Noctilux 50mm f1.0, E58. The Leitz product code is 11821. This example has a serial number in the 2.91 million range and was made in 1978, making it one of the later production batches of the E58 Noctilux.
The lens was designed by Dr. Walter Mandler, who created numerous legendary lenses at Leitz Canada, including the Summilux 35mm Steel Rim, Summicron 50mm, Summicron 35mm 8-element, 2nd and 3rd versions, and Elcan 50mm. He is also known for designing the original Elcan 66mm f2, which was recently reissued as a limited edition.
It features a modified double-Gauss design with 7 elements in 6 groups. Without using the aspherical element found in the first-generation Noctilux, Leitz achieved the remarkable f1.0 aperture through newly developed glass types and the use of an air lens. It became one of the great Leitz lenses, capable of producing impressive images even in very low light. It remains popular among well-known contemporary photographers, and many photographers admire the distinctive and beautiful images produced by the E58.
Compared with its predecessor, the aspherical Noctilux 50mm f1.2, the E58 is notable for its softer, more delicate rendering wide open. The depth of field at f1.0 is astonishingly shallow, and some vignetting is visible around wide open, but using these characteristics creatively is part of the unique pleasure of this lens. Its popularity has risen sharply in recent years, making it considerably more expensive, but its optical character and performance make that popularity easy to understand.
This example has also been carefully adjusted for accurate rangefinder coupling. The precise focus at f1.0 makes it especially enjoyable to shoot.
At first glance, it is so clean that it could easily be mistaken for a brand-new lens. There are no noticeable scratches or signs of use, and it is hard to believe that nearly half a century has passed since it was made. It is clear that this lens has been very carefully looked after.
A full overhaul, including focus adjustment, was completed in September 2026. Both the aperture ring and focusing ring now operate beautifully smoothly. The focus has also been carefully calibrated, and with the rangefinder, focus snaps into place even wide open. That said, precisely hitting the intended point of focus is still as challenging as ever. That is f1.0 for you!
During the overhaul, the lens elements were carefully cleaned while preserving the original coating. There is a very slight amount of coating deterioration remaining on an internal element, appearing as extremely faint haze that could not be completely removed by cleaning. It is only visible under a strong LED light and should have virtually no effect on actual images.
We thoroughly tested the lens on our Leica M11, M10-P, and M240. The results were excellent, delivering the rich, distinctive rendering that makes the E58 Noctilux so appealing.
The dedicated 12519 hood for the E58 Noctilux is included.
