You don’t see 135mm lenses on Leica M cameras that often, and not many people use them. Those who do use it are usually looking for lightweight and inconspicuous equipment, or they’re after large apertures and extreme blurring. The 135mm really shines in this last area. The choice between 135mm and other lenses has nothing to do with whether you use a rangefinder camera. Leica’s most affordable way to achieve blur is right there, and it’s a good deal.
Leica M135 2.8:
I was surprised to see someone using an M9 with an M135 2.8 while window shopping in a camera store. I gave it a try and, since my glasses magnify things, focusing was easy. The eyeglass version with a 90mm frame magnifying by 1.4 times made framing even more comfortable than the 90mm lens.
Leica design:
This lens was designed by Mandel and produced in Germany and Canada. It was first available in the S7 mount, and later in the E55 mount. Word is that there isn’t much difference between the two. I’ve always thought that Leica design is the most cost-effective, no matter the cost, and the origin isn’t that important.
The workmanship and materials used in this lens are top-notch, and it feels like a Leica. Even though it’s on the cheaper side, there’s no sign of cutting corners. When I say “cheap,” I’m talking about the used price, because it’s still pretty expensive when you buy it new.
Weight:
The Leica M135 2.8, when used with an eyepiece, is quite heavy at 775g, which is comparable to the 700g of the Noctilux 50/0.95. If you hang it around your neck, it’ll probably cause you some neck problems, so, like the Noctilux, it’s best to hang it around your neck and hold the lens with your left arm.
Focusability:
There are two things to think about when it comes to the claim that 135mm is difficult to focus.
First, the focus travel is long, and the framing range is small, so it’s easy to lose sight of the subject when trying to capture a candid moment.
Second, the yellow spot focus of the non-eyepiece 135mm 2.8 is small, and since it’s in a shallow depth of field, it’s easy to miss focus. With the eyepiece version, there’s no such problem because of the magnifying glass.
The long focus travel means it always takes too much time to focus, which makes it unsuitable for capturing candid moments. The tripod mount hole on the M135 2.8 suggests that this lens is better suited to still photography or fixed-point photography, such as landscape photography.
Brand Name: LEICA Filter Size: SERIES VII RETAINING RING Focus Type: MANUAL FOCUS (ONLY) Lens Mount: LEICA M Lens Type: TELEPHOTO / LONG Max Focal Length: 135MM Min Focal Length: 135MM
