Leica's rigid Summicron — the 50mm f/2, higher-contrast coated screw-mount standard.
The rigid Summicron 50mm f/2 followed the collapsible version in the mid-1950s, replacing the retracting barrel with a solid fixed mount and a revised optical cell. In Leica Thread Mount it was the standard lens of the screw-mount system at the point the line was transitioning to the M bayonet.
This is a manual-focus, rangefinder-coupled Leica Thread Mount lens with a 50mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/2, built in a rigid chrome barrel. It is coated and generally regarded as a sharper, higher-contrast design than the collapsible version. Confirm the filter size and near-focus behaviour of the specific example.
As a rangefinder standard the rigid Summicron suits street, travel, general and portrait use, and it is known for being crisp across the frame when stopped down while holding good performance wide open. Its rendering is cleaner and more contrasty than the earlier collapsible cron.
This is sought-after collector glass and values reflect condition, originality and the presence of any close-focus or goggled variants. Inspect for haze, cleaning marks, coating wear and element separation; check smooth focus, dry aperture blades and accurate rangefinder coupling. It mounts on Leica M via a 39-to-M adapter and on mirrorless through an L39 adapter.