Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Angulon M – Technical Information
Manufacturer: Schneider-Kreuznach – Leica
Optics: 8 elements in 4 groups
Aperture range: f/3.4 to f/22
Filter: M 48 X 0.75 Thread – or Series 7 (held in place by the hood)
Maximum Outer Diameter: 52.5mm
Weight: about 250g (black version, without caps)
Lens code number: 11103
Lens hood code number: 12501 (12501M)
Front lens cap code number: 14102 (A52.5)
External viewfinder code number: 12002
Leather case for viewfinder code number: 14617
This lens is optimised for digital photography and has significantly reduced image field curvature in comparison to the previous model. Used Leica Elmarit-M 28mm F2.8 ASPH Lens (11677) W/ Box, Case, and Lens hood, and all caps.
Lens mount - Leica M-bayonet Number of lenses /groups - 7 /5 F stop range - f/1.4-f/16 Angle of view diagonal - 64 degrees Filter type - E41 - A46.5 Accessories - Hood: OLLUX 12522 Dimensions length x diameter - 38 x 53 mm / 1.50 x 2.07 in Weight - 245 g /8.64 oz M3 - 195 g / 6.88 oz
PREFACE
THE LEICA COLLECTORS GUIDE
( IllustratedLeica Index )
The illustrated index of the Leica Code Word List has been compiled owing to the demand for an illustrated quick reference guide to the Leica system .
Over the years we have reprinted a number of Leica catalogues ,however ,to find a particular reference it has meant leafing through many pages and books .When Leica -TheFirst Fifty Years was produced it was not intended to include many of the accessories or lenses ,therefore they were included in the book at the end .The prime concern of Leica -The First Fifty Years was to illustrate and list the cameras produced .The above reasons were the main purpose for the compilation of this handbook .
The basis of this handbook was the complete Code Word List as detailed in Leica -TheFirst Fifty Years which covers over 2 000items ,a large majority of which were included for completeness .Obviously one would not illustrate all similar items ( i.e.one is aware of the many filter variations ,colour ,size ,finish ,fittings ,etc .,the same applying to projector sundries ),which in their own right could well account for some hundreds of code references .Therefore one is left with a nucleus of cameras ,viewfinders ,closeup accessories ,darkroom equipment ,etc .,and these we have endeavoured to illustrate in this handbook .Again one can get an instance where five codes would illustrate the same camera but with different lenses .In this case one example is illustrated ,and missing illust rations show the same camera with a different lense .( Ratherthan show separate headings under individual code words we have amalgamated them together under the camera body ).As one will note the cameras only occupy a small part of this handbook ,therefore allowing for greater coverage of the Leica Accessories .For example ,in the close -upand copy equipment chapter (thisbeing the largest section of this book )we have included innumerable items that have only appeared in specialised reference catalogues ,such items not being normally available to the individual .Other sections cover rangefinders ,accessories and lenses .
We are sure that the Leica Collectors Guide will prove a most useful reference for the Leica enthusiast .We do realise that this edition does not include every item ,as it has been very difficult to find illustrations of some of the more unusual items .The publishers will always be pleased to hear of any obvious omissions ,accompanied with illustrations ,for inclusion in future editions .
D .R.Grossmark
Continue reading THE LEICA COLLECTORS GUIDE D .R.Grossmark
Production period: 1965-1972 Code: 11801(black)
Serial#:2,061,501-2,533,850 Total production: n/a
Maximum aperture: 1: 2.8
Focal length(nominal): 28mm Angle: 760
Minimum distance: 70cm
Weight: 225 grams Filter: E48 or Series VII Recorded sales figures: n/a
In a world chasing featherweight primes, the 1969–1980 Leica Summicron 90mm f/2 “Big Head Nine” looms like a vintage Cadillac Eldorado—unapologetically massive, mechanically sublime, and dripping with analog charm. Priced between 500–500–1,200 (2025 USD), this 700g brass-and-glass titan proves that sometimes, bigger really is better. Think of it as the Marlon Brando of lenses: imposing, unforgettable, and utterly uncompromising.
| Aspect | Big Head Nine | Modern 90mm f/2 ASPH |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpness | Hemingway’s prose—direct yet soulful | GPT-4 clinicality |
| Bokeh | Rembrandt’s chiaroscuro | IKEA lamp uniformity |
| Weight | Kettlebell workout | Yoga mat lightness |
| Soul | 🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭 | 🤖 |
✓ Portrait Purists: Who believe soul > autofocus
✓ Nostalgia Alchemists: Turning leaden weight into golden imagery
✓ Contrarians: Who’d bench-press this lens for bragging rights
Avoid If: You shoot street, hike mountains, or think “vintage” means “eBay flip.”
The Big Head Nine isn’t a lens—it’s a statement. For the price of a weekend in Vienna, you gain:
Rating:
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🤍 (film poets) | 📱📱🤍🤍🤍 (pixel pedants)
“A lens that whispers: ‘True character isn’t measured in grams, but in gravitas.’”
Pro Tips:
Epilogue: The Titan’s Whisper
Leica’s Big Head Nine scoffs at trends, whispering: “Greatness isn’t measured in grams or gigapixels—it’s etched in brass.” Like a Tang dynasty ink painting, its beauty lies in bold strokes, not tiny details. Now go paint your masterpiece. 🖌️
Maximum aperture: 1: 2 Angle: 270 Minimum distance: 100cm Filter: E48
