Just back from the (where else?) camera store where I was skimming one of those "Leica lenses and how to spot them" books. It indicated that when the Canadian 21mm f/2.8 was first introduced it had straight sides and a 49mm filter thread, 'sted of the current mushroom shape and E60 thread. The picture showed something very similar to the bull-nosed 28mm from about 1982 or so - wide flat sides with a pin for mounting a bayonet shade - but definitely engraced with a "21mm" on the mount.

I only rememeber having seen the E60 lenses 'in person', but seeing that picture stirred memories...I'm sure I saw pictures/reviews of the lens when it was introduced (about 1980?) or even had an old M4-P brochure that showed it once upon a time, but I'd completely forgotten the early version existed.

Anyway, I wondered if anyone knew how many lenses were made in this smaller barrel? And are they generally available or were they a short production run that immediately disappeared into collectors' closets?

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), June 07, 2001

Answers

The E49 version was just a preproduction run that was used for advertising and promotional display. Lager himself has only ever seen one example at the time of release and none since. The E60 is not the current production version as it was replaced by the E55 21/2.8 Asph in the late nineties.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), June 07, 2001.

Darnnit, John. Now that we know we can't have one, we're all gonna want one!

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), June 08, 2001.