collapsible model.
Technical Specifications
| Attribute |
Specification |
| Optical Formula |
7 elements in 4 groups |
| Aperture Blades |
10 blades |
| Filter Size |
E39 (39mm screw-in) |
| Minimum Focus |
1 meter (3.3 feet) |
| Mount Type |
Native Leica M-mount |
| Production Era |
Wetzlar, Germany (1956–1968) |
