Trumpet-shaped wide-angle lens ELMARIT R 19mm 1st
A review and Photo example of the LEICA ELMARIT R 19mm 1st.
Table of contents
Gallery
- The example photo was taken using a LEICA SL typ601.
Review
1．Overview
The ELMARIT R 19mm 1st is a wide-angle lens for the Leica R mount released in 1975.
This lens was designed and manufactured by Leica, and it was one of the first lenses for which Leica designed a wide-angle lens in-house.
The lens hood is model number 12529 and is a bayonet type fixed with two pins, which is common for LEICA lenses of this era.
The main specifications are as follows, and details are listed in the table.
- Aperture value: 2.8
- Lens construction: 9 elements in 7 groups
- Aperture blades: 6
- Minimum shooting distance: 0.3m
- Hood: Dedicated pin-on hood (model number 12529)
2．Usability
The image quality of the ELMARIT R 19mm 1st is that of an old wide-angle lens, and depending on the distance from the subject, the distortion peculiar to wide-angle lenses can be noticeable.
The lens I own is an old lens, and the glass has deteriorated, so even in front-light conditions the image quality is slightly blurred and low in contrast, and in backlight conditions the image quality is extremely low, with ghosts and flares causing mysterious light reflections and extremely low contrast.
Also, when the hood 12529 is attached to the lens, it becomes a very large lens, and if you are used to the compactness of the ELMARIT R 19mm II, you may hesitate to take it out. When attached to the LEICA SL typ006, the balance between the body and the lens is good, but it does not fit well in the camera bag, and when used outdoors, it has a powerful and imposing appearance.
The lens is available in 1-cam, 2-cam, and 3-cam versions, and I don’t think it is manufactured with a regular ROM terminal, and I have never seen one with a modified ROM terminal on the used market. It is one of the rare lenses that is rarely seen on the market, despite the long manufacturing history and the total number of units produced (8,200).
I acquired this lens in exchange for my Summilux R 80mm / 3 cam, which I had entrusted to a second-hand store and found unsold. I already had the new 19mm, so there was little need for me to own it, but my curiosity to try it got the better of me and I acquired it. However, as mentioned above, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about the image quality.
The Type 1 lens introduced here is a lens that is already about 50 years old, and has a fine front lens that looks like an old-fashioned wide-angle lens. The appearance is very similar to the early model of the Russian-made Mir-20M (20mm / F3.5), but this lens is also a minor lens, so I don’t think many people will remember it.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the ELMARIT R 19mm 1st, it is an old wide-angle lens that fully captures the characteristics of a wide-angle lens that gets close to the subject while enveloping the surroundings. If you can find one that fits your budget, it’s a good idea to try it out and enjoy the flavor of an old wide-angle lens.
However, if the lens is cloudy, you should be prepared for reduced contrast, ghosting, and flare in the images. Also, the newer the wide-angle lens design, the better the aberration correction and the less distortion in the image, so if you want a lens that is flat all over and accurately depicts the corners, you will be disappointed if you use an old lens.
Specification and Competitor
When comparing the old and new ELMARIT R 19mm, it is clear that the old model (I type) is larger. This reflects the history of old wide-angle lens design, where shortening the focal length by making the front element larger was the mainstream.
In comparison, the new model has a more modern design, and while it has the same specifications, the lens diameter has been reduced from 88mm in the old model to 71mm, making for a more compact lens barrel.
The lens construction diagrams are quoted from each company’s handouts, and the sizes have been adjusted here, so they are not exact.
| Items | Type-I | Type-II |
| Focal length(mm) | 19 | 19 |
| Max aperture | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Min aperture | 16 | 22 |
| Lens Construction | 7群9枚 | 10群12枚 |
| Leaf blade | 6 | 6 |
| Min distance(m) | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Lens length(mm) | 58 | 60 |
| Max diameter(mm) | 88 | 71 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 82 | – |
| Weight(g) | 815 | 560 |
| Production number | 8,200 | 5,900 |
| Release date | 1975-1987 | 1990-2003 |
Reference links
Update history
- 2025.6.6
- 2024.7.30
- 2024.04.13
- 2023.12.14
- 2022.12.31
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