Leica APO-Telyt-R 180mm, Leitz Canada

The Leica APO-Telyt-R 180mm f/3.4 is a classic apochromatically corrected telephoto prime for the Leica R system, designed for photographers who want extra reach with precise manual control.

At 180mm, it gives you a tight field of view that's particularly useful for portraits, landscapes, nature and distant details. The longer focal length also gives you plenty of control over framing when you can't physically get close to your subject.

The APO-Telyt-R uses a 7-element, 4-group optical design and was produced from the mid-1970s through the 1990s. This later 11242 version uses an E60 filter fitting. 

This lens was made in Canada and is has its original Leica/Leicaflex APO-Telyt-R 1:3.4/180 box.

Best for

Portraits, distant subjects, landscapes, nature photography and Leica R photographers looking for a classic apochromatic telephoto prime.

What to expect

The 180mm focal length gives you a noticeably compressed, narrow view compared with a standard lens, making it useful for isolating subjects and picking out details from a distance.

Its aperture runs from f/3.4 to f/22, with a minimum focusing distance of 2.5m. The lens also has a built-in sliding hood.

The APO designation refers to its apochromatic optical correction, designed to reduce chromatic aberration. Everything remains hands-on, with manual focusing, an aperture ring and engraved distance and depth-of-field markings.

Developing

This is a Leica R system film lens.

When used natively on a compatible Leica R or Leicaflex 35mm film camera, developing depends on the film loaded. Colour negative film commonly uses C-41 processing, while black and white and slide films require their respective processes.

The lens can also be adapted for use with suitable digital cameras, but its native system is Leica's 35mm SLR system.