I just bought a used 50 Summicron (series 11817) from a Denver camera show and was just fooling with it to find that the lens barrel unscrews and can be removed from the focusing and aperture rings. Is this normal? Inside, there are some number etchings, so it has obviously been opened before. It can be screwed back together very tightly, so I'm not too worried about it coming loose, but I've never heard of this and am just curious if this is normal and why. For cleaning? It would enable one to lubricate the focus helicoid. If anyone could answer by 15:00 U.S. Mountain time I'd greatly appreciate it, I could still return it!

Any general opinions on this lens would be appreciated also, the dealer said series 11817 was rated the sharpest by LHSA - probably just a line to get me to buy.

-- Ken Geter (kgeter@yahoo.com), October 07, 2001

Answers

Ken--

Is this an older lens, say from the '50s or '60s? If so, I think it is normal. I think the optical assembly unscrews so that it can be attached to a Visoflex housing for close-up work. Perhaps someone with more knowledge can say for sure, but I think it is probably ok.

-- Douglas Kinnear (douglas.kinnear@colostate.edu), October 07, 2001.

Ken,

It's normal. It was possible to use that head on close focusing devices, like the BOOWU-M(16526) or the SOMKY(16507) via the UOORF(16508) adapter.

Lucien

-- Lucien (lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), October 07, 2001.

A few of the Leica lenses come apart this way. As I recall, the number scratched inside is the true focal length. I disassembled a 35mm lens this way, and then found I couldn't get it back together, so be wary.

-- Keith Nichols (knichols1@mindspring.com), October 07, 2001.

Story over, I returned the lens. I searched the LUG archives and found several posts about this very problem with the 50 and also older 35 crons. There were varying opinions, but the majority said that with the version I bought today (1969-1979) it is considered a failure of the lock-tight adhesive on the inner threads, i.e., it isn't supposed to unscrew. It's an easy repair, but I didn't want to deal with it. I think I'm going to stick to looking for "newer" used equipment. Anybody have a "like-new" current version 50cron or 90E they want to part with?

-- Ken Geter (kgeter@yahoo.com), October 07, 2001.

Happens with the most recent but one Summicron too (i.e. the one with the current optical formula, but with focusing tab).

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), October 07, 2001.

I have a #11817 50 Summicron I bought new in I think '72. It has always taken beautiful pictures and never yet let me down. I know Puts panned it but I just read a long review of the lens by a guy who liked it the best of any of the 50 'crons. He said it was smoother than the #11819 which he said has a 'wiry' image. Mine has a loose ring for the white dot the aperture lines up to but the aperture clicks like it did when it was new. And yes the head will unscrew. If I can do without mine for a while I may send it to Leica to have the internal screws on the ring tightened. If the guy had a good price on the #11817 you might want to reconsider. You can buy a new #11825 50 'cron with a built-in hood for $800 from B&H or Adorama or Tamarkin (with the $200 rebate). I keep thinking I may try a new one some day to see if I'm really missing anything. good luck,

-- Don (wgpinc@yahoo.com), October 07, 2001.

Ken,

Again, it's normal that on the 11817 the head unscrewed. Like on the previous version, it was designed like that in order to permit the use of that head on various close focusing devices, like the BOOWU-M(16526) or the SOMKY(16507) via the UOORF(16508) adapter.

Starting from the 1979 version of the 50/2 is was not possible anymore.

-- Lucien (lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), October 08, 2001.

Oh well, even if it is supposed to unscrew I'm glad I took it back. I had paid $500 for it and even though it was in mint condition I didn't feel right about paying that much for a lens that is ~25 years old and would unscrew when I changed filters. Geesh, I could get a brand new gray market 50cron for $706 from Delta International or even a gray 50E for $508! Actually, I think I'm going to save up for 90E as a better compliment to my 35ASPHcron. Yesterday at the photo show I got into a state of mind where I just had to "buy something", even though it didn't exactly suit my needs. Lesson learned.

-- Ken Geter (kgeter@yahoo.com), October 08, 2001.