Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Rigid (Series II)
Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 DR (Dual Range)

By: Thorsten Overgaard. January 2003. Latest update September 9, 2024.

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The 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Rigid was produced from 1956 to 1968 as Series II of the model series (Model no SOSIC).

The Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 II Rigid on the Leica M Monochrom, and with the original lens cap.

One of my youngest workshop students with a Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Rigid (Series II) on the camera. 15 year old Emily Russell who already works as a professional photographer. Website: www.emilyjeanrussell.com

Simplicity: Even the 24MP digital rangefinder camera Leica M 240 looks like a good old classic camera with the Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 II rigid and the original lens shade, model 12.485.

Repair of the 50mm Summicron Rigid II

You can still send this lens for cleaning and adjustment at Leica Camera AG in Wetzlar. I had mine cleaned once in Hong Kong by Mr. Lo Kwok Wah (2011), and I had it cleaned and adjusted by Leica in Wetzlar twice (2014 and 2022). The price is in the range of $150 - $300 for cleaning of all lens elements, lubrication, adjustment and all. When Leica cleaned mine in 2014 I thought they had replaced the front glass, that's how clean and shiny it was. Others can work with this lens also, for example Camera Electronics in Perth, Australia, Leica Store Ginza, DAG Camera Repair (Don Goldberg) in Oregon, USA , Lars Netopil Classic Cameras in Germany, etc.

Mr. Lo Kwok Wah has his repair shop in room 1303, Lee Wai Commercial Building, 1-3A Hart Avenue, Tsmi Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

One of my first images with the Leica M9, this one created via Lightroom using the M9 camera profile from ChromaSoft, plus my own adjustments in Lightroom, as well as some final Photoshop adjustments. It's my daughter at costume fitting for a evening shooting of "Christmas anno 1927" why it's original dress from 1927 she is wearing. Leica M9 with 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 @ f/2.0, 200 ISO, 1/125 second.

Catherine Kubillus. Leica M9 with Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 II Rigid. Dramatic flare in the lens. © Thorsten Overgaard.

Catherine Kubillus. Another one from the same session, illustraing the soft and very detailed look of the Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 II Rigid. © Thorsten Overgaard.

Bengt Kallenberg by Thorsten Overgaard. Leica M11 with Leica 50mm Summicron f/2.0 II Rigid. © Thorsten Overgaard.

Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Version II "Rigid" on Leica M10. © Thorsten Overgaard.

Flare from the Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Version II "Rigid" on Leica M10-P. © Thorsten Overgaard.

The Leica 50mm Summicron-M Rigid f/2.0 on a Leica M3.

Dior Lady was made in Sicily, Italy in 2011 and is part of the fine art collection "The Salzburg Collection". Leica M9 with Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Version II.

The Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Version II Rigid with the E39 Silver Ventilated Shade on Leica M-D 262. By Thorsten von Overgaard. 

The piano tuner came by to tune my piano. Leica M11 with Leica 50mm Summicron f/2.0 II Rigid. © Thorsten Overgaard.

The Couple was made in Berlin, Germany and is part of the fine art collection "The Salzburg Collection". Leica M9 with Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Version II.

My very first shots that made it into the wire service. These are from September 15 for Getty Images. Leica M9 with 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0, 400 ISO, 1/180 second, lit by two 12x12" Rosco LitePads and the available tungsten lights in the living room.
"Danish Human Rights advocate Agnethe Dalby presents 'The Story Of Human Rights' with the 30 articles of United Nations Declaration of Human Rights written and illustrated as short video PSAs. Human Rights are for all humans alike, and from the moment you are born (Photo by 2009 Thorsten Overgaard/Getty Images)."

Two actors happening to notice a photo opportunity and lined up as I came out the back door. It's usually the other way around. Leica M9 with 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0, 400 ISO.

Prepping a shoot in The Old Town in Denmark. Leica M9 with 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (II), 200 ISO, 1/60 second. Color temperature set manually using a WhiBal card, metering using external Seikonic lightemeter.

Leica M9 with 50mm Summmicron-M f/2.0, 400 ISO.

Hung up for drying. It's like I'm not there though we all know I am. Leica M9 with 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0, 640 ISO.

Table decoration with Leica M9 and 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 @ f/2.0, 800 ISO, 1/20 second. Shot as black and white JPG + color DNG in camera.

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ARoS opening day (Aarhus Art Museum), 8 April 2004
Leica M4 with 50 mm Summicron-M @ f.2.0, 100 ISO Fuji slide film

"Boy" at ARoS (Aarhus Art Museum), April 2004
Leica M4 with 50 mm Summicron-M @ f.2.0, 100 ISO Fuji slide film

Marselis, Denmark. Leica M4 50mm Summicron-M F/2.0, Hasselblad/Imacon scan.

Leica M9 and 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 (II), 400 ISO, 1/40 second.

Caroline looking at Hammershøi April 2004
M4 with 50 mm Summicron-M @ f.2.0, 400 ISO TX

Caroline looking at Hammershøi April 2004
M4 with 50 mm Summicron-M @ f.2.0, 400 ISO TX

Rare Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 lenses:

The "prototype" version in black

Here is a Leica Summicron M 50mm f/2 Rigid Black Chrome made for Leica M4 black. It's not a black paint model but a kind of prototype made for the last version of Leica M4 Black paint, and Leica M4 black chrome.

This lens has slightly different shape of barrel before/after this model , something like between black paint 50mm and black chrome 50mm lens. The barrel looks like old version II of the Summicron 50/2, with 7 elements, but on this there is no infinity stopper, and this lens has 6 elements. This lens with serial number 2269476 was on sale on eBay for $5,400 in 2014.

Black Leica 50mm Summicron-M Rigid "Heavy Knurl"

	Leitz 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 Rigid "Heavy Knurl"
	Leica 50mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0 no 11186

November 6th, 1968 E.Leitz, Inc. New York internal announced the new Leitz Wetzlar rigid mount six element 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 lens no. 11817. Available only in black anodized finish.

The seven ounce Summicron permitted focusing as close as 28" (0.7 meter) on the Leica M4 and M2. An infinity lock was eliminated. Heavy (coarse) focusing mount knurling was fitted as employed on earlier seven element 50mm Summicrons no. 11117 and no. 11118. By 1970 (possibly earlier) the knurling had changed to a smooth uniform motif more economical to produce.

Early 1968 -enses occur at 2serial no 269251 270250 and serial no 2294001-296350. These heavy knurl specimens are infrequently seen. One can speculate that perhaps only a few hundred were completed.

The 2018 special LHSA version of the Leica 50mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0 no 11186 is very similar to this lens in the design of the barrel, (but not at all in terms of optical design).

The early Summicron Black Paint

Photografica in Copenhagen had this rare sample for sale for $22,000 of a 1958 Summicron in Black Paint (serial no 1587449).

Leica Leitz ELCAN (276) 50mm Summicron f/2.0

The ELCAN (276) was made for themilitaryLeica KE-7A which was supplied to US Military by contract. Only 460 sets were produced for this purpose (serial numbers 276-0001 to 276-0509) while another 55 were sold to the public. The lens is suitable for extreme use, it has non-cemented glass; less problems in high temperatures and nearby explosions. Some chrome versions exist as well, looking exactly like the 50mm Rigid, but with ELCAN engraved and serial numbers 132-000x.

Designed in 1969 by Garry Edwards, Walter Mandler and Erich Wagner the lens design features anodized aluminum, lanthanum infrared-absorbing glass and high refractive optical glass as used for heat control in Leitz projectors.

A collapsible version was developed in Germany, but never marketed. Only one prototype exists, no 0001168 (model C276).

Leitz ELCAN (276) 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0. Photo by 9days.hk.

The Elcan 276 and C276 collapsible prototype looks like this. It's different than the Rigid 50mm Summicron and the ELCAN "Rigid-looking" Summicron.

Thank you
For help, corrections and information to

Erwin Puts
Luigi Bertolotti
Jim Lager
Peter Karbe