Elcan:
Leica’s laboratory of optical innovation

It soon developed into an important centre of optical research and production in its own right. The name Elcan, derived from Ernst Leitz Canada, became associated with both familiar Leica lenses and highly specialised equipment for military, scientific and industrial applications.

Hughes Aircraft acquired the company in 1990, followed by Raytheon’s acquisition of Hughes’ defence businesses in 1997. Today, the Midland operation forms part of Raytheon, an RTX business, and is separate from Leica Camera AG. The change of ownership did not, however, immediately end Leica lens manufacture in Canada: the Noctilux-M 50 mm f/1 continued to be produced in Midland throughout its production life.

Walter Mandler and the art of lens design

Elcan’s history is inseparable from Dr Walter Mandler (1922–2005), who became its director of research and development and vice president. His work combined optical performance with a practical understanding of materials and manufacture. In a tribute published after his death, Leica historian Rolf Fricke credited him with more than 45 Leica lens designs, while recalling Mandler’s insistence on acknowledging the contributions of his colleagues.

One early milestone was the Summilux 35 mm f/1.4, introduced in 1961. Described by Leica as the world’s fastest wide-angle lens at the time, it combined an unusually large maximum aperture with the compact dimensions essential to the M system. Its significance lay in making wide-angle photography in low light practical with a small rangefinder camera.

An early and late version of Mandler’s Noctilux 50 mm f/1

The Noctilux-M 50 mm f/1, introduced in 1975, demonstrated another aspect of Mandler’s approach. Its predecessor, the 50 mm f/1.2 Noctilux of 1966, had required two aspherical surfaces that were exceptionally difficult and expensive to manufacture. Mandler achieved an even larger aperture using entirely spherical elements and glass with a very high refractive index. The result combined exceptional light-gathering ability with a design better suited to series production.

From military research to photographic milestones

Leicaflex SL with ELCAN-R 2/75mm

Military commissions gave Elcan opportunities to explore requirements beyond those of ordinary photography. A particularly influential example was the APO-Telyt-R 180 mm f/3.4, developed for a US Navy high-resolution camera system and made available to civilian photographers in 1975. Designed for recording fine detail at long distances, it used special low-dispersion glass developed by Leitz’s glass laboratory in Wetzlar. Its apochromatic correction reduced colour fringing and helped deliver outstanding sharpness and contrast. It became a striking example of military optical research finding a wider application in Leica photography.

Even more unusual was the Elcan 90 mm f/1, developed for the US Navy around 1970. Combining a 90 mm focal length with an f/1 aperture demanded an exceptionally large optical assembly. Instead of a conventional focusing mechanism, it used interchangeable setting rings for predetermined distances. Only about ten completed examples are believed to have been made. Its imposing construction illustrates how far Elcan could depart from the familiar proportions and handling of a Leica lens when a specialist commission required it.

Elcan’s expertise also reached beyond still photography. Mandler designed lenses for IMAX projection systems, RCA television cameras and Picker X-ray equipment. These applications brought together very different demands, from large-screen projection to medical imaging, and show the breadth of the optical knowledge developed in Midland.

Canada also played a crucial role in the survival of the Leica M. During the 1970s, when the future of the rangefinder system was uncertain, Leitz Canada’s president Walter Kluck brought M-camera assembly to Midland. The resulting M4-2 and M4-P helped sustain the system and its lens production. Elcan’s contribution was therefore both technical and strategic.

From the Elcan 66 mm f/2 to the Summicron-M 66 f/2

Among Elcan’s most intriguing military designs is the 66 mm f/2, developed by Mandler in the late 1960s for the US Navy. As Rolf Fricke recounted, the requirement was for an apparently conventional lens capable of exceptionally high resolution. Its unusual focal length resulted from balancing resolution, contrast and compact dimensions. With only around 200 examples produced, it remains a particularly rare chapter in the history of Leica M optics.

Blueprint of the original Elcan 66 f/2 and Summicron-M 66 f/2 no. B1047-001

The new Summicron-M 66 f/2 brings this concept into Leica’s Classic Line. Its optical design takes the original as its starting point, with adaptations to contemporary requirements. Distinctive mechanical details also recall the Elcan: the aperture ring turns in the opposite direction to that of standard M lenses, while the distance-scale arrangement retains its military heritage. Fine engravings reinterpret the appearance of the original, with ‘Leitz Wetzlar’ replacing the Elcan name on the front ring.

Limited to 660 examples worldwide, the re-edition reconnects contemporary Leica photography with Midland’s experimental tradition. The first-numbered example, serial number 001, will be offered on 28 November 2026 at Leitz Photographica Auction 49 at Leica Welt in Wetzlar.