Leica Summicron-M 66mm f/2 Black Anodized
11099
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Description
Back in the 1960s, an engineer named Walter Mandler was working at Ernst Leitz Canada when the US Navy came calling. They needed a lens for covert reconnaissance work, something unremarkable to look at but capable of extraordinary resolution. What came out of that request was the Elcan 66mm f/2, only about 200 of which were ever made, making it one of the rarest lenses in the entire Leica M lineup. The odd 66mm focal length wasn't arbitrary either; it was the sweet spot between sharpness, contrast, and keeping the whole package small enough to stay hidden. You'll often find this lens paired with the Leica KE-7A, the military cousin of the M4, and some accounts suggest it made its way to allied forces during the Cold War as well. One striking detail: each kit shipped with instructions on how to destroy the camera and lens if capture seemed likely, a small reminder of just how sensitive these assignments were.
Now, decades later, Leica is bringing this story back with the Summicron-M 66 f/2, the first time this focal length has ever been offered outside of a military contract. The optical formula borrows from the original but has been brought up to modern standards. A few mechanical quirks were kept on purpose: the aperture ring spins the opposite way from a standard M lens, the distance scale follows old military conventions, and the engravings echo the original design, done in a noticeably finer typeface than what you'd see on Leica's current lineup. Only 660 units are being made, each stamped with a serial number and the optical calculation number B1047, a nod to the C283 found on the original Elcan. There's also a tiny "60" engraved on the barrel, marking the precise 66.0mm focal length, a convention that precision lenses used to follow back in the day.
Optically, it carries the Classic Line signature: soft bokeh paired with strong contrast, and when stopped down, the resolution sharpens up considerably, a hint at what this lens was really built for.
Technical Data
| Angle of view (diagonal/horizontal/vertical) | Full-frame (24 × 36 mm): 36.3°/30.5°/20.6° |
| Lens system (lenses/assemblies) | 6/5 |
| Position of the entrance pupil before the bayonet | 31.40 mm |
| Focus range | 1 m to infinite |
| Focusing | Scale |
| Smallest object field / Largest scale | Full-frame: 321 × 481 mm; 1:13.4 |
| Diaphragm (setting/function) | Click-stop diaphragm with half-increment lock settings |
| Smallest aperture | f/16 |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 9 |
| Bayonet | Leica M bayonet |
| Filter thread | E49 |
| Lens hood | Screw-on |
| Dimensions (length / diameter) | Approx. 60.1 mm / Approx. 60 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 456 g |