Xavi Posted May 4 Author Share #21 Posted May 4 Advertisement (gone after registration) Yes, I know I won't use it much, so I'm looking for a second-hand one. I have the 18, 35, and 50, and I think a 75 and a 135 would have everything I need. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 4 Posted May 4 Hi Xavi, Take a look here Which 135 to buy?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wda Posted May 4 Share #22 Posted May 4 Understandably so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted May 4 Share #23 Posted May 4 This is certainly not the most frequent usage of a 135mm lens...: you can unscrew the lens heads of the older models and use them on the "old" Visoflex and especially the bellows. Here the head of an 1:4.5/13.5cm Elmar from 1935 taken with the head of a Tele-Elmar on Visoflex and bellows and M10: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Unfortunately the lens head of the last version of the Tele-Elmar (with 46mm filters and the modern looking outward design) and of course the Apo-Telyt can't be unscrewed. With the older version of the Tele-Elmar with 39mm filters which has the same optics as the "modern" one this is still possible. 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Unfortunately the lens head of the last version of the Tele-Elmar (with 46mm filters and the modern looking outward design) and of course the Apo-Telyt can't be unscrewed. With the older version of the Tele-Elmar with 39mm filters which has the same optics as the "modern" one this is still possible. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5796565'>More sharing options...
lct Posted May 4 Share #24 Posted May 4 (edited) Tele-Elmar 135/4 v1, order # 11851 Lens head for ditto, order # 11852 Lens hood for ditto, order # 12575 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited May 4 by lct Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5796636'>More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted May 5 Share #25 Posted May 5 (edited) 14 hours ago, pgk said: The thing is that a 135mm lens is not the easiest to focus using the rangefinder. So the first question is whether you intend to use it and focus using the rangefinder or whether you are happy to use the EVF? If you want it primarily for use with the rangefinder thn I would suggest that the difference betwee the APO f/3.4 and f/4 versions is somewhat academic as they sit right at the edge of the rangefinder's ability to focus under anything other than ideal high contrast conditions, and any optical improvement might be negated by marginal misfocus. That said, I have owned several incantations of the 135/4 and still own and use the last 11861 ('Tele-Elmar-M') E46 version. This is in my experience the best of the 135/4s mechanically (designwise) and will give accurate focus on modern cameras using the rangefinder. Some earlier copies would not as, again, in my experience, they were different mechanically and could be difficult to get set up to guarantee absolutely accurate focus (not so much of a problem with an EVF of course). I've considered 'upgrading' to the APO 135/3.4 but to be perfectly honest I'm not sure that the improvement would be significant enough to make it worthwhile (it is a little lighter though)e. My E46 135/4 is a very good lens! You will pay a premium for this version over the earlier versions, but its still a cheaper option than the APO. 14 hours ago, pgk said: Agree that results would be much if any difference, both are high quality, the APO version that I have includes the 6 bit coding and of course a bit lighter, when carrying all day this can make a difference…. Weight and six bit have value to me so I went with a used APO…. On focus, it takes practice….. lots Edited May 5 by rsolomon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted May 5 Share #26 Posted May 5 12 hours ago, Xavi said: Yes, I know I won't use it much, so I'm looking for a second-hand one. I have the 18, 35, and 50, and I think a 75 and a 135 would have everything I need. Close to my kit… 21 SEM, Summicron 35, 50, 75, 135 3.4 APO…. btw PM me if interested, I may be looking to change systems 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted May 5 Share #27 Posted May 5 Advertisement (gone after registration) I actually like the 135 so much that I have both the TE and the APO-Telyt. I swap them around depending on which characteristics best suit the cirumstances (flare tendency, weight, 6-bit code, light availability). (which is fortunate - the APO is off to Leica for probably months, to repair damage). I could live my entire life with just 135/35/21, except when the light gets really bad - for which I have a 75 f/1.5. Shot below was made with the (mid-1970s)Tele-Elmar at f/4.0, just last Friday evening at the gallery, with M10. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 15 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5796939'>More sharing options...
panoramer Posted July 23 Share #28 Posted July 23 I love the this lens ... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leica M10-R and 135mm Apo-Telyt-M 4 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leica M10-R and 135mm Apo-Telyt-M ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5837757'>More sharing options...
panoramer Posted July 23 Share #29 Posted July 23 Sexy lens on the Leica T ... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5837758'>More sharing options...
panoramer Posted July 23 Share #30 Posted July 23 (edited) Compression ... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leica TL2 and 135mm Apo-Telyt-M Edited July 23 by panoramer 3 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leica TL2 and 135mm Apo-Telyt-M ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5837760'>More sharing options...
panoramer Posted July 23 Share #31 Posted July 23 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leica M10-R and 135mm Apo-Telyt-M 6 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leica M10-R and 135mm Apo-Telyt-M ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5837763'>More sharing options...
Ronazle Posted October 13 Share #32 Posted October 13 (edited) On 5/4/2025 at 6:12 AM, pgk said: The thing is that a 135mm lens is not the easiest to focus using the rangefinder. So the first question is whether you intend to use it and focus using the rangefinder or whether you are happy to use the EVF? If you want it primarily for use with the rangefinder thn I would suggest that the difference betwee the APO f/3.4 and f/4 versions is somewhat academic as they sit right at the edge of the rangefinder's ability to focus under anything other than ideal high contrast conditions, and any optical improvement might be negated by marginal misfocus. That said, I have owned several incantations of the 135/4 and still own and use the last 11861 ('Tele-Elmar-M') E46 version. This is in my experience the best of the 135/4s mechanically (designwise) and will give accurate focus on modern cameras using the rangefinder. Some earlier copies would not as, again, in my experience, they were different mechanically and could be difficult to get set up to guarantee absolutely accurate focus (not so much of a problem with an EVF of course). I've considered 'upgrading' to the APO 135/3.4 but to be perfectly honest I'm not sure that the improvement would be significant enough to make it worthwhile (it is a little lighter though)e. My E46 135/4 is a very good lens! You will pay a premium for this version over the earlier versions, but its still a cheaper option than the APO. Concur with everything you have said, but would add that most users would be better off buying a late production 90mm APO Summicron, and forego the 135. I do have several 135's and find the E39 Tele-Elmar to be a true bargain inre cost and quality, but it is large and not near as flexible (nor as expensive) as the 90mm coded Cron. As usual, Mr Putts past evals (which I greatly miss) were dead on for both lenses in my opinion. Regards, Ron Edited October 13 by Ronazle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted October 15 Share #33 Posted October 15 It‘s time for rumors, isn’t it? I think it‘s no rumor any more that Leica stopped the production of the 135mm Apo-Telyt. This may be the result of low demand for 135mm and an enormous number of mostly very cheap offers of Leica 135mm lenses on the second hand market. It is also well known and even conceded by leica that the M rangefinder is not well equipped for long focal lengthes. On the other hand it‘s my experience that an EVF will help you most to use 135mm with an M. This is the only focal length where I use the EVF regularly. Now if there was an M with EVF-only one time or other wouldn‘t it be interesting to see a new version of a 135mm lens perhaps with better close focussing performance than the previous ones and even with a minimum focal distance of 1m or less? So if I was thinking about buying a new 135mm I’d wait a few days and look what happens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
105012 Posted October 15 Share #34 Posted October 15 7 hours ago, UliWer said: ... It is also well known and even conceded by leica that the M rangefinder is not well equipped for long focal lengthes. … There is not only one Leica M rangefinder when it comes to focus accuracy. For example, the M3 is quite capable of consistently achieving accurate focus with the APO-Telyt, in my experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted October 15 Share #35 Posted October 15 It is just a matter of VF magnification. 0.91x (M3) and even 0.85x (M6) is enough to focus an Apo-Telyt 135/3.4 but the Elmarit 135/2.8 needs goggles for that. Aside from enlarging the physical baselength of the rangefinder, the same way as Zeiss did with the Ikon (75mm), 0.73x (M10/M11) is not enough for a 135/3.4 lens on current M cameras. No problem with EVFs though obviously. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Bachmann Posted Sunday at 10:13 PM Share #36 Posted Sunday at 10:13 PM I recently borrowed the version with the goggles of a 135mm Elmarit. The googles made it easier to frame and focus, though I wouldn't say it was easy in lower light. Example below from the Elmarit is in monochrome taken with an M10. My own 135mm is a Canon 135 f/3.5 LTM. Example below in colour taken with the M9. The Leica lens is definitely better. Also I think the Canon 135mm is closer to 140mm since it seems to crop tighter than what I see on the frame lines. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 2 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/420970-which-135-to-buy/?do=findComment&comment=5878237'>More sharing options...
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