Is a Summitar collapsible from 1942 coated or uncoated?

[kknox]

I just received a 1953 Leica IIIrd with a collapsible Summitar from 1940. Sorry I put 1942 in the title. I would like to know if it is a coated lens or an uncoated lens? The lens is in super condition no haze or spots. Thank's

 

[Joerg]

Hi

It will be mostikely uncoated due to zeiss patents.


Ciao joerg

 

[Hacker]

By looking at it, you can tell. It just looks like clear glass.

 

[mcgrattan]

Some were coated later, i.e. after purchase.

 

[John Lawrence]

It most likely started out life as uncoated, but as mcgrattan says many were sent back for coating later on.

 

[LeicaTom]

Leitz had a run of very special "coated" lenses for the German Army in 1943, which may have had 1941 or 42 serial run numbers on them, but these are so rare and uncommon that, if yours is coated it was more than likely done by a returning American GI in the late 1940`s/early 1950`s

Thousands of Summitar`s, Summar`s and Xenon`s were postwar coated by the factory and also by some specialized shops in Germany.

Tom

 

[peterm1]

My understanding is that coatings were not routinely applied until the postwar period. But as others point out, coating is not uncommon on prewar lenses. I have for example a 1936 model Elmar 50mm f3.5 that came with a 111a of the same date. The date of both was established by checking the serial number against one of the published lists. The lens has been coated and the camera has a factory flash sync nipple and a 111f style collar aound the neck of the shutter speed dial. (The latter adjusts the time at which the flash fires depending upon the type of flash bulbs used - some were slow burning and needed more time to reach their full illumination.) Anyway this modification is consistent with the 111f camera and its evident that the lens went back to the Leica factory some time in the 1950s to have the work done together with the camera. I dont think this necessarily detracts from value. In my case I was willing to pay a small premium to get this camera and lens which were set apart from the run of the mill versions by having these quite uncommon factory modifications.