LEICA ELMARIT R 135mm typ-II
Leica R-mount medium telephoto lens with excellent image quality
A review and photo example of the ELMARIT R 135mm typ-II.
Table of contents
Gallery
- The photo examples were taken with the LEICA SL typ601.
- The photo examples were taken with the ESO 1Ds MKIII
Review
1．Usage
The Elmarit R 135mm Type 2 is a lens that has been in production for 23 years.
The minimum shooting distance is 1.5m, the same as the M-type ELMARIT-M 135mm (with glasses).
In the case of the Summicron 90mm, the R-mount lens has the advantage of having a shorter minimum shooting distance than the M-mount lens, so this is a disappointing specification.
However, since you can see the image in the viewfinder of a single-lens reflex camera, you can use an ELPRO (front screw-in close-up lens) or macro adapter to cover the handicap of not being able to get close.
As you can see from the sample images, the lens has good resolution even at full aperture, and the bokeh is natural. The fact that no improvements were made to the lens after its release probably means that it is a completed lens.
As a medium telephoto lens with no protruding rear lens, it can be used without error with the EOS-1DsMKIII.
As a prime lens, it has a dark F2.8 aperture, so the focus peak is a little hard to see in the EOS viewfinder, and it is easier to use the EVF on a Leica SL typ601 mirrorless camera.
The lens I own has the serial number 350xxxx, and is one of 300 made in 1990. For an M-type lens it would be very valuable, but the market price of this lens was low, so I purchased it for just under 30,000 yen.
2．Lens overview
The Elmarit R 135mm was manufactured as early Type 1 lenses from 1962 to 1967, and as later Type 2 lenses from 1968 to 1991. A total of about 66,000 units were made of Type 1 and Type 2 lenses, and the lens configuration changed when Type 1 was replaced by Type 2.
The difference in lens configuration is that both Type 1 and Type 2 lenses have 5 elements in 4 groups, but the bonding surfaces are different, with Type 1 having a bonded third and fourth lens element, and Type 2 having a bonded second and third lens element.
3．Comparison with competitors
135mm is a focal length that has been swallowed up by large-aperture zoom lenses with F2.8 apertures. The equivalent Leica R-mount lens is the VARIO-APO-ELMARIT-R 70-180mm F2.8, but this 70-180mm is quite large and heavy, so it is not a simple replacement, and the R-type 135mm has value in its portability.
The M-type 135mm has a slightly darker aperture value of F3.4, but the APO specification was released, so if the Leica R-mount had had a little more life, an improved version of the R-type 135mm might have been released, so it is unfortunate that the Leica R-mount is coming to an end.
The old type Elmarit M 135mm manufactured from 1962 to 1974 has the same lens configuration as the early type 1, and the new type manufactured between 1974 and 1995 has the same lens configuration as the later type 2 introduced here.
I wish it had an aperture of F2 at that time, but considering that Kyocera ContaX released the Planar 135mm F2 but it wasn’t very popular, it seems that there is no demand for a 135mm prime lens in the market.
The low general evaluation is reflected in the market price, and it is a lens that can be purchased cheaply among LEICA brand lenses. Competitors would be the Elmar-M 90 and Elmar-M 135. I have also seen this lens on sale for around 20,000 yen.
Specification and Competitor
| Item | Value | note |
| focal length(mm) | 135 | |
| Maximum aperture | 2.8 | |
| Minimum aperture | 22 | |
| Lens configuration | 4groups 5elements | |
| Leaf blade | 8 | |
| Minimum distance(m) | 1.5 | |
| Lens length(mm) | 93 | Distance from mount flange |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 67 | |
| Filter diameter(mm) | E55 | |
| Weight(g) | 730 | |
| Release date | 1968 | |
| List price(Yen) | – |
| Item | ELMARIT R typ II | ELMARIT M 3rd | APO TELYT | Planar |
| focal length(mm) | 135 | ← | ← | ← |
| Maximum aperture | 2.8 | ← | 3.4 | 2 |
| Minimum aperture | 22 | ← | ← | ← |
| Lens configuration | 5elements in 4groups | ← | ← | 5elements in 5groups |
| Minimum distance(m) | 1.5 | ← | ← | ← |
| Lens length(mm) | 93 | 114 | 105 | 101 |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 67 | 66 | 59 | 75 |
| Filter diameter(mm) | 55 | ← | 49 | 72 |
| Hood | Include | ← | ← | – |
| Weight(g) | 730 | 780 | 450 | 790 |
| Release date | 1969-1991 | 1974-1995 | 1998-2005 | – |
| Production numbers | 50,800 | 9,850 | 4,500 | – |
Reference links
- All about the R-type Leica/Author: Shinichi Nakamura/Edited by Asahi Sonorama Ads by Amazon japan
- ELMARIT-R 2.8/135(II) Leica wiki
- ELMARIT-R 2.8/135(I) Leica wiki
- APO TELYT 135mm on Leica wiki
- Elmarit-M 135mm typ-III on Leica wiki
Update history
- 2024.10.09
- 2024.02.17:Update article
- 2022.03.02:First draft
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