Wide lens recommendations for R9

[dkCambridgeshire]

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On 5/20/2025 at 3:03 AM, Stuart Richardson said:

Honestly, I think you need to go back about 15-20 to get the good R deals!

There are still potentially good R deals listed regularly and for $£reasonable provided ROM is not a buyer's requirement. The R 50mm S'cron (both Mk I and Mk II); the 60/2.8 Macro Elmarit R (both Mk I and Mk II) and R 90/2.8 (both Mk I and Mk II), are all very capable optics – and the 50mm and 90mm lenses have much in common with their 'similarly designed', Leica M counterparts. We do not need to spend a $£fortune to acquire excellent R lenses.  

BW, dunk

[SJCoates]

I realise I am a little late to this thread but happy that you have gone for the 28mm version; I have the same lens. I got it back in 1999 new, it was at the time the best 28mm lens available for any camera. Today, 26 years later, I am still blown away by it!

When funds allow, do what I did and get the 19mm V2. This is another absolutely stunning R lens, I got this one new around 20 years ago, sold it a few years later, but then purchased another one last year. Again, like the 28mm it was at the time the very best lens of its' focal length, and today, like the 28 is still a top performer. The newness has not yet worn off and probably never will. With the 28 and 19, I have a pair of fantastic lenses for landscapes. I have learnt my lesson now and will never sell the 19mm again!

I use both lenses on the SL which has enabled me to test them. They really are fantastic performers, fully open at f/2.8 they are razor sharp, with barely any increase in sharpness stopping down to f/8 on both lenses.

To be honest, any of the later R lenses are really fantastic. If I didn't have the 19 or 28 I might have considered the 21-35 zoom, however it hadn't been introduced at the time when I got the 28mm.

Edited May 21 by SJCoates

[JonathanJ]

On 5/21/2025 at 2:25 PM, SJCoates said:

I realise I am a little late to this thread but happy that you have gone for the 28mm version; I have the same lens. I got it back in 1999 new, it was at the time the best 28mm lens available for any camera. Today, 26 years later, I am still blown away by it!

When funds allow, do what I did and get the 19mm V2. This is another absolutely stunning R lens, I got this one new around 20 years ago, sold it a few years later, but then purchased another one last year. Again, like the 28mm it was at the time the very best lens of its' focal length, and today, like the 28 is still a top performer. The newness has not yet worn off and probably never will. With the 28 and 19, I have a pair of fantastic lenses for landscapes. I have learnt my lesson now and will never sell the 19mm again!

I use both lenses on the SL which has enabled me to test them. They really are fantastic performers, fully open at f/2.8 they are razor sharp, with barely any increase in sharpness stopping down to f/8 on both lenses.

To be honest, any of the later R lenses are really fantastic. If I didn't have the 19 or 28 I might have considered the 21-35 zoom, however it hadn't been introduced at the time when I got the 28mm.

I appreciate the advice.  So far, I am so happy with the 28mm I picked up.  Can’t wait to get some of this film developed.  The 19mm V2 is really tempting.  Thank you!  I have never shot with anything that wide, but I really want to go in that direction.  Again, thank you!!!

[jankap]

The Elmarit R f/2.8 15mm ASPH is very good too. That is the Schneider one.

The Ebay one looks very good (better than mine) but, €9500 is a heavy price ticket.

 

 

Edited May 25 by jankap

[farnz]

On 5/25/2025 at 2:37 AM, JonathanJ said:

The 19mm V2 is really tempting.

It is a superb lens and I wouldn't part with mine.  Some tend to forget to point out that the 19/2.8 Elmarit-R v2 has a built in filter turret that contains:

1. a 1-stop neutral density filter,
2. a blue filter,
3. a yellow filter,
4. an orange filter,
5. no filter in the image path

Pete.

[Carlos cruz]

24 minutes ago, farnz said:

It is a superb lens and I wouldn't part with mine.  Some tend to forget to point out that the 19/2.8 Elmarit-R v2 has a built in filter turret that contains:

1. a 1-stop neutral density filter,
2. a blue filter,
3. a yellow filter,
4. an orange filter,
5. no filter in the image path

Pete.

My two cents - Blue one is probably wratten 81(a/b or ef/, orange one 85, not sure what yellow one could be.  But those that I named are typical conversion filters from times when you had daylight and tungsten stocks (5600K and 3200K) and that was the only way to have respective stock reproduce colours truly. 

[farnz]

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1 hour ago, Carlos cruz said:

My two cents - Blue one is probably wratten 81(a/b or ef/, orange one 85, not sure what yellow one could be.  But those that I named are typical conversion filters from times when you had daylight and tungsten stocks (5600K and 3200K) and that was the only way to have respective stock reproduce colours truly. 

From memory the Tungsten to ambient conversion filter was a Wratten 80B.  (I had one for decades but never ended up using it.)  Wratten 81a through to 81ef are all orange filters (or "sunset" filters as they were nicknamed).

The orange filter is marked as "Or" on the turret and through the lens looks like an 81C to my eye.

The yellow filter is marked as "YG" and through the lens looks a little greener than yellow.

The blue filter is marked "KB12" and through the lens looks light blue and resembles a UV filter that I used many years ago for taming skies at high altitudes.

Pete.

[Carlos cruz]

As to conversion filters you’re basically right but completely au rebours ;-] luckily no one needs to waste personal disk space for this nonsense now) 81 are blueish to shoot daylight (5600K) stock with incandescent lamps(3200K)  and 85 is orange for tungsten or indoor stock(3200) to be shot outside to give you 5600K, the kb-15 is leica designation for skylight filter, slightly warmer UV. Yellowish green one no idea( maybe for fluorescent lamps) 

[Carlos cruz]

On 5/19/2025 at 10:35 AM, dkCambridgeshire said:

The R 28/2.8 Mk II is as scarce as hens' teeth and sought after. Ffordes currently list same. 

BW, dunk

Sorry to sidetrack this thread but just looked up the lens and I am struggling to understand how the lens hood on elmarit is supposed to block any stray light, does it extend or is it just sort of wishful designing? 

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[gbealnz]

14 hours ago, Carlos cruz said:

Sorry to sidetrack this thread but just looked up the lens and I am struggling to understand how the lens hood on elmarit is supposed to block any stray light, does it extend or is it just sort of wishful designing? 

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I don't have one of these (but my local dealer does, so I am "weakening"), but I'd suggest it simply pulls outward to fit into place for use.

**EDIT** I've just checked my Leica Big Pocket book, it says "The lens is equipped with a built-in retractable lens hood".

[SJCoates]

21 hours ago, Carlos cruz said:

Sorry to sidetrack this thread but just looked up the lens and I am struggling to understand how the lens hood on elmarit is supposed to block any stray light, does it extend or is it just sort of wishful designing? 

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Yes it extends forward. It is retractable to allow the front lens cap to go on. If it was permanently forward, the lens would be quite significantly larger than it is, so it is quite a neat design. It is almost exactly the same size as the 50mm f/2. I have both lenses and often get them mixed up!

I use mine mainly for landscape photography which means I need to use it with filters, so mine has the hood removed; it is attached with four small screws.