{"overview":"The Leitz 135mm f\/3.4 APO-Telyt-M is a short telephoto rangefinder lens for the Leica M bayonet mount, aimed at photographers needing reach beyond the standard 90mm focal length. It is widely regarded as the final and most refined 135mm design in the M system, intended for portrait, landscape and detail work where corrected long-focus performance matters.","market_narrative":"Auction data for this model is thin: a single UK saleroom record from April 2021 shows a hammer price of £1,364, which sets the only confirmed reference point for what a clean example has sold for at wholesale level. With just one verified sale on file, today's market value should be treated as indicative rather than a true median, and condition-driven swings are likely either side of that figure in 2026. Buyers asking what a 135mm f\/3.4 APO-Telyt-M is worth at UK auction should weigh this lone hammer result against current dealer asking prices, which typically sit higher once commission and retail margin are added.","buying_guide":"Inspect the front and rear groups carefully for fungus, internal haze and cleaning marks on the coatings, all of which dull contrast on a long lens where micro-contrast is the main selling point. Check that the focus ring moves smoothly across its full travel without stiffness or sticky grease, that the aperture blades are dry and snappy with no oil migration, and that the built-in telescoping hood deploys and locks cleanly. Verify rangefinder coupling accuracy on a body, since 135mm is the most demanding focal length for M-mount focus calibration.","specs":"Key specifications confirmed from the supplied data: 135mm focal length, f\/3.4 maximum aperture, Leica M bayonet mount.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Leitz 135mm f\/3.4 APO-Telyt-M worth at UK auction?","a":"The only verified UK auction sale on file fetched £1,364 hammer in April 2021, so that figure is the best available reference for current value, though a single data point cannot establish a firm price band."},{"q":"How much does a 135mm f\/3.4 APO-Telyt-M sell for today?","a":"Based on the limited sales history available, a clean copy has sold for around £1,364 at saleroom level, with retail dealer prices typically running higher once margins are applied."},{"q":"Will the APO-Telyt-M fit a Leica R SLR?","a":"No — the -M designation means it is a Leica M rangefinder bayonet lens and is not compatible with the Leica R reflex mount."},{"q":"What should I check before buying one?","a":"Look for fungus, haze and coating scratches in the optics, oil on the aperture blades, smooth focus action, and accurate rangefinder coupling, since 135mm is the most focus-critical focal length on the M system."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Only one verified sales record and no SPECS or variant data were provided, so market commentary and specifications are necessarily limited."}

{"overview":"The Leitz 180mm f\/3.4 APO-Telyt-R is an apochromatic telephoto prime in Leica R bayonet mount, built for the R-series SLR bodies (R3 through R9). It was designed for sports, reportage and wildlife work where controlled chromatic aberration and a relatively fast aperture at 180mm were priorities.","market_narrative":"Hammer prices at recent UK auction have ranged from £125 to £250, with a median around £180 across three recorded results, so as of 2026 the lens sells for comparatively modest money at saleroom level. These are wholesale figures achieved under the hammer rather than dealer retail, and cleaner examples with boxes or the matching tripod collar tend to sit toward the upper end of the value band.","buying_guide":"Inspect both cemented groups for haze, fungus and any sign of separation, as balsam issues will undermine the apochromatic correction this lens is bought for. Check the aperture blades for oil, work the focus ring through its full travel to confirm it is smooth rather than stiff or dry, and look over the front element and coatings for cleaning marks. Confirm the R bayonet is tight and, if fitted, that the built-in tripod foot rotates and locks without play.","specs":"A 180mm f\/3.4 apochromatic telephoto prime in Leica R bayonet mount, intended for Leica R-series SLR cameras.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Leitz 180mm f\/3.4 APO-Telyt-R worth today?","a":"Recent UK auction hammer results place its value between £125 and £250, with a median price of around £180."},{"q":"How much does a 180mm APO-Telyt-R sell for at auction?","a":"Three recorded UK sales show it sells for £125 at the low end and £250 at the high end, depending on cosmetic and optical condition."},{"q":"Will the APO-Telyt-R fit a Leica M rangefinder?","a":"No — it is a Leica R bayonet lens for R-series SLRs and is not physically compatible with M-mount rangefinder bodies."}],"confidence":40,"reasoning":"Only three sales records and no structured SPECS or variant data were supplied, so the price band is indicative rather than robust."}

{"overview":"The Leitz 280mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R is a fast apochromatic telephoto prime in Leica R bayonet mount, designed for the Leica R-series SLR system. As a long, fast aperture lens, it was aimed at sports, wildlife and press photographers who needed reach combined with a wide working aperture on Leicaflex and R-body cameras.","market_narrative":"UK auction data for this lens is extremely thin: a single recorded hammer result of £1,645 at Christie's in 2001, achieved at the saleroom and excluding buyer's and seller's commission. With only one data point, it is not possible to give a reliable median or current 2026 price range, and what a clean copy is worth today will depend heavily on condition, completeness of the dedicated case and hood, and how it sells for at the next specialist sale. Variant differences (earlier two-piece versus later one-piece APO-Telyt-R designs) can also materially affect value, so individual results vary widely.","buying_guide":"On a heavy, complex telephoto like this, inspect the front and rear groups carefully for fungus, haze and any sign of element separation or balsam edge discolouration, all of which are expensive to address on APO designs. Check that the aperture blades are dry and snappy with no oil migration, that focus is smooth across the full travel without stiffness or grease drag, and that coatings are free from cleaning marks or scratches. Confirm the R bayonet, tripod collar and built-in or supplied hood are intact, and verify that the lens matches the variant being advertised, since the 280mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R was produced in more than one mechanical version.","specs":"Key specifications confirmed from the supplied data: 280mm focal length, f\/2.8 maximum aperture, APO-Telyt-R optical designation, Leitz branding, and Leica R bayonet mount for R-series SLR bodies.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Leitz 280mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R worth at UK auction?","a":"The only verified UK hammer result in our records is £1,645 at Christie's in 2001, so a precise current value cannot be given from this dataset alone; condition, variant and completeness will drive what any individual example sells for today."},{"q":"How much does a 280mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R sell for compared with slower 280mm Leica R telephotos?","a":"With only one recorded sale we cannot quote a reliable premium, but as the fast f\/2.8 APO version it is generally a more sought-after and higher-priced lens than the slower f\/4 280mm Telyt-R variants in the same R-mount system."},{"q":"Does it fit Leica M cameras?","a":"No. The APO-Telyt-R is a Leica R bayonet lens for R-series SLRs and is not compatible with M-mount rangefinder bodies."},{"q":"What should I check before buying one?","a":"Look closely for fungus, haze, separation in the apochromatic groups, oil on the aperture blades, coating scratches, and any stiffness in the focus helicoid, and confirm which mechanical version of the APO-Telyt-R you are being offered."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Specs provided are minimal and there is only one sales record from 2001, so market commentary and variant detail are necessarily limited."}

{"overview":"The Leitz 400mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R is an apochromatic super-telephoto prime built for the Leica R SLR system, mounting on bayonet R bodies such as the R6, R7, R8 and R9. Designed for professional sports, wildlife and press work, it is one of the largest and heaviest lenses Leitz produced for the reflex line, and its rarity and specialist purpose strongly influence what it sells for today.","market_narrative":"Auction data for this lens is thin: a single UK saleroom hammer result of £7,440 from November 2020 is the only verified data point we hold, so any sense of price range comes from that one wholesale figure rather than a broad sample. As of 2026 the value of a clean APO-Telyt-R 400mm f\/2.8 at recent UK auction is best treated as guidance only, with condition, originality of the trunk case, hood and tripod foot, and the presence of original documentation all materially affecting what it is worth at the hammer. Note these are auction hammer prices excluding commission, so dealer retail asking prices typically sit well above this level.","buying_guide":"Inspect the front and rear groups carefully under a torch for fungus, internal haze and any sign of element separation around the cemented APO groups, since repair on a lens of this size is rarely economic. Check that the aperture blades are dry and snappy with no oil migration, that the focus helicoid moves smoothly across its full long throw without grinding or stiffness, and that the internal coatings are free of cleaning marks. Also verify the tripod collar, lens trunk, hood and any supplied filters are present and undamaged, as these are difficult and expensive to replace.","specs":"Key specifications from the supplied data: 400mm focal length, f\/2.8 maximum aperture, Leica R bayonet mount, with APO (apochromatic) optical correction as denoted by the model name.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Leitz 400mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R worth at UK auction?","a":"Our records show one verified UK auction hammer price of £7,440 from November 2020; with only a single data point the true market price range is uncertain and condition will swing the figure considerably."},{"q":"How much does a 400mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R sell for compared to other R-mount telephotos?","a":"It sits at the top of the R-mount telephoto hierarchy because of its f\/2.8 aperture and APO design, so it typically sells for substantially more than slower 400mm Telyt-R variants when clean examples appear."},{"q":"Will the 400mm f\/2.8 APO-Telyt-R fit a Leica M camera?","a":"No. The -R suffix denotes the Leica R SLR bayonet, which is physically incompatible with the M rangefinder mount, so its value is tied to the R-system user and collector base."},{"q":"What faults most affect the price of this lens?","a":"Fungus, internal haze, oily aperture blades, coating scratches and stiff focus all materially reduce what the lens is worth, as does a missing trunk case, hood or tripod foot."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Only one verified sales record and no variant or specification facts beyond the model name, so price commentary and detail are necessarily limited."}