Interior of objective lenses, prism faces and outside of field lens are reportedly cryolite (sodium aluminum fluoride) anti-reflective coated which transmits light better than the usual magnesium fluoride but is more fragile.
The exterior of objective lenses shows no traces of coating (if it ever was coated) and the ocular assembly was not disassembled so it is not known if the interior ocular lenses are coated but I am guessing they are. (Note that extreme care must be taken when cleaning these old anti-reflective coatings. Not only do they easily scratch and rub off but cryolite is soluble in warm water. I cleaned gently with isopropanol followed by methanol with no problems. Although unsightly they do not impair optical performance that I can tell, and vigorously rubbing them will only remove the coating which will adversely affect viewing.) Often these coatings will be discoloured by oils and moisture leaving small bright spots or patches. Views 2/6 and 3/6 respectively show assembled and disassembled prism units. Although their materials and workmanship seem excellent, Leitz Porro II prisms while not prone to separation are prone to chipping, this binocular being no exception. Seeger discusses this and attributes the cause to design faults whereby the prism housings failed to adequately protect the prisms against impact and possibly also against changes in temperature causing metals and glass to expand at different rates splintering the prism edges. Views 4/6 through 6/6 show pictures of case and accessories. #E LEITZ WETZLAR GERMANY RANGEFINDER SERIAL#.
Collecting was not as well established in those days. Want to know about some of the things I turned down from Phil Levine (remeber, this was the early 1980s): a Leitz lens turret complete with three chrome M lenses (less than $ 1000), an original black paint 50/2.0 rigid Summicron ($ about 250), and other equally rare historica. Eventually, I bought something and I've been hooked ever since. I would periodically go back to look at other lenses (new, current), and he would show me some old Leica stuff and give me the history. I bought a new black M4-P with a 50/2.0 Summicron and a black Leicameter MR-4 in the early 1980s from Phil Levine in Boston. My thought is that most Leica users if they stay with it for any length of time, will get into collecting to one degree or another.
I started out as a user only, and eventually got into collecting. But I like to read Leica history, so my knowledge of collectibles goes well beyond that which I own. I was/am a "user-collector" (or "collector-user") if you wish. I can tell you for certain, the NY version of the Imarect (called IMFIN) is worth more than the wetzlar version (called VIOOH), and it can be paired with a Leitz NY 28 mm finder attachment (called VIOAD), which is less common than the German version (called TUVOO). They may be worth a little more than the Wetzlar variety, if you find an interested buyer. Leitz N.Y., including the Summar hood, the Summitar folding hood, the Fison (for 50/3.5), and others. These lenses turn up for sale by dealers or on eBay (the 50/3.5 is very scarce, the 90 and 127 are more common).Īs to lenshoods, some older ones were engraved E. II), a 90/4.5 Velostigmat, and a 127/4.5 (which was alternatively called "Anastigmat", then "Raptar", then "Velostigmat": all the same lens made by wollensak). These items included a 50/3.5 Velostigmat, a 50/4.5 enlarging lens, a 50/2.8 (which was probably only a prototype, since I've only ever seen it pictured in Lager Vol. Leitz New York", but the optics were manufactured by Wollensak, an American company. Leitz NY marketed several lenses that were engraced "E. Leitz NY version is actually much rarer (as is the case for the Leitz NY Imarect VF, which is much harder to find than the Wetzlar version).Īs noted above, during the latter part of WWII (1944-45) and in the earlier postwar period, Leitz Wetzlar items were very difficult to come by.
Leitz NY had its own separate box (usually dark red/purple) for these items. Leitz NY and Leitz Wetzlar: eg., the Imarect type universal viewfinder, the sliding focussing stage, the Leitz ballhead for table top tripod, lens cases, some lenshoods, various filters, etc. A long time ago, some items were marketed (and engraved as such) by both E.
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