Leica r 35 elmarit when was vii – The Leica R 35mm Elmarit, a name synonymous with quality and precision, has captivated photographers for decades. Its journey, however, is marked by a series of refinements and updates, culminating in the “VII” iteration. This lens, known for its exceptional sharpness and versatility, has been a favorite among professionals and enthusiasts alike.
To understand the significance of the “VII” version, we must delve into the history of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit, tracing its evolution from its inception to its latest incarnation.
The “VII” iteration, released in 1990, marked a significant step forward in the Leica R 35mm Elmarit lineage. It incorporated several technological advancements, including a new lens design with a floating element, an aspherical element, and multi-coating. These improvements resulted in a lens with enhanced sharpness, contrast, and reduced distortion.
The “VII” version also featured a redesigned focusing mechanism, making it faster and more responsive.
Leica R 35mm Elmarit History
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit lens has a long and storied history, evolving over several generations to become a highly regarded lens for its exceptional image quality and versatility.
Evolution of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit Lens
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit lens has undergone several significant updates and revisions since its initial release in 1969. These updates have resulted in improvements in image quality, sharpness, and overall performance.
The Leica R 35 Elmarit, a lens renowned for its sharpness and compact size, was first released in 1974. While the lens was known for its quality, the price point made it inaccessible for many photographers. However, the evolution of technology has led to the emergence of high-quality DSLRs at more affordable prices, such as those found on this list of best DSLRs under 1000 dollars.
Today, a photographer with a limited budget can still achieve impressive results with a modern DSLR, while the Leica R 35 Elmarit remains a sought-after classic for those who appreciate its timeless design and exceptional optics.
- Leica R 35mm Elmarit (1969):The original Leica R 35mm Elmarit was a compact and lightweight lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8. It featured a six-element design and a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 meters. This early version was known for its good image quality and sharpness, particularly in the center of the frame.
- Leica R 35mm Elmarit-M (1978):The Leica R 35mm Elmarit-M was a revised version of the original lens, incorporating a new seven-element design and a slightly wider maximum aperture of f/2.4. This update resulted in improved corner sharpness and better overall image quality, particularly at wider apertures.
- Leica R 35mm Elmarit (1988):The third iteration of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit was introduced in 1988. This version featured a new eight-element design and a wider maximum aperture of f/2.8. The lens also included a floating element system, which helped to improve image quality at close distances.
- Leica R 35mm Elmarit (1996):The fourth iteration of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit was introduced in 1996. This version featured a new nine-element design and a wider maximum aperture of f/2.4. The lens also included a new aspherical element, which helped to improve image quality and sharpness across the frame.
- Leica R 35mm Elmarit-M (2002):The final iteration of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit was introduced in 2002. This version featured a new ten-element design and a wider maximum aperture of f/2.4. The lens also included a new aspherical element, which helped to improve image quality and sharpness across the frame.
This version was also designed to be compatible with the Leica M-system cameras.
Comparison of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” to Earlier Iterations
The “VII” iteration of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit lens, released in 2002, represents the culmination of the lens’s evolution. It features a significantly improved optical design compared to earlier versions, resulting in exceptional image quality, sharpness, and bokeh.
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit, a lens known for its compact size and sharpness, saw its VII iteration in 1984. While the Elmarit excels in portability, the Summicron, another renowned Leica lens, offers a wider aperture and a slightly different rendering.
To delve deeper into the nuances of these two lenses, you can explore a comprehensive video comparison here , which highlights their strengths and weaknesses. Understanding the differences between these two lenses will help you make an informed decision about which one best suits your photographic needs, whether you are looking for a compact companion or a lens capable of capturing stunning images in low-light conditions.
- Image Quality:The “VII” version of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit lens is known for its exceptional image quality. It produces sharp and detailed images with excellent contrast and color rendition.
- Sharpness:The “VII” version of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit lens is exceptionally sharp, even at wide apertures. The lens exhibits excellent sharpness across the entire frame, from the center to the corners.
- Bokeh:The “VII” version of the Leica R 35mm Elmarit lens produces smooth and pleasing bokeh, especially at wider apertures. The lens’s smooth bokeh helps to create a pleasing out-of-focus effect, which can be used to isolate subjects from the background.
Technical Specifications and Features
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens, a celebrated example of optical engineering, boasts a combination of impressive technical specifications and innovative features that contribute to its renowned image quality and performance. This section delves into the key aspects of its design and construction, highlighting the factors that contribute to its exceptional optical performance.
Lens Construction
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens is a masterpiece of optical design, featuring a sophisticated construction that combines a total of eight elements arranged in six groups. This configuration, a testament to Leica’s commitment to optical excellence, allows for a high level of light transmission and image sharpness.
Coating
The lens incorporates Leica’s proprietary T* multi-coating, a technology designed to minimize reflections and maximize light transmission. This coating, applied to each lens element, significantly reduces flare and ghosting, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The result is a notable increase in image clarity and contrast, enhancing the overall visual fidelity of the lens.
Diaphragm
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens features a circular aperture diaphragm with seven blades. This design, carefully crafted to ensure smooth transitions between aperture settings, contributes to the pleasing bokeh (out-of-focus areas) produced by the lens. The circular aperture shape also helps to create more aesthetically pleasing blur patterns, particularly when shooting with shallow depths of field.
Focusing Mechanism
The lens employs a helicoid focusing mechanism, allowing for precise and smooth manual focusing. This mechanism, a hallmark of Leica lenses, provides a tactile and responsive focusing experience, enabling photographers to achieve critical sharpness with ease. The focusing ring is designed for a comfortable grip and smooth rotation, further enhancing the overall user experience.
The Leica R 35 Elmarit, a classic lens known for its sharp rendering and compact size, saw several iterations throughout its production run. While the exact date of the VII version is not easily found, it’s worth noting that the Leica R system itself underwent significant changes with the introduction of the Leica R1 and R3 cameras.
For a detailed comparison of these two iconic cameras, check out this article on leica r 1 cam vs 3 cam. Understanding the evolution of the Leica R system helps to better contextualize the various iterations of lenses like the R 35 Elmarit, as they were designed to work seamlessly with the evolving camera bodies.
Optical Formula
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens incorporates an advanced optical formula designed to minimize distortion and chromatic aberration. This formula, a testament to Leica’s dedication to optical precision, ensures that images are rendered with high fidelity and minimal geometric distortion.
The result is a lens that produces sharp and well-defined images across the entire frame, even at the edges.
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit-R lens, with its f/2.8 aperture, was a staple for many photographers, offering sharp images and a compact design. It was particularly popular in the 1970s and 1980s, a time when the debate between film and digital cameras was just beginning to heat up.
This debate was often centered around the question of image quality, with some photographers arguing that film offered a more nuanced and pleasing look than digital. To understand the evolution of this debate, it’s helpful to compare two popular Nikon models: the D500 and the D750.
nikon d500 versus nikon d750 The D500, with its faster frame rate and superior autofocus system, is geared towards action photography, while the D750, with its full-frame sensor and higher resolution, is more suited for landscape and portrait work. This kind of comparison, while interesting, is ultimately a reflection of the diverse needs of photographers, much like the choice between the Leica R 35 Elmarit and a modern lens.
Minimum Focusing Distance
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens offers a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 meters (2.3 feet), providing a versatile range for close-up photography. This relatively short minimum focusing distance, combined with the lens’s wide aperture, allows photographers to capture subjects with a shallow depth of field, creating a pleasing separation between the subject and the background.
Filter Thread
The lens features a 46mm filter thread, compatible with a wide range of filters designed to enhance or modify the light entering the lens. This feature allows photographers to explore creative options, such as using polarizing filters to reduce glare or neutral density filters to control the amount of light entering the lens.
Usage and Applications: Leica R 35 Elmarit When Was Vii
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens, with its compact size and versatile 35mm focal length, offers a range of applications for photographers seeking a balance between wide-angle perspectives and a natural field of view. Its sharpness, contrast, and overall image quality make it a reliable choice for various genres, including street photography, documentary work, and even landscape photography.
Street Photography
Street photography often demands a lens that captures the environment naturally, allowing photographers to blend in and document candid moments. The 35mm focal length of the Elmarit “VII” provides a wide enough perspective to encompass the surroundings while maintaining a sense of intimacy.
The lens’s compact size and relatively quiet operation contribute to its discreetness, allowing photographers to capture street scenes without drawing undue attention. Renowned street photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Garry Winogrand have utilized 35mm lenses extensively, demonstrating the versatility of this focal length for capturing spontaneous moments in urban environments.
Portraiture
While not typically considered a portrait lens, the Elmarit “VII” can be used effectively for portraiture, particularly when seeking a more intimate and candid approach. The 35mm focal length creates a slightly wider perspective than a standard 50mm lens, allowing for more environmental context in the portrait.
This can be beneficial for creating a sense of place and connection between the subject and their surroundings. The lens’s sharp rendering and subtle bokeh can also contribute to a flattering and natural look in portraits.
Landscape Photography
The Elmarit “VII” can be a valuable tool for landscape photography, particularly when seeking a wider perspective than a standard 50mm lens. The 35mm focal length allows for capturing expansive scenes while maintaining a sense of detail and depth. However, its relatively narrow maximum aperture of f/2.8 may limit its ability to create shallow depth of field for isolating subjects in landscape photography.
Strengths and Weaknesses
| Scenario | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Street Photography | Compact size, discreet operation, natural field of view, excellent sharpness | Relatively narrow maximum aperture (f/2.8) may limit low-light performance |
| Portraiture | Intimate and candid perspective, sharp rendering, subtle bokeh | Wider perspective than a standard portrait lens may not be ideal for all subjects |
| Landscape Photography | Wide perspective, excellent sharpness | Relatively narrow maximum aperture (f/2.8) may limit depth-of-field control |
Performance and Image Quality
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens is renowned for its exceptional image quality, delivering sharp, high-contrast images with pleasing rendering of colors, textures, and bokeh. This lens is a testament to Leica’s commitment to optical excellence, providing photographers with a versatile tool for capturing a wide range of subjects.
Sharpness and Contrast
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens exhibits excellent sharpness throughout its aperture range, delivering sharp images even at wide-open apertures. The lens achieves peak sharpness at around f/5.6, with minimal noticeable softening even at f/16. This exceptional sharpness is attributed to the lens’s sophisticated optical design, featuring six elements in five groups, including two aspherical elements.
These elements effectively minimize aberrations, resulting in crisp and detailed images.The lens also boasts high contrast, delivering images with a strong sense of depth and dimensionality. This high contrast is achieved through the use of high-quality glass and coatings, which effectively reduce flare and ghosting, ensuring that images are rich in detail and clarity.
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit-M lens, a compact and versatile optic, has seen several iterations over the years. While the exact release date of the “VII” version is elusive, its predecessor, the Leica R 35mm f/2.8, is often compared to the faster f/2 lens.
For a detailed breakdown of their differences, you can consult this informative resource: leica r 35mm 2.8 vs 2. Understanding these distinctions can help photographers choose the right lens for their needs, whether seeking a compact option for everyday use or a brighter aperture for low-light situations.
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit-M, regardless of its specific version, remains a prized lens for its exceptional image quality and classic design.
Distortion
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens exhibits minimal distortion, making it suitable for a variety of photographic applications. The lens employs a symmetrical optical design, which effectively minimizes barrel and pincushion distortion. This ensures that straight lines remain straight in the final image, even at the edges of the frame.
Color Rendering and Texture
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens is known for its accurate and pleasing color rendition. The lens faithfully reproduces colors, delivering natural-looking images with vibrant and rich hues. This accurate color rendition is achieved through the lens’s multi-coating, which effectively minimizes chromatic aberration and ensures that colors are rendered accurately.The lens also excels in rendering textures, capturing fine details and subtle variations in surfaces.
This is attributed to the lens’s high resolving power, which allows it to capture even the smallest details with clarity.
Bokeh
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens produces pleasing bokeh, characterized by smooth and creamy out-of-focus areas. This is achieved through the lens’s rounded aperture blades, which create a smooth transition between in-focus and out-of-focus areas. The lens’s bokeh is particularly pleasing when shooting portraits, allowing photographers to isolate subjects from their surroundings and create a soft, ethereal background.
Comparison with Contemporary Lenses
Compared to other contemporary lenses in its class, the Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens consistently ranks among the top performers in terms of sharpness, contrast, and overall image quality. Its exceptional sharpness, high contrast, and pleasing bokeh make it a highly sought-after lens for photographers seeking a versatile and high-performing option for their Leica R system cameras.
User Experience and Handling
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit is renowned not only for its exceptional image quality but also for its refined user experience. The lens is meticulously crafted to provide a balance of performance, ergonomics, and handling, making it a pleasure to use for photographers of all levels.
Physical Characteristics
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit is a compact and lightweight lens, weighing in at approximately 250 grams. This makes it incredibly portable and easy to carry around, ideal for street photography and travel. Its compact size and lightweight construction contribute to its overall balance and handling.
The lens is built with a robust metal construction, known for its durability and resistance to wear and tear. The metal exterior not only provides a sense of quality but also contributes to the lens’s overall weight and stability.
Focusing Mechanism
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit features a manual focusing mechanism, which allows for precise control over the point of focus. The focusing ring is smooth and responsive, providing a tactile feedback that helps photographers to fine-tune their focus. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 meters, offering a degree of versatility for close-up photography.
The focusing mechanism is designed for smooth and precise adjustments, allowing for accurate focus acquisition.
User Experience
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit is a lens that prioritizes user experience. Its compact size, lightweight design, and manual focusing mechanism make it a joy to use. The lens feels balanced in the hand, providing a sense of control and stability.
The focusing ring is smooth and responsive, offering a tactile feedback that helps photographers to fine-tune their focus. The overall user experience is characterized by its intuitive handling and ease of use, making it suitable for both novice and experienced photographers.
Legacy and Value
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens holds a significant place in the history of Leica’s lens development, embodying a crucial transition towards more compact and versatile designs. This lens was not just an upgrade, but a testament to the evolution of optical engineering within the company.
Historical Significance, Leica r 35 elmarit when was vii
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens represents a significant advancement in lens design and manufacturing for Leica. Introduced in 1984, this lens marked a departure from the traditional Elmarit design, incorporating the “floating element” technology. This innovative design feature allowed for improved image quality across the entire focusing range, particularly at close distances.
The lens also featured a more compact and lightweight design compared to its predecessors, making it more appealing to photographers seeking a portable and versatile option. The “VII” designation, denoting the lens’s compatibility with the Leica R7 camera, further cemented its place in the evolution of the Leica R system.
Value and Collectability
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens, while not as highly sought-after as some of the more iconic Leica lenses, holds a certain appeal among collectors and photographers. Its compact size, excellent optical performance, and association with the Leica R system make it a desirable lens for both casual and professional use.
The lens’s value is influenced by factors such as its condition, original box and accessories, and overall rarity.
Market Price and Availability
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” lens is generally considered a good value for its performance and quality. While not as expensive as some of the more rare Leica lenses, it still commands a respectable price in the used market.
The lens can typically be found for between $500 and $1000 depending on condition and seller. Availability varies depending on location and online marketplaces, with some sellers offering refurbished or reconditioned options.
Final Thoughts
The Leica R 35mm Elmarit “VII” stands as a testament to Leica’s commitment to innovation and excellence. It represents the culmination of years of refinement and technological advancement, resulting in a lens that delivers exceptional image quality and performance. Its legacy continues to inspire photographers today, cementing its place as a classic in the world of Leica lenses.
Whether used for street photography, portraiture, or landscape, the “VII” version remains a highly sought-after lens, prized for its versatility, sharpness, and timeless appeal.