Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2 11820
£22,500.00 *
Introduced in 1966, the Noctilux 50mm f/1.2 was a landmark achievement in optical engineering and the first 50mm lens in the world to incorporate an aspherical element. Designed by Leitz Wetzlar optical engineers Helmut Frank and Dr Paul Sindel, it was received as a sensation upon release, offering exceptional contrast and remarkable correction of spherical aberration and coma at a time when such performance was considered extraordinary.
The complexity of producing the lens was reflected in its original price, which was almost twice that of a Leica M4 body. Manufacturing an aspherical element in the mid 1960s was a significant technical challenge, even for Leitz. In 1976, the lens was replaced by the Noctilux 50mm f/1, which utilised newly developed optical glass to achieve similar goals without the need for an aspherical surface, while also reducing production costs.
Over its ten year production run, only approximately 2,500 examples of the Noctilux 50mm f/1.2 were manufactured, making it one of the rarest serial production Leica M lenses. Today it is regarded as one of the most important lenses in Leica's history, highly sought after by collectors and still cherished by photographers for its distinctive rendering and historical significance.
The example offered here dates from the second year of production and remains in excellent condition. The barrel displays only minor areas of paint loss consistent with careful use. The optics are very clean, showing only a very small area of internal haze and the characteristic coating marks commonly found on these lenses, often mistaken for cleaning marks. The lens is supplied with the rare and desirable 12503 lens hood, original front and rear caps, with the rear cap showing a small crack.
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