Leica Xenon 50mm F1.5 L39 screw mount. Includes an LM conversion lens, allowing use with M-mount and mirrorless cameras. Released in 1936. In Japan, this was a turbulent era heading towards World War II, marked by the February 26th Incident. Optical lenses were already in the midst of a large-aperture development race. Schneider's Xenon, born to compete with the earlier Carl Zeiss Sonnar, boasted a brightness of "F1.5". Leitz saw potential in this and requested a supply of Xenon lenses. This didn't end as a simple OEM deal, but rather became the lineage of large-aperture lenses that would lead to the Summarit and Summilux. The Schneider flavor remains in old Leicas, making this a must-know origin point. I've prepared some sample photos taken with this lens. This is emotive... The difference between the very soft, open aperture rendering, which seems to have a veil of light over it, and the resolution when stopped down is significant. The resolution dramatically increases with aperture adjustment. The lines are thin, and the color rendition is gentle. The periphery is rough and swirling due to vignetting, and the bokeh becomes lemon-shaped. Lenses with many elements are sensitive to light sources, prone to flare and ghosting, and even slight changes in angle can greatly alter the photo. The quirks that emerged from pursuing brightness during this era are very pronounced. This lens was manufactured in 1937. With the Taylor Hobson marking, this is likely one of the lenses exported from Germany to either the UK or the US. It's a prime example of a lens with a soft front element that is easily scratched, but the optical condition of this lens is very good. The front element is clean, with no noticeable mold or haze, and only some dust and air bubbles, which are typical of good lenses from that era. The exterior has some scratches on the filter ring, but otherwise, there are no noticeable scratches and it's clean. The operation is adjusted to be smooth. A key point is that it comes with a genuine Summarit filter, which alone would cost tens of thousands of yen. This is a rare and exceptional lens with a richness of flavor that is different from Leica's quirky Summarit and Summar lenses. Accessories: Front and rear caps, genuine filter *Evaluation is subjective. Please understand that this is a used item. *Returns are accepted, so please feel at ease! (Only for items not discounted, with the buyer covering shipping costs)