Leica APO-Telyt-M 135 mm f/3.4 ASPH

[egrossman]

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I have the opportunity to buy a near mint copy of this lens for $1750 or slightly lower.

 

I've read wonderful things about this lens on this website.

 

Is that a good price? I currently have a 28 cron, 50 lux and 90 rit for my M9.

 

Thanks.

[jaapv]

Not a bad price at all. Not rock-bottom but fair enough. Great lens,I can recommend it

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[egrossman]

Thanks Jaap. What would you consider "fair" rock-bottom for this lens?

[UliWer]

... I currently have a 28 cron, 50 lux and 90 rit for my M9.

 

...

 

The Apo-Telyt seems to be the ideal extension for your present line up of lenses.

[egrossman]

Thanks Uli. That's what I was thinking. I'm wondering though how often I will actually end up using the thing. I'm finding that 90% of the time I'm using the 50mm lux.

[jaapv]

Thanks Jaap. What would you consider "fair" rock-bottom for this lens?

Hard to say - they don't come up for sale that often. I would buy it at the price you mention.

[AbbeyFoto]

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It's a great lens - I use it on film Ms. As to judging prices look at your options in the US. Do you need/want it soon? Any other sources you trust that offer better price? If not go for it, otherwise keep looking.

 

Chris

[leicanut2]

Mine went for a tad over 1500 on the bay a few years ago. I got it when it when it first came out.

Now they should go for more used.

 

Jan

[NZDavid]

It's a beautifully made lens. Great for landscape details, seascapes, long-range buildings throwing the background out of focus, portraits (requires lots of care with focussing), action shots of cars, boats, sports. Won't compete with a big DSLR tele, obviously, but a lot more compact and lighter.

[menos I M6]

The price is great!

 

I was looking for one and lost endless auctions and missed second hand deals, until just 2 weeks, before I wanted to use one, I decided, to just buy one new, when I was offered one (they are not often in stock new as well).

 

Prices ranged from ~ 1.400 (bruised) to 1.600 (boxed, excellent cosmetics).

The new one was a lot more, but I can tell you - it is well worth even the new price!

 

Just make sure, when it arrives, it matches all your other critical lenses (mine was new magically spot on @ ∞ and close focus with my other fast lenses, but others have less luck).

 

You want to have your camera/s adjusted perfectly for this lens, as it can be a challenge, especially, to focus wide open in short range.

I use mine primarily for getting most reach with a Leica M, so close focus is not an issue for me.

With anything further away than 10 meter, focussing is really easy even wide open on moving targets (motor racing).

 

It would be not my first choice for close ups and portraits, although it can throw backgrounds wonderfully out of focus wide open, close up and looks very smooth.

 

It's strongest point for me is the insane resolution across the whole frame and the very easy, light operation in a very compact package.

It really feels like a latest 90 Elmarit-M with a bit longer reach (light to the touch, lightweight, precise, tack sharp).

 

You will enjoy the lens, if you like your 90mm - you want to try a viewfinder magnifier, as it really makes framing far away subjects a lot easier (focussing is also easier, but works already well at distance without for me).

 

@ NZDavid, what you wrote there was exactly my initiator, to get this lens, to try it out.

It basically was either bring a Nikon D3 + 300 f2.8 VR or a M8.2 + 135mm + cropping.

 

When I saw the first prints from the 135 Telyt, I had a huge smile from ear to ear, as it reaffirmed my decision to this little experiment.

It will not exchange the Nikon gear for motor sports, but surely will I carry a Leica and this 135 along on the next events (a 70-200, which I formerly carried as a shorter backup zoom to the more limiting and HEAVY prime is bigger and heavier than the M8.2 + 135 Telyt in the bag - adding a 28 and fast 50 even expands the system further and makes for a great two camera setup for track).

[NZDavid]

Three different kinds of picture with this lens: 1) Anti-skid course (outrigger simulates RWD, FWD, AWD, ice); 2) Last Resort, Karamea; 3) Wild coast at Punakaiki, West Coast, South Island, NZ.

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[tobey bilek]

It is a gem of a lens if you get on with 135 mm. Works best on a M3 or .85 VF.

 

Or you can get a 135 BL. It is 1:1 and you get a really nice frame you can actually use.

The foot tips for paralax compensation

[danlindberg]

I would love a 135 for landscapes

[jacarape]

I really can't advise you on the price, tho it seems like a good one. 135 on a 35mm film for me is a stretch, but I have two of them because they are not expensive.

 

I have a 135/4.0 Elmar and a 2.8 gog'd Elmarit M. A few of my very most favorite photos were taken with that big honker 2.8 on an MP.

 

I paid 95 USD for the Leitz Wetzlar 135 in LN condition. My personal experience is that I wouldn't pay that much more then the 600 I paid for the 2.8 in EX condition.

 

However, this is my own personal experience, I take 10 photos a year at that fl. If it is a fl you like, use and want the price really is secondary.

 

ed: This was my 100th post in 2 years. I gotta go find something else to do.

Edited December 16, 2010 by jacarape
100th post

[topoxforddoc]

The 135 APO is a great lens, but the 135/4.0 Tele-Elmar is no slouch. In truth it loses very little to the APO and can be had for USD 450-600. Here's a Tele-Elmar shot of Madeleine Peyroux on HP5 (pushed to 1600 in XTOL) taken wide open at F4.

 

Best wishes,

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[menos I M6]

Charlie, that is one beautiful shot with the 135mm!

[egrossman]

Well I closed the deal today on my new lens. Bought it off of Craigslist in San Francisco for $1,650. The serial number is 03874XXX which dates is I believe to 1999? The exterior is completely mint and it came with its original box and leather case. There is a little dust inside the lens and the rear element looks like it could be cleaned (it's so recessed inside the hood that I'm hesitant to clean it myself). I'll send it to Leica for CLA. All in all I think I got a very good deal. 50% of the current list price.

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[menos I M6]

Absolutely brilliant deal !!!

 

I would save myself the CLA on such a new and flawless lens though (consider dust not a flaw, as long, as it is not excessive or of doubtful heritage).

 

I would clean it up carefully with a big blower bulb (focus to infinity first).

 

If this is not enough and rests of liquid residues remain (changing lenses in the rain in an linkish move), I would get myself lens cleaning fluid, photographic pec pads and a plastic spatula and clean the rear element carefully (the lens fluid must solve the dirt, not scrubbing !).

 

Dante Stella wrote a great comment on his site some time ago about "that CLA culture".

 

If it ain't broken, don't fix it.

 

Again - looks like a sweet deal, I am officially jealous ;-)

[topoxforddoc]

Charlie, that is one beautiful shot with the 135mm!

 

Dirk,

 

thank you very much. Just goes to show that some of the oldies are just as good

 

Best wishes,

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[menos I M6]

Dirk,

 

thank you very much. Just goes to show that some of the oldies are just as good

 

Best wishes,

 

Absolutely!

 

I actually looked for a few weeks, to find a nice 135mm solution for my Leica stuff after tasting, how nice it actually works for motor sports with a 90 Elmarit-M.

 

After I tasted a 135 Elmarit (big goggle version) for a day, I actually gave up on the 135mm Leica idea, but looked further later on for a nice 135 f4, which just was not to get in reasonable conditions in short term in Shanghai.

I then bid on many Telyt auctions, only to loose them all and ending up with a frenzy "last minute" buy of a new Telyt back then.

 

I got some memorable shots in Le Mans for myself, which completely make up for the high cost of the (very seldom used) lens.

 

The 135 f4 surely is the better option (price/performance wise). The f3.4 vs. f4 maximum aperture question really is no question at all. The crazy resolution and sharpness of the Telyt might be a selling factor for landscape shooters though (which I am clearly not).