Leica Elmar 135mm f/4 LTM

Leica Elmar 135mm f/4

The Elmar 135mm f/4 represents the longest focal length Leitz built to work with a coupled rangefinder, and it marked a clear step forward from the older Hektor 135mm f/4.5 it replaced [1][2]. Designed by Walter Mandler, it used a simple but effective layout of four elements in four groups, and it became the standard Leica long telephoto of the 1960s before later Tele-Elmar designs took over[3]. Production ran from 1960 to 1968, with the lens carrying the inscription ELMAR 1:4/135 LEITZ WETZLAR.

The lens is a substantial all-metal barrel measuring about 123 mm long and 53 mm in diameter, weighing roughly 440 g, built from anodized aluminium with a leatherette focusing grip. It focuses from 1.5 m to infinity, takes E39 filters, and uses a twelve-blade diaphragm running from f/4 to f/22. A distinctive feature is its modular construction: the optical cell unscrews from the focusing mount so the head can be used on the Visoflex reflex housing with a focusing adapter, giving the lens a second life as a short telephoto for close and macro work. The narrow 18-degree angle of view makes accurate framing on a rangefinder demanding, and the matching IUFOO clamp-on hood and an auxiliary finder were offered to help. On the camera the lens is rangefinder coupled, and the chrome two-tone finish is typical of the period.

Sources record the lens in both Leica screw mount and M-bayonet forms, with screw-mount examples far less common than the bayonet version. Collector references differ on the production span and order numbers: the manufacturer-derived data note an end around the mid-1960s and list several order numbers across the M and screw variants, while LeicaLensList records the screw-mount lens under 11750 with production through 1968. The verified figures take precedence here, and buyers should confirm mount and order number against the specific example.

Optical qualities

Rendering Documented impressions of the Elmar 135 come mainly from user reports rather than formal test data. Reviewers describe it as a sharp performer wide open, with resolution improving only marginally on stopping down, and good results achievable even at f/4. Its rendering is often praised for portraiture, where it treats skin tones gently and separates a head from a blurred background, a character several users attribute to the Mandler-era design rather than to clinical modern sharpness. Because the maximum aperture is f/4, the lens is comparatively slow, but in landscape, detail and aviation work that is rarely a limitation, and a tripod is commonly used to extract the best results.

History

Development and Launch The Elmar 135mm f/4 arrived in 1960 as Leitz's improved replacement for the Hektor 135mm f/4.5, offering a more modern optical formula while remaining the longest lens that could still be focused with the rangefinder. It was offered in both Leica screw and M-bayonet mounts and slotted in as the standard long telephoto in the M-system lineup, later giving way to the Tele-Elmar 135mm f/4.

Production Evolution The lens was produced through the 1960s with its distinctive removable optical head, allowing the same cell to serve on the Visoflex via a focusing adapter. Surviving serial-number records show production concentrated in the early 1960s and split between M-bayonet and screw-mount examples, with bayonet versions far outnumbering screw ones.

Collector Notes The lens is widely regarded as an affordable entry into vintage Leica telephotos, with usable examples often selling well below the cost of later 135 mm Leica optics. Buyers should confirm that the unscrewing front cell is present and undamaged, since the Visoflex-compatible head is integral to the design, and should check focus smoothness and the diaphragm action. Original accessories such as the IUFOO hood, the front cap and the clear plastic dome keeper add to a clean example, and the chrome two-tone finish should be checked for wear consistent with the lens's age.