Elmar (lens)

The name Elmar is used by Leica to designate camera lenses of four elements.

History

The Elmar lenses originally had a maximum aperture of f/3.5. These lenses were derived from a 50 mm f/3.5 Elmax lens first produced in 1925. The name is a combination of

Ernst Leitz and Max Berek.^[1]

Description

Elmar lenses have a maximum aperture ranging between f/2.8 and f/4. Current Elmar lenses have a maximum aperture of f/3.8 or f/4, as in the Elmar-M 24 mm f/3.8 and Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21 mm f/4.^[1] The term Elmar is sometimes combined with: Super, Tele, APO, Macro or Vario. Leica also uses the name Elmarit for some lenses.

Market positions

Elmar lenses are comparatively slow. As a result they tend to be smaller and lighter than faster lenses of the same focal length.^[1]^[2]

List of Elmar lenses

For the M39 lens mount

Elmar 35 mm f/3.5
Elmar 50 mm f/3.5 collapsible
Elmar 50 mm f/2.8 collapsible
Elmar 90mm f/4

For the Leica M mount

Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21 mm f/4 ASPH.
Tri-Elmar-M 28–35–50 mm f/4 ASPH.
Super-Elmar-M 18 mm f/3.8 ASPH.
Super-Elmar-M 21 mm f/3.4 ASPH.
Elmar-M 50 mm f/2.8
Elmar-M 50 mm f/3.5 (1954-1961)
Macro-Elmar-M 90 mm f/4
Elmar 135 mm f/4.0

For the Leica R mount

Leica 15 mm f/3.5 Super-Elmar-R – 1980 (Carl Zeiss design)
Leica 100 mm f/4.0 Macro-Elmar-R bellows version
Leica 100 mm f/4.0 Macro-Elmar-R helical version
Leica 180 mm f/4 Elmar-R – 1976
Leica 21 mm–35 mm f/3.5–f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom – 2002
Leica 28 mm–70 mm f/3.5–4.5 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
Leica 35–70 f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
Leica 35–70 mm f/3.5 Vario-Elmar-R zoom (Minolta design and glass production)
Leica 70–210 mm f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom (Minolta design and glass production)
Leica 75–200 mm f/4.5 Vario-Elmar-R – 1976–1984 (Minolta design and glass production)
Leica 80–200 mm f/4.5 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
Leica 80–200 mm f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
Leica 105–280 mm f/4.2 Vario-Elmar-R zoom