First gen compact 35mm ELMARIT R 35 1st
A review and photo examples of the Leica R-mount wide-angle lens, the first Elmarit R 35mm.
Table of contents
Gallery
- Gallery / SONY A7S-II
Review
1．Overview
The first Elmarit-R 35mm was released in 1963, and is a wide-angle lens with an R mount and focal length of 35mm.
The main specifications are as follows, and are listed in the table below.
- Maximum aperture: F-number 2.8
- Lens construction: 7 elements in 5 groups
- Aperture blades: 6
- Minimum focusing distance: 0.3m
- Hood: Dedicated double hook hood (for 12564 Elmarit-R 35mm f/2.8, Summicron-R 50mm f/2)
- Lens color variations: Silver chrome and black
Silver chrome is sometimes seen second-hand, but generally trades at a high price.
2．Usability
The first Elmarit-R 35mm is a popular lens among some enthusiasts in the R-mount 35mm series, overshadowed by the more popular Summicron 35mm and Summilux 35mm.
According to the LEICA WIKI, three versions were sold with the same lens name over the 29 years from 1963 to 1992, with different lens configurations and lens barrels.
As long as it was used with Sony’s full-frame sensor camera, the α7Sii, there was no major breakdown in image quality, and it is well made for a lens from half a century ago. This is thought to be partly due to the low pixel count of the α7Sii at 12 million pixels, and there is a possibility that the results may be rougher with a higher pixel sensor.
The lens specifications of a focal length of 35mm and maximum aperture of F2.8 are large for a zoom lens, but not very bright for a prime lens, so it is considered a cheap and mediocre lens. The first Elmarit-R 35mm is the cheapest of the three Elmarit-R 35mms. The fact that this lens was manufactured a long time ago and in large quantities also affects the price.
When I got the lens, I searched through my filter collection for a Series 6 filter to fit into the 12564 hood, but couldn’t find one. I looked for a suitable screw-in filter by looking at the screw on the front of the lens, and tried the 43mm, 46mm, and 48mm filters I had on hand, but none of them would fit.
So I checked the thread diameter of the first-generation Elmarit R 35mm and found that a 43.5mm filter could be screwed in.
MARUMI and KENKO have released 43.5mm filters, which can still be purchased at camera stores as of 2023. The first-generation Summicron R 50mm, which uses the same 12564 hood and Series 6 filter, has the same specifications as this lens.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the first generation Elmarit R 35mm, it is a very practical lens even for 35mm full-frame cameras with low pixel sensors.
In the second-hand market, lenses in relatively good condition are available at low prices, so it would be a good idea to compare the R-mount 35mm. The hood 12564 is expensive if you search for it separately, so we recommend purchasing a lens that comes with a hood.
Specification
| Lens name | ELMARIT-R 35-I | ELMARIT-R 35-II |
| Focal length(mm) | 35 | 35 |
| Max aperture | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Min aperture | 22 | 22 |
| Leaf blade | 6 | 6 |
| Lens Construction | 7elements in 5 groups | 7elements in 6 groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Lens length(mm) | 40 | 40 |
| Max diameter(mm) | 63 | 63 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 43.5 Series 6 | 48 Series 7 |
| Weight(g) | 310 | 410 |
| Lens hood | 12564 Cylindrical shape, iron hook, reversible Shared with SUMMICRON-R 50mm Lens cap is 14163 | 12509 Rectangular shape, screw and pin-fixed Shared with ELMARIT-R 28mm |
| Lens mount | LEICA R | LEICA R |
| Release date | -1963 | -1972 |
| Production number*1 | 31,950(end of 1971) | 8,250(end of 1977) |
Reference links
Update history
- 2025.6.2
- 2024.7.24
- 2023.11.24
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