Leica is rumored to announce a new Elcan 66mm f/2 limited-edition lens next week, on September 3rd (Thursday).
The new model will be part of the vintage/historical/heritage/classic collection.
Only 660 pieces will be produced, and the price is expected to be around 9,000 dollars/euros.
Additional information on the original Elcan 2/66mm:
The unusual 66mm focal length has no matching Leica M framelines. Collectors prize it for Mandler’s ultra-sharp, high-resolution rendering and balanced color, sometimes called apochromatic in practice even though it is not labeled APO.
The Leica Elcan 66mm f/2 is an ultra-rare, high-resolution military optic produced by Ernst Leitz Canada (Elcan) in Midland, Ontario, around 1970-1972. Developed under legendary optical designer Dr. Walter Mandler, it was originally commissioned for the U.S. Navy and utilized by NATO forces as a “spy” lens during the Cold War. Many examples were lost or destroyed in service. The M-mount lens features a complex nine-element design, an E39 filter thread, and a one-meter minimum focusing distance, achieving a resolving power that remains impressive even on modern digital sensors. The unusual 66mm focal length has no matching Leica M framelines.
With an estimated production run of fewer than 200 total units, the Elcan 66mm is considered one of the rarest and most historically significant lenses in Leica’s history, rarely appearing on the market and commanding massive premiums among collectors. Collectors prize it for Mandler’s ultra-sharp, high-resolution rendering and balanced color, sometimes called apochromatic in practice even though it is not labeled APO.
