Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Kino-Plasmat 1 5/8-inch 41.3mm f/1.5

Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Kino-Plasmat 1 5/8-inch 41.3mm f/1.5

The Kino-Plasmat 1 5/8-inch f/1.5 is an unusually fast early lens made in an original Leica screw mount. The inch designation corresponds to approximately 41.3mm, although surviving listings sometimes round the focal length differently.

Optical Qualities

The f/1.5 maximum aperture was exceptionally fast for a compact still-camera lens of this period. A verified element and group count for this exact factory LTM configuration has not been established here, so those fields remain unrecorded. Results from surviving uncoated examples can vary considerably with haze, cleaning marks and internal condition.

History

Hugo Meyer offered the Kino-Plasmat family in several focal lengths and mounts. A documented 1929 example combines the 1 5/8-inch designation with an original M39 fitting, placing this version among the earliest fast third-party lenses available for Leica screw-mount cameras.

Handling

The documented early M39 version is not rangefinder coupled and must be focused by its distance scale or with an external measuring aid. Its field of view falls between common 35mm and 50mm finders, so precise framing may require a suitable adjustable finder.

Compatibility

This profile covers the original Leica thread mount version, also known as LTM or M39. It mounts directly on compatible screw-mount bodies and can be adapted to Leica M, but it does not operate the camera rangefinder.

Sources

• Leitz Photographica Auction, Meyer Kino-Plasmat 1.5/1 5/8-inch
• Leitz Photographica Auction, early uncoupled Kino Plasmat in M39