Leica Summicron-M 90mm f/2 III Type 1

Leica Summicron-M 90mm f/2 II Type 1

For decades the fast 90mm slot in the Leica M lineup was filled by the Summicron-M 90mm f/2, a moderate telephoto carried under order numbers 11136 (black) and 11137. It sits between the lighter, slower 90mm Elmarit-M and Tele-Elmarit-M designs and the later APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH that eventually replaced it, and it was the speed champion of Leica's M 90mm range during its production life [3]. Its optical layout uses five elements in four groups, and the barrel carries an eleven-blade diaphragm, a comparatively high blade count that keeps the aperture opening close to circular through the range.

Like the other M 90mm lenses of its era, this Summicron was a product of Leica's Canadian optical design tradition associated with Walter Mandler, whose team in Midland, Ontario worked on the M 90mm family [1]. The lens couples to the rangefinder for accurate focusing and focuses down to one metre, with a manual, click-stopped diaphragm in the classic mechanical Leitz style. It is a relatively heavy lens for its size at around 410 g, reflecting an all-metal build, and mounts on the standard Leica M bayonet. The design predates Leica's six-bit lens coding, so it carries no factory coding and is identified instead by its inscription and serial number.

The Summicron-M 90mm f/2 was offered in black, with chrome finishes appearing on related and successor variants in the broader 90mm family [2]. Because Leica reused the basic 90mm Summicron name across very different optical generations, buyers should be careful to distinguish the earlier non-aspherical Summicron-M from the later, optically distinct APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH; the two are not the same lens despite sharing focal length and maximum aperture [3].

Optical qualities

Rendering

Documentation specific to this exact non-aspherical Summicron-M is limited in the sources retrieved here, so detailed, repeatable rendering claims should be treated with caution. In the context of Leica's Mandler-era M 90mm lenses, these telephotos are generally regarded as capable performers with smooth out-of-focus rendering well suited to portraits, and reviewers note that good examples deliver high image quality across the aperture range [1]. As with other lenses of the period, decentring from age or handling can show up as one-sided softness at wide apertures and infinity, which is a condition worth checking rather than a characteristic of the design [2].

History

Development and Launch

The fast 90mm Summicron-M descends from Leica's long-running effort to offer a high-speed short telephoto for the M rangefinder. Leica's 90mm M lenses of this generation were developed through the company's Canadian operation, with Walter Mandler central to the family of designs that included the Elmarit-M and Tele-Elmarit-M as the slower, more compact options and the Summicron as the fast alternative [1]. Across that range the Summicron-M 90mm f/2 represented the maximum-aperture choice for available-light and portrait work [3].

Collector Notes

When evaluating an example, confirm the lens is the non-aspherical Summicron-M rather than the later APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH, since both occupy the same focal length and speed but are different designs with different value [3]. Check the front and rear elements for haze and cleaning marks, and test for decentring by examining sharpness at the edges wide open at distance, a known failure mode on older M 90mm lenses [2]. Verify the order number and inscription against the finish, and note that this generation carries no factory six-bit coding. One discrepancy is worth flagging: LeicaLensList's confirmed record for this entry lists a maximum aperture of f/2.8, whereas the Summicron name and the 11136/11137 order numbers correspond to an f/2 lens; the verified database value should be taken as authoritative for cataloguing purposes, and prospective buyers should confirm the actual marked aperture on the barrel.

Sources

• [1] Leica Wiki (English). 90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit-M. https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/90mm_f/2.8_Tele-Elmarit-M
• [2] Leica Forum. Elmarit 90mm f2.8 - 11807 & 11808. https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/387319-elmarit-90mm-f28-11807-11808/
• [3] Ken Rockwell. Leica 90mm Lenses (comparison overview). https://kenrockwell.com/leica/90mm-lenses.htm