my 35mm Summicron lens bought in Montreal. It was the most used lens on my M4 camera.
Toronto. … Dr Mandler. The late Walter Mandler was a world renown camera lens designer. The link takes you to his eulogy by Rolf Fricke. This eulogy was published in volume 5-2 of the PHSC newsletter in May, 2005.
Dr Mandler came to Midland briefly to help establish Ernst Leitz Canada and decided to emigrate here and live in nearby Moonstone, Ontario.
In one issue of The Viewfinder – journal of the prestigious LHSA – there was speculation that Dr Mandler had designed a new 4 element 5cm f/2 lens for the Leica. He wrote a reply noting that the new lens did not replace the 6 element version (which I have) of the Summicron but was intended for the KE7 – the US Military version of the Leica M-4 camera.
According to Dennis Laney (Leica Collectors Guide, Hove, 1992) the lens was marked “ELCAN 50mm f/2”. He goes on to say its design is similar to that of the 90mm f/2.5 Colorplan projection lens. Dr Mandler, in his reply to the LHSA, explained that the Military RFQ did not give points for the high resolution of the Summicron and a redesign was cheaper than supplying the better performing Summicron lenses.
Note: The post title is a riff on Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller. “Dial M for Murder“.
