LEICA-R FF: 19mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 80mm, 135m

The Leica R set was known for photography in the 80s and 90s, however they are just as good as many cinema lenses. The Leica-R series now has a 14-blade iris. These stay perfectly circular, even when stopped down which gives a very smooth bokeh. The Leica-R series is especially known for its unique skin tones. The Leica-R’s have a strong vintage character but also strong optical sharpness.

The Leica-R series has been used on Oscar Nominated films as recent as 2022 on the film EO.

The Leica Elmarit-R 19mm f/2.8 V1 was introduced in 1975 for the Leica-R system and designed by Walter Mandler. It was Leica's first 19mm ultra-wide for their SLR lineup, with a ~96° AoV, developed at a time when extreme retrofocus wide-angle design was still far more difficult and limited than it would become in later years. The lens is known for its strong rendering when stopped down, especially through the mid-apertures, while still carrying the classic compromises of an early ultra-wide design.

For our rehoused version, we brought the lens to a 95mm front OD to keep it consistent with the rest of the set, without introducing vignetting. We removed the original focusing mechanism entirely and replaced it with a new non-linear cam-driven system, designed, manufactured, and assembled from the ground up. We also built a completely new iris and calibrated the lens in T-stops for more reliable use in serious production.

Over fifty years on, the optical formula Walter Mandler designed is still doing the work, just in a form that belongs on a modern set.

The Leica Summilux-R 80mm f/1.4 is one of the first Summilux lenses we rehoused in the Leica-R lineup, following the Summicron-R 35mm and 50mm we completed earlier. This lens also gave us the chance to use our latest design, with a full 300 degree focus throw and a 16-blade iris upgrade to keep the bokeh round throughout the aperture range.

For an 80mm f/1.4, the lens is fairly compact, so it didn't require an especially long housing. It's still quite heavy though, as expected for a fast lens of this type. Its measured T-stop comes in at T1.6.

The Leica Summicron-R 35mm f/2 is a favorite for many shooters. This one was completed in July 2025 and is part of the later batches using our latest housing design.

For this version we implemented a non-linear focus scale and upgraded the iris to 14 blades. Inside, it uses a cam-driven focusing mechanism that delivers a very smooth feel while also being straightforward to service when needed.

More Leica R sets will be coming soon, including Elmarit, Summicron, and Summilux lenses across the range.