LEICA SUPER ELMARIT R 15mm

Super Elmarit 15mm ultra wide-angle lens in Leica R mount – review and photo examples

Table of contents

• Gallery
• Review
• Specification
• Reference links
• Update history
• Affiliate link

Gallery

• LEICA R8 +PORTRA 160 +DiMAGE Scan Multi PRO

• Sony A7Sii

Review

The Super Elmarit 15mm lens was manufactured in 420 pieces between 2001 and 2009. I do not know the details of how many went into the Japanese market at the time this lens was released in Japan, when money was reasonably strong, but since Leica is very popular in Japan, I would assume there were a good number. I have seen a few on eBay at any given time. It is not difficult to get one, in the sense that you can get one if you have the money to pay for it.
This time, a camera shop that I know very well was able to acquire it from a collector, who gave it to me and it came to me. I was able to obtain a beautiful camera complete with box and other accessories.

There are quite a few collectors of lenses, and as they get older and dispose of unused lenses, they appear on the market. I am sure that my own lenses will eventually find their way to the market as well. I think it is important not to miss the timing of everything.

I know that the lens I have at hand is one of 100 lenses manufactured in 2002 from the serial number.
Compared to the Spar Elmar, this lens is one size smaller and more portable.
Like the Spur Elmar, it also has a built-in filter, but it is probably a relic from the film era.
The R8 had been an ornament with the DMR attached, so I removed the DMR and replaced the back cover, I changed the focusing screen from DMR to 14343 microprism screen for film, but it was not suitable for 15mm wide angle, so I bought 14346 square screen. I found 14346 on a Google search and bought it without hesitation, even though it was a reasonable price.

As an aside, the R8 is an electronic camera and requires batteries, so I installed two CR2s in my room that expired in 2013, and the camera started up fine. The CR2s had been purchased for the GR1 film camera, but since the GR1 had been sold, they had been stored in a dead storage without any use.
If the film camera does not have the film on the sprocket when the film is loaded, the film will not wind up and will spin around even after taking a picture, which is sad to find out. I thought it was clever that the R8 had a small window to check if the film was rolling, and also that you can tell when the film is not rolling by the fact that the number of shots counter does not increase.
Among the R-mount lenses, I would like to use the APO-SUMMICRON-R 180mm, but I have not been able to afford it because it is expensive, although I have a chance to find a used one.

Specification

Lens name	SUPER ELMARIT	SUPER ELMAR
Focal length(mm)	15	←
Max aperture	2.8	3.5
Min aperture	22	←
Leaf blade	6	5
Lens Construction	13 elements in 10groups	13 elements in 12groups
Min distance(m)	0.18	0.16
Lens length(mm)	85.3	92.5
Max diameter(mm)	83.5	83.5
Filter Size(mm)	–	–
Front Cap	Special metal hood	14294
Weight(g)	710	815
Release date	2001	1979
Production number	420	2980

Reference links

• Leica Wiki 「SUPER ELMARIT 15mm」

Lens name	CAM	MACRO	x1.4	x2	EOS	Middle	Now
SUPER ELMARIT 15mm	ROM		×	×	?	76%	○
SUPER ELMAR 3.5/15	3		×	×	–	–	–
FISH EYE ELMARIT-R 16mm	ROM	○	×	×	–	82%	○
ELMARIT-R 2.8/en/19-I	3		×	×	–	–	–
ELMARIT-R 2.8/19-II	ROM	○	×	×	×	76%	○
SUPER ANGULON 3.4/21	–	–	×	×	×	21mm=82%	○
SUPER ANGULON 4/21	3	○	×	○	–	–	–
VARIO-ELMAR-R 3.5-4/21-35	ROM	○	×	×	×	35mm=100% 28mm=95% 21mm=82%	○
ELMARIT-R 2.8/24	ROM	○	×	○	×	86%	○
ELMARIT-R 2.8/28-I	3	○	×	○	–	–	–
ELMARIT-R 2.8/28-II	ROM	○	×	○	○	86%	○
ELMARIT R 35 1st	2	–	×	–	–	–	○
ELMARIT-R 2.8/35-II	3	○	×	○	–	–	–
ELMARIT-R 2.8/35-III	R	○	×	○	–	–	–
SUMMICRON-R 2/35-I	ROM	○	×	○	○	86%	○
SUMMICRON-R 2/35-II	ROM	○	×	○	○	86%	○
SUMMILUX-R 1.4/35	ROM	○	×	○	×	88%	○
VARIO-ELMAR 3.5/35-70	3	○	×	○	○	Test now	○
VARIO-ELMAR 4/35-70	ROM	○	×	○	–	–	–
SUMMICRON-R 2/50-II	ROM	○	×	○	○	Test now	○
SUMMILUX-R 1.4/50-I(E55)	ROM	○	×	○	○	Test now	○
SUMMILUX-R 1.4/50-II(E60)	ROM	○	×	○	○	Test now	○
MACRO-ELMARIT-R 2.8/60-I	3	○	×	○	○	100%	○
MACRO-ELMARIT-R 2.8/60-II	ROM	○	×	○	○	–	–
VARIO-APO-ELMARIT-R 2.8/70-180	ROM	○	×	○	○	Test now	–
VARIO-ELMAR-R 4/70-210	3	○	×	○	○	–	○
SUMMILUX-R 1.4/80	ROM	○	×	○	○	90%	○
VARIO-ELMAR-R 4/80-200	ROM	○	×	○	○	–	–
ELMARIT-R 2.8/90	R	○	×	○	○	–	–
SUMMICRON-R 2/90	R	○	×	○	○	96%	○
APO-SUMMICRON-R 2/90	ROM	○	×	○	○	100%	○
ELMAR-R 4/100	ROM	○	○	○	○	100%	○
APO-MACRO-ELMARIT 2.8/100	ROM	○	×	○	○	Test now	○
VARIO-ELMAR 4.2/105-280	ROM	○	–	○	○	95%〜100%	○
ELMARIT-R 2.8/135-II	3	○	×	○	○	–	–
APO-ELMARIT 2.8/180	ROM	○	–	○	○	–	–
APO-TELYT 4/280	3	○	○	○	○	100%	–
TELYT 4.8/350	3	○	○	○	○	100%	○
MR-TELYT 8/500	3	○	×	○	○	–	–
VISO-ELAMR 3.5/65	–	○	×	○	○	91%	○
VISO-HEKTOR 2.5/125
VISO-HEKTOR 4.5/135
VISO-ELMAR 4/135
VISO-TELE-ELMAR 4/135	–	○	○	○	○	100%	○

Update history

• 2024.02.17
• 2023.11.17

Affiliate links