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Leica 100mm APO-Macro-Elmarit-R f/2.8 35mm Primes

5/5 (13 Reviews)

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  • Camera Format35 mm SLR
    Lens TypeFixed Focal Length Lens
    Focal Length100mm
    Lens Max Aperturef/2.8
    Min Aperturef/22
    Focus TypeManual Focus
    Macro LensWith Macro Lens
    Macro Magnificationx 2
    Closest Focusing Distance18 in
    Picture Angle25 degrees
    Attachment / Filter Size60 mm
    Groups / Elements8 Elements in 6 Groups
    Diameter2.9 in
    Length4.1 in
    Weight26.88 oz
    MPN11352
    Product ID20724527

Product Description

Telephoto lens for the Leica R Series 35mm SLRs.
  • Aperture range: f/2.8-22
  • Min focus: 0.45 m
  • Built-in telescopic lens hood


    • Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

    Reviews 1 - 5 (13 Reviews Total) | Next 15

    User Reviews

    Overall Rating:5
    Value Rating:5
    Submitted by momiziano a Expert

    Date Reviewed: March 12, 2011

    Strengths:    Sharp at any aperture from border to border.
    Leica colors.
    A benchmark for apocromatic lenses.
    A benchmark for macro lenses.
    Solid metal construction.

    Weaknesses:    Flair

    Bottom Line:   
    Probably the best lens I've ever used in his category, not only for macro (with and without elpro) but also for portraits. A benchmark for apocromatic lenses. Really detailed from border to border from f2.8. Typical leica colors. Astonishing leica metal-build.

    Expand full review >>

    Duration Product Used:   6-10 years

    Price Paid:    $1200.00

    Purchased At:   Shop

    Similar Products Used:   Sigma apo-macro 150 f2.8
    CZ 100 f2 makro-planar ZF
    CZ 85 f1.4 planar ZF

    Type of photography:   Outdoor

    Overall Rating:5
    Value Rating:5
    Submitted by jaguardave a Expert from North Vancouver

    Date Reviewed: August 7, 2002

    Strengths:    The best all around lense money can buy.

    Weaknesses:    None.

    Bottom Line:   
    I shoot mostly B&W. This lense is capable of producing uncanny results. Images made on a tripod will enlarge to 11x14 without any loss of sharpness or tonality (grain is in the hands of the developer/time/agitation gods). It has such a solid feel, focusing is a breeze. The macro function or close focusing is great...very creative portrait possibilities. OK, it is very expensive...so take very good care of it when you buy it! I just can't say a bad word about this lense, nor about the 35-70 F4 or the 180mm F3.4 that round out my lense assortment. I have 2 bodies, an R6.2 and an R8 and I consider my bag to be lacking only a 28mm lense to be complete.

    Expand full review >>

    Duration Product Used:   21+ years

    Similar Products Used:   The leica lenses mentioned above and from Pentax, 135, 200, 300, 400, 28 and 35.

    Type of photography:   Fine Art

    Overall Rating:5
    Value Rating:5
    Submitted by nagelchr a Expert from Karlsruhe, Germany

    Date Reviewed: April 15, 2002

    Strengths:    Optical and mecanical workmanship, very flexible and compact lens. Best lens in the world ! Worth every penny !

    Weaknesses:    nothing at all

    Bottom Line:   
    Brilliant lens. And´perfect from the macro range to infinity. Built quality is exceptional and the lens balances perfectly an a R8 + Winder. Centering, flatness of field, sharpness and contrast are excellent and unrivalled. The additional tripod collar is not needed. You can buy the additional Elpro for 1:1 for approx. 300 €, but if you already own the 2x-Apo-Extender, you get a 5.8/200 APO-Lens with 1:1 macro capability. I checked that with Leica in Solms and the confirmed that. You loose 2 steps on the aperture, but the image quality of both 1:1 (2.8/100 + Elpro or 2x-Apo-Extender + 2.8/100) is equal.
    The mechanics are smooth and the distance ring turns silky and oily. Just right for mocro work. This is a universal lens and my new standard lens. I'm also using the huge Vario-Apo-Elmarit 2.8/70-180. When light traveling is essential, e.g. in countries with a high crime rate, I'll take the R7, the Vario Elmar 4/35-70, the Apo-Macro-Elmarit 100 and the 2x-Apo-Extender. With that combination, you can cover a range of 35-200 mm with unrivaled image quality and not too much weight.
    The true power of the Apo-Macro-Elmarit is unleashed with a sturdy tripod or monopod an Fuji Velvia !
    The price-tag on the lens is quite high. But if you've ever had a guided tour to the Leica Factory in Solms, you wonder why they aren't more expensive. The manufacturing of the precision mecanics is very expensive and all in all more than twice or three times as expensive as the optics ! That in mind you get to know, why Leica lenses are twice or three times as expensive as Canon or Nikon lenses. Every Leica lens runs through the quality control at the end of the production whereas Can. or Nik. only test samples.

    Expand full review >>

    Duration Product Used:   6-10 years

    Price Paid:    $1100.00

    Purchased At:   Enbay

    Similar Products Used:   Varil-Apo-Elmarit 2.8/70-180, Summicron 2/90, Vario-Elmar 4/35-70, Vario-Elmar 4/80-200, Elmarit 2.8/24, Elmarit 2.8/35, Apo-Telyt 3.4/180, Canon EF 2.8/28-70 L USM, Canon EF 2.8/80-200 L, Sigma Macro

    Type of photography:   Outdoor

    Overall Rating:5
    Value Rating:5
    Submitted by udo a Intermediate

    Date Reviewed: November 15, 2001

    Strengths:    Sharpness, APO color quality, great focusing range

    Weaknesses:    long focus turns because of Makro, 60mm filter size, one stop faster would be nice

    Bottom Line:   
    I went to Leica Solms to purchase a 1.4/80mm but was steered into this lens. HrBraun explained that it was this lens that the factory believed to be their sharpest. In fact, he said, that they used this lens to test their converters and film resolution!

    Expand full review >>

    Duration Product Used:   11-20 years

    Price Paid:    $2000.00

    Purchased At:   Leica Solms

    Similar Products Used:   Nikon 105 2.0 DC (the best for portraits)

    Type of photography:   Outdoor

    Overall Rating:5
    Value Rating:5
    Submitted by DesignEdge a Intermediate

    Date Reviewed: September 16, 2001

    Strengths:    Resolution, contrast and bokeh. Fantastic shadow detail. APO quality really shows through especially at night with neon lights.

    Weaknesses:    Slightly longer focusing turns but that is to be expected as this is a macro lens.

    Bottom Line:   
    I read the reviews on the Leica User Group. I worried about the "too sharp for portrait" comments". I worried about the price vs the 90mm f2 at second hand. Well, I have been using Leica M lenses for years and this lens ranks at the very top of the Leica tree. It has that special Leica "oomph" quality in buckets. Great resolution, fantastic contrast which provides lots of details in the shadows even in non-contrasty lighting, classic Leica "bokeh". I didn't find my portrait shots "too sharp" at all for both male and female models but it's best to shoot a head and shoulder shot with men.

    Interior close-up shots of still life lit by natural daylight and some tungsten spots had such great colour and detail that everyone asked which camera/lens I was using. And all shots were taken with the aperture wide open!

    Expand full review >>

    Duration Product Used:   11-20 years

    Price Paid:    $1600.00

    Purchased At:   Hong Kong

    Similar Products Used:   Nikon AF-D 105 macro, Leica M 90mm f2.8, Hasselblad CFi 120mm Makro

    Type of photography:   Outdoor


    Reviews 1 - 5 (13 Reviews Total) | Next 15

    Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

    Write a Review >>

    • Camera Format35 mm SLR
      Lens TypeFixed Focal Length Lens
      Focal Length100mm
      Lens Max Aperturef/2.8
      Min Aperturef/22
      Focus TypeManual Focus
      Macro LensWith Macro Lens
      Macro Magnificationx 2
      Closest Focusing Distance18 in
      Picture Angle25 degrees
      Attachment / Filter Size60 mm
      Groups / Elements8 Elements in 6 Groups
      Diameter2.9 in
      Length4.1 in
      Weight26.88 oz
      MPN11352
      Product ID20724527


     

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