28 August 2012

The World’s Most Expensive Camera Lens

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Click to view enlarged version



The most expensive camera in the world is a 1923 Leica O-series, which was sold at an auction for US$2.79 million.



The most expensive (longest, biggest and heaviest) camera lens is also a Leica with a similar price tag.



Wealthy photography-enthusiast, Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Thani of Qatar, ordered a customized Leica SPO-Telyt-R 1:5.6/1600mm lens that cost him US$2,064,500.



The lens—built in Leica’s Solms, Gemany factory—has a body of 1.2-meters long, a 42cm-wide end, weighs 132lbs (60kg), and needs a solid tripod to be used.



The behemoth lens has a focal length of 1,600mm, covers a diagonal angle of view of 1.5 degrees.



According to APO-Telyt, it is also compatible with Leica’s 1.4x and 2x APO-teleconvertors—that would give it a focal length of 2,240mm and 3,200mm.



Danish Leica expert Thorsten Overgaard also reported to APO-Telyt that Sheikh Al-Thani commissioned a specially-equipped four-wheel drive Mercedes, to carry and move around his expensive lens.



However, no images taken with the lens have been made available.





[via APO-Telyt, image via MegaPixel]