LEICA Barnack Berek Blog: NEW USE FOR LEICA R LENSES

With the Leica R-Adapters we finally have a good alternative to use the Leica R lenses on other Leica cameras like the the Leica SL, Leica M240, Leica M10, as well as the Leica T series cameras. But there is another new use for the Leica R lenses.

More and more filmmakers have discovered the creative properties and the high quality of many older lenses. To allow these optical top performers to maintain their excellence when subjected to the mechanical requirements of film production, the Firm of P+S Technik in Munich is offering a rehousing program where the optical components are transferred to a new lens barrel.

The optical components of these older photographic lenses are used in a housing, which allows an optimal interaction with the motorized focusing and aperture control units when filming. In addition, P + S Technik has also launched a program for lenses with floating elements. The diaphragm mechanism of all lenses has also been improved.

Leica-R Apo-Summicron 180mm f/2

Leica R lenses are now incorporated in the SL case of P + S with a front diameter of 110 mm. The invention of "Floating Elements" was a big, important step in the history of optical design. This technique has been transferred from zoom lenses to fixed focal length lenses to correct chromatic aberrations during focusing over the entire field of the focusing range.

In a classic lens design, the entire optical system is moved back or forth to correct focusing at the image plane. In a floating lens element system two or more lens elements are moved simultaneously and independently from each other.

Leica Apo-Telyt-R 400mm/560mm module

Often these older lenses are described as being softer and less contrasty than their modern counterparts, but when compared to most vintage lenses, these examples are sharper and display noticeably higher contrast levels.

Obviously this is only a relatively small market, but the very fact that the Leica R lenses are part of this rehousing program by P+S Technik further underlines the incredible performance levels these lenses are capable of.