Leica Elmar 90mm f/4 Collapsible

Leica Elmar 90mm f/4 Collapsible

Among the many 90mm Elmars Leica produced, this is one of only two collapsible examples, the other being the much later Macro-Elmar, since the earlier 90mm variants and the later Elmar-C were all built as rigid lenses [1]. The collapsing barrel is the lens's defining trait and the main reason collectors single it out from the otherwise plentiful 90mm Elmar family. The full front engraving reads Ernst Leitz GmbH Wetzlar Elmar f=9cm 1:4, and the lens carries the M-mount product code 11631 (older lettered code ILNOO) [1]. As an inexpensive entry point into genuine Leitz glass, it remains popular with users who want a small, all-metal telephoto for film and digital M bodies [1].

The optical layout is a four-element design in three groups, evolving from the simpler triplet of the earliest 9cm Elmars and preceding a later four-element, four-group arrangement [1]. The barrel is built largely of brass and finished in satin chrome, with gloss chrome on the collapsing section and the part that extends during close focusing, giving it a heavy, solid feel without play or wobble [1]. The lens focuses only when fully extended and locked with a quarter turn, and it must be returned to infinity before it can be collapsed; a small infinity lock holds the focus there and a leather bumper quiets the barrel when it is pushed home [1]. The large scalloped focusing ring sits at the base and is marked in metres, with a depth-of-field scale and an infrared index, while the aperture ring at the front clicks at full stops from f/4 to f/32 over ten mostly straight blades [1]. The lens takes 39mm screw-in filters and has a notably thick filter rim that resists denting [1]. It is not designed to be collapsed on digital M bodies, where the wide rear element risks contacting the shutter or focusing cam, and care is needed on the M5 and CL because of their swing metering arms; on most other film bodies collapsing is fine [1].

Identification is straightforward: early screw-mount examples can be told apart by their A36 clamp-on filter fittings and an older aperture scale reading 4, 4.5, 6.3, 9 and so on, whereas this M-mount version uses 39mm filters and the familiar modern scale [1]. The dedicated reversible metal hood carries the code IUFOO, shared with the 90mm f/2.8 and 135mm f/4.5, and pairs with a 14033 push-on cap; an A39 slip-on cap is an alternative for storage [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering Reviewers describe a moderate, slightly low contrast that holds detail well and renders many mid-tones, producing a markedly filmic black-and-white look on digital monochrome bodies [1]. As a slow telephoto it is reported to be more than adequately sharp wide open, with sharpness falling off somewhat toward the corners, and easy to focus [1]. The out-of-focus rendering is described as restrained rather than busy, neither bubbly nor swirly, complementing the subject instead of dominating it [1]. A mild vignette is visible wide open, and distortion is not noted as a problem in practical use, with the lens working well for architectural detail [1]. Flare can appear as veiling or sickle-shaped artifacts in backlit situations, though reviewers report it is uncommon enough that the hood is often left off [1].

History

Development and Launch The Elmar name traces back to Leica's earliest lenses and the designer Max Berek, and the wider 90mm Elmar line developed over the decades from a simple triplet into more complex forms [1]. This M-mount collapsible version was produced from 1954 to 1968 [1].

Production Evolution The 9cm Elmar evolved from an early three-element design to the four-element, three-group configuration of this version, and later to a four-element, four-group layout [1]. Visible markers of the older screw-mount lenses include A36 clamp-on filters and a non-standard aperture scale, distinguishing them from this 39mm-filter M-mount lens with its conventional scale [1].

Special editions No major factory special variants of this lens are widely documented. Its closest relatives are the rigid 90mm Elmars of the same era and the later rigid Elmar-C, rather than distinct special editions [1].

Collector Notes Production of the 9cm Elmar in this era ran to roughly 79,000 to 80,000 units, including the rigid version, so clean examples remain easy to find and the lens is comparatively affordable [1][2]. Its all-mechanical construction also means it remains repairable, and copies that have sat unused may benefit from a clean, lubricate and adjust service [1][2]. Buyers should verify smooth operation of the collapsing and infinity-lock mechanisms, since these are the lens's signature feature, and confirm the presence of original accessories such as the IUFOO hood, matching caps and 39mm filters [1]. Because the rear element is wide, owners using digital M cameras should avoid collapsing the lens to protect the shutter and focusing cam [1].

Sources

• [1] Agata Urbaniak, 35mmc. Ernst Leitz (Leica) Elmar 9cm f/4 Collapsible – The Near Perfect Slow Lens. https://www.35mmc.com/06/12/2021/ernst-leitz-leica-elmar-9cm-f-4-collapsible-the-near-perfect-slow-lens-by-agata-urbaniak/
• [2] ErickPHOTO. Erns Leitz Leica Elmar 9cm f/4 Collapsible Lens M Mount review. https://erickoke.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/erns-leitz-leica-elmar-9cm-f-4-collapsible-lens-m-mount-review-by-erickphoto/