50mm Noctilux f1,2 – the original Noctilux lens

This was the world’s first production “aspherical” lens. A lens with an aspherical elements – generally speaking – means that one or more of the optic elements are asymmetrically ground (shaped), and this is helpful in creating a flatter field, better color rendition, and finer contrast and sharpness out to the image edges where lenses sometimes falter. This first Noctilux used hand-ground and shaped aspheres, and was less than 2,500 copies were made between 1966 and 1973. Quite rare.