Leica Tele-Elmar-M 135mm f/4 Type 1

Leica Tele-Elmar-M 135mm f/4 Type 1

Often described as a sleeper among Leica rangefinder optics, the Tele-Elmar 135mm f/4 was designed by Walter Mandler, one of the most respected lens designers of the twentieth century and the man behind classics such as the Summilux 35mm f/1.4 and the Noctilux 50mm f/1 [2]. Introduced in 1965, the lens used five elements in three groups and replaced the earlier four-element Elmar 135mm f/4, delivering a marked improvement in correction and contrast for the long end of the M lineup [1][3]. Reviewers have noted that the optical formula is essentially a telephoto adaptation of the Sonnar layout, a design tradition with a long following, though this lineage is rarely spelled out in print [2].

The lens is built from black anodized aluminium and weighs 550 g, with a 39 mm filter thread, a ten-blade diaphragm running from f/4 to f/22, and a minimum focusing distance of 1.5 m [1][3]. It is rangefinder coupled on the Leica M bayonet, covering a diagonal angle of view of about 18 degrees [1]. A distinctive feature of the earliest examples is that the optical cell unscrews as a separate lens head, allowing the unit to be used on a Visoflex housing with the appropriate focusing mount and extension tubes for reflex and close-range work [1]. The barrel is comparatively long and front-heavy, a handling trait reviewers consistently mention given the lens's telephoto reach on a compact rangefinder body [3].

The Type 1 carries the Leitz Wetzlar engraving and the order numbers 11851 and 11852, the latter denoting the removable lens head supplied for Visoflex use [1]. Within the long production span Leica made several cosmetic and detail changes rather than optical ones: a red distance scale on the very first 1965 examples, soon replaced by yellow markings, and a shift from a scalloped focusing knurl to an unscalloped style during the 1970s [1][2]. The optics remained unchanged across the whole run and into the later Tele-Elmar-M (order number 11861), so the various versions share the same imaging cell while differing only in their barrels and finishes [1][3]. The design proved so durable that no optical revision was deemed necessary across its 33-year production life, until it was superseded by the APO-Telyt-M 135mm f/3.4 ASPH in 1998 [1][2].

Optical qualities

Rendering The Tele-Elmar has a strong reputation for sharpness and clean, neutral rendering that belies its modest price [2][3]. Despite an unhurried design history, it is widely regarded as one of the better-performing lenses Leica produced at this focal length, with later lab and field comparisons showing its successor offers only marginal gains [2].

Sharpness Testing on high-resolution digital sensors found the lens already usable across the frame wide open at f/4, improving further by f/5.6 [3]. Lateral chromatic aberration and distortion are well controlled [3].

Bokeh and transitions The out-of-focus rendering is generally described as average rather than exceptional, and longitudinal chromatic aberration is only moderately corrected [3].

Flare resistance As with many telephoto designs, a light source just outside the frame can produce pronounced flare and reduced contrast, so a hood is helpful; ghosting with the sun within the frame is reported as less of a problem [3].

Distortion and vignetting Both distortion and vignetting are minimal, which reviewers count among the lens's strengths [3].

History

Development and Launch The Tele-Elmar arrived in 1965 as the replacement for the four-element Elmar 135mm f/4, offering a true telephoto construction of five elements in three groups credited to Walter Mandler [1][2][3]. It occupied the slow-but-sharp position in the M telephoto range and was praised for matching the rangefinder system's compact ethos better than faster, bulkier rivals [2][3].

Production Evolution Leica recorded roughly 28,300 lenses across the combined Tele-Elmar and Tele-Elmar-M production from the mid-1960s through the 1990s [1]. Documented changes were cosmetic and mechanical: red-scale to yellow-scale distance markings in 1965, scalloped to unscalloped focusing knurls in the 1970s, and a later telescoping-hood Tele-Elmar-M barrel, all sharing the original optical cell [1]. The line was discontinued after the 1998 introduction of the APO-Telyt-M 135mm f/3.4 ASPH [1].

Collector Notes Early Type 1 examples are engraved Leitz Wetzlar and may have removable lens heads intended for Visoflex use, a useful identification point alongside the 11851 and 11852 order numbers [1]. The red-scale first-year examples are the scarcer variant, with only a few thousand made, and command collector interest accordingly [2]. As with any older lens, prospective buyers should check the optics for haze or cleaning marks and confirm that the removable head, when present, seats correctly; an original hood (Leica reference 12585) is a worthwhile accessory given the lens's susceptibility to flare from off-axis light [1][3]. Note that LeicaLensList records the verified weight as 550 g and length as 105 mm; some collector sources quote slightly different figures for the tapered early barrel, which should be treated as variant-specific rather than contradictory [1].

Sources

• [1] Leica Wiki (English). 135mm f/4 Tele-Elmar. https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/135mm_f/4_Tele-Elmar
• [2] Casual Photophile. Leitz Tele-Elmar 135mm f/4 – Leica's Secret Sonnar. https://casualphotophile.com/2020/10/12/leitz-tele-elmar-135mm-f-4-review/
• [3] phillipreeve.net. Review: Leica 135mm 4.0 Tele-Elmar. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-leica-135mm-4-0-tele-elmar/