Leica Tele-Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 "Fat"

Leica Tele-Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 "Fat"

When Leitz wanted a 90mm lens that could ride inside an ordinary case rather than protruding from the camera, the answer was a genuine telephoto computation rather than a long symmetrical design. The Tele-Elmarit 90mm f/2.8, introduced in 1964 and sold alongside the larger and longer Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 of the period, used a true telephoto layout so that the physical barrel is shorter than the focal length [1]. Leitz marketing leaned into this compactness, and the lens was pitched as a small companion to the standard 90mm Elmarit at the same price, intended above all to keep the kit portable [1]. The nickname "Fat" is retrospective collector shorthand, used only to distinguish this first version from the much slimmer Tele-Elmarit-M ("thin") that replaced it in 1974 [1].

Optically the lens is a five-element design in five groups, credited to Walter Mandler and produced at the Leitz facility in Midland, Canada [1][2]. It is single-coated, with the characteristic magenta cast of coatings from that era [1]. The aperture uses ten blades and runs from f/2.8 to f/16 with half-stop detents, and minimum focus is one meter [1][2]. Focus travel from infinity to one meter covers roughly 180 degrees, which suits the rangefinder coupling well [1]. The lens takes E39 screw-in filters and the snap-on 12575 hood (also catalogued as IUFOO) [1][2]. Unlike the contemporaneous Elmarit, the head of this Tele-Elmarit does not unscrew for Visoflex reflex use [1]. It mounts on Leica M bodies and is reported to function on the full range of M cameras, with screw-mount examples existing for LTM bodies as well.

The first-version Tele-Elmarit was offered primarily in black, and the Leica Wiki also notes silver and titanium finishes among the variants recorded under order number 11800 and related catalogue numbers [2]. Production ran from 1964 to 1974, and serial-number records compiled by collectors indicate a relatively limited output of fewer than about 14,400 lenses across that decade [2]. Because the later "thin" Tele-Elmarit-M shares the same name, focal length, aperture, and order number 11800, buyers should identify this version by its noticeably larger barrel diameter and overall heft relative to the slimmer successor [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering Documented impressions describe a classic single-coated short telephoto that is gentle wide open and tightens up on stopping down. At f/2.8 the center is somewhat soft and lower in contrast, with softer edges; by f/4 the center reaches its optimum and overall contrast improves markedly, though far corners remain a little soft through f/5.6 [1]. Out-of-focus rendering is regarded as pleasant, with smooth, round blur circles from roughly f/4 to f/8 [1]. Distortion is described as effectively absent, and corner falloff is reported as negligible on a full-frame digital body [1]. As a single-coated optic, it has fewer anti-reflection layers than modern multicoated lenses, which is a factor to weigh against strong light sources.

History

Development and Launch The Tele-Elmarit appeared in 1964 as the compact alternative within Leica's 90mm f/2.8 offering, joining rather than immediately replacing the standard Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 that had been introduced a few years earlier [1]. The two were sold concurrently at the same price, with the Tele-Elmarit positioned for photographers who valued a smaller package, while Leitz suggested the larger Elmarit for the most demanding work [1]. Both designs persisted until 1974 [1].

Production Evolution This first-version lens was built in Canada throughout its run [1]. In 1974 it was superseded by the redesigned Tele-Elmarit-M, the so-called "thin" version, which was lighter and more compact and which absorbed the role of both earlier 90mm f/2.8 lenses; that successor was made mostly in Canada with later production in Germany [1].

Collector Notes The most common point of confusion is the shared name and order number 11800 between this "Fat" first version and the later "thin" Tele-Elmarit-M; the two are most reliably told apart by size and weight, since the first version is the bulkier of the two [1][2]. Sources differ slightly on a few figures: the Leica Wiki lists the optical layout as five elements in three groups and a rated weight of 355 g, whereas measured and cross-section data describe five elements in five groups and roughly 340 g, so prospective buyers may encounter conflicting published numbers [1][2]. As with any single-coated lens of this age, internal haze and coating condition are worth checking, along with the correct snap-on 12575 hood and E39 filters when completeness matters [1][2].

Sources

• [1] Ken Rockwell. Leica Tele-Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 (1964-1974). https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/90mm-f28-fat.htm
• [2] Leica Wiki (English). 90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit I. https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/90mm_f/2.8_Tele-Elmarit_I