LEICA ELMARIT R 135mm(Type-2)

This is a record of using the SUMMARIT-L 50mm F1.5 (LEICA) with a LEICA M digital camera.

Gallery

ESO 1Ds MKIII

Review

The first Elmarito R 135mm model was released in 1962, and the second model was produced from 1968 to 1991. A total of approximately 66,000 pieces of Type 1 and Type 2 were made.

Although this lens has been in production for a long time, it hasn’t been improved much over that time and has a minimum shooting distance of 1.5m, making it a lens that you can’t get close to.
The M-type ELMARIT-M 135mm (with glasses) also has a minimum focusing distance of 1.5m, and unlike the Summicron 90mm, this lens does not have the benefits of an R-type lens, which is a shame.

However, in the case of a single-lens reflex camera, you can use an ELPRO (front screw-in close-up lens) or a macro adapter to overcome the disadvantage of not being able to get closer.
The fact that it has good resolution even at wide open aperture, and that the blur is obedient, and that there have been no changes to the lens configuration since its release, is probably a sign that it is a perfected lens.

135mm is a focal length that is swallowed up by large aperture zoom lenses such as F2.8, but the VARIO-APO-ELMARIT-R 70-180mm F2.8 for R-type Leica corresponds to it, but this 70-180mm is quite large. Since it is heavy and cannot be replaced easily, the R type 135mm is valuable in its portability.

The M-type 135mm had a slightly darker aperture value of F3.4, but the APO specification was released, so if the R-Leica had a little more lifespan, an improved version of the R-type 135mm might have been released.

I wish the aperture was F2 at that time, but considering that KYOCERA CONTAX released the Planar 135mm F2, but it wasn’t that popular, I think the market doesn’t want a 135mm single focus lens. I can think about it.

It’s a disappointing lens in many ways, and its generally low reputation is reflected in its market price, making it one of the cheapest lenses to buy among LEICA brand lenses. The rival horse is Elmar-M 90/135. I have seen this lens on sale for around 20,000 yen.

The lens I own has a serial number of 350xxxx and is one of 300 made in 1990.If it is an M-type lens, it must be very valuable, but the market price of this lens is low, so I bought it for just under 30,000 yen.
Since it is a medium telephoto lens with no protruding rear lens, it can be used with the EOS-1DsMKIII without error.
Since it is a dark F2.8 lens with a single focal point, it is a little difficult to see the peak of focus in the EOS viewfinder, so it is easier to use the EVF on a mirrorless camera SL.

Specification

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)	–