Top Picks for Leica 'R' Lenses A guide to help you construct your Leica R kit.  The most modern lenses are recommended in most all situations.  There are a few standout performers in the used lens category, and quite a few bargains to be had for those starting out.  Construct your kit to suit your shooting style and subject matter.   Some Modern Lens Kit Suggestions: Kit 1 - Modern Single Focal Length Lenses - Focus on sharpness/Weight Leica 28mm F2.8 Elmarit R Leica 50mm F1.4 Summilux or 50mm F2 Summicron Leica 90mm F2 Summicron APO Asph. Leica 180mm F2.8 APO Elmarit R Kit 2 - Modern Zoom Lenses - Focus on Ease of Composition/Speed Leica 21-35mm F3.5/4 Vario Elmarit R Leica 28-90mm F2.8/4 Vario Elmarit R Leica 70-180mm F2.8 APO-Vario-Elmarit R Kit 3 - Modern Zoom Length Lenses - Focus on Weight/Ease of Composition Leica 35-70mm F4 Vario Elmarit Leica 80-200 F4 Vario-Elmarit Kit 4 - Moden Single Focal Length Lenses - Focus on the Need for Speed Leica 19mm F2.8 Elmarit R Leica 28mm F2.8 Elmarit R Leica 50mm F1.4 Summilux R Leica 80mm F1.4 Summilux-R Leica 180mm F2 APO-Summmicron Leica 280mm F4 APO-Telyt-R       Top Used Lenses Focal Length Model F-Stop Version Years Produced Rare or $$ Elements/ Groups Notes 35mm Summicron-R 2.0 1 1970-1977 $$ 9/7 Superb Black & White lens 35mm Elmarit-R 2.8 3 1979-1996 $$ 7/6 Cult Lens known for Small Size,  Flat Field and Excellent Sharpness 50mm Summicron-R 2.0 3 1976-Present $ 6/4 Super Sharp lens can be had for minimum $$ 60mm Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8 1-3 1972-present $ 6/5 Swiss army knife of lenses, doubles as a std. lens.  Sharp. 90mm Elmarit-R 2.8 2 1984-1997 $ 4/4 Great Small Portrait Lens. 135mm Elmarit-R 2.8 2 1968-1998 $ 5/4 Great Portrait Lens. 100mm APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8 1 1987-Present $$$ 8/6 Touted as the Sharpest SLR lens in the World prior to the new 90mm Summicron F2 ROM 180mm Apo-Telyt-R 3.4 1 1975-1998 $$$ 7/4 Great x-over Military design optic from the Canadian plant.  Known fo rits sharpness and compactness. 45-90mm Angenieux-Zoom 2.8 1 1969-1982 $$ 15/12 Very interesting optic with qualities that are very different.  Great Artistic tool.  Fun. Top Current Model  Lenses including Zooms Focal Length Model F-Stop Version Years Produced Version Elements/Groups Notes 28mm Elmarit-R 2.8 2 1994-Present $$ 8/7 Small and Light.  Exceptional Image Quality and Correction 35-70mm Vario-Elmarit-R-Asph 2.8 1 1998-1999 RARE $$$$$$$ 11/9 Small Numbers with Rare Hand Ground Aspheric Elements, Impeccable build quality and Photo Quality 28-90mm Vario-Elmarit R F2.8/4.0 1 2004-Present $$$$$ 11/8 The New Std Top End High Speed Zoom that replaces the above lens 35-70mm Vario-Elmarit R F4.0 1 1997-Present $$$ 8/7 Very High Quality, Small Size/Weight, Best Choice by far in this $$ class 21-35mm Vario-Elmarit R 3.5/4 1 1977-Present $$$$ 9/8 The Best Ultra-Wide SLR Zoom lens ever created.  I have never seen a wide zoom so well corrected as this lens.  Amazing engineering and Better than most makers single focal length wide lenses  In a class by its own. 70-180mm APO-Vario-Elmarit R 2.8 1 1995-Present $$$$ 13/10 The Sharpest High Speed Telephoto Zoom ever made.  Ultimate Quality rivaling the lengendary 35-70 F2.8 Zoom.  Big heavy lens with ultra fine focus and 'Snap'.  True Zoom.  An Optical and Mechanical Masterpiece. 50mm Summilux-R 1.4 4 1998-Present $$$ 8/7 My personal favorite of all R lenses, if I had only one lens to carry this would be it.  Equivelant picture quality as an M series camera. 80mm Summilux-R 1.4 1 1980-Present $$$ 7/5 This lens has been around forever - unchanged.  Why change what is perfect ?  Portraits and Black & white.  subject Isolation.  The best Super High speed Short Telephoto ever made.  Huge following on this lens. 90mm Summicron APO-Asph-R 2.0 1 2003-Present $$$ 5/5 The new kid on the block.  Same optics as the M lens in an R chassis.  Many say that it beats out the 100 Macro listed above. 100mm APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8 1 1987-Present $$$ 8/6 Touted as the Sharpest SLR lens in the World prior to the new 90mm Summicron F2 ROM 180mm Elmarit-R 2.8 3&4 1998-present $$$$ 7/5 Cuts you like a knife.  So sharp it will make you bleed. 280mm APO-Telyt-R 2.8 1993-present $$$$ 7/6 Longer version of the above lens. 350mm Telyt-R 4.8 1 1980-1993 Rare $$$ 7/5 Amazing lens,  difficult to find.