Last week I visited the only supplier of occasion Leica lenses that I can reach by bike. This guy has a very broad collection of old and new(ish) Leica lenses, plus lots of other interesting brands. Always cool to stop by and check out some lenses. One of the new lenses that he just was putting up for sale was a Leica R 180 APO-Elmarit 2.8, first version. This is one of the ‘pearls’ from the R-range and this lens is famous for its sharpness.
This lens is insanely sharp, already at 2.8…
I noted three things about this lens, before I took a shot. It’s very light, considering its focal length and speed. Second, the focus ring is incredibly smooth and with a large focus throw. Third, the lens focuses internally, which looks nice and is great for videography.
Long story short, check out this picture and the crop. This lens is insanely sharp, already at 2.8 and even at this close distance. Yes, the 3.8 version is loads and loads cheaper, but not as sharp wide open en also not as sharp in the short range.
There’s one downside: it’s 2500 Euro….
