Leica has put a 66mm M lens on sale for the first time. The Summicron-M 66 f/2 is a Classic Line reinterpretation of the late-1960s Elcan 66mm f/2, a compact high-resolution optic Dr. Walter Mandler designed at Ernst Leitz Canada for a classified U.S. Navy reconnaissance contract. About 200 originals were made for official use; they were never a catalog item. DPReview puts that history in the headline: this is a tribute to a military lens M shooters have never been able to buy.
The new lens is already available from Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store, and authorized dealers. The U.S. price is $10,900; Leica’s European press release lists €9,850 including VAT. Production is capped at 660 numbered examples worldwide.
