LEICA APO MACRO ELMARIT TL 60mm

Review and Photo example of the APO MACRO ELMARIT TL 60mm F2.8.

Gallery

Sample photo taken with the LEICA T(Typ701) and LEICA SL(Typ601).

Review

This is the only macro lens for Leica T, TL, and APS-C cameras.
However, there are only seven Leica lenses for APS-C cameras.

This lens looks fat, like the SUMMILUX-TL 35mm, but when you actually hold it, you can see that it has an aluminum barrel and a small diameter lens for APS-C, weighing 320g, which is 100g lighter than the SUMMILUX-TL 35mm.

The result is a typical Leica macro lens, with soft bokeh in close-ups and clear depiction in distant scenes.

When used with a LEICA T, the autofocus (AF) focusing speed was the slowest of the seven TL lenses, and the focusing accuracy was also poor. It is difficult to achieve accurate focusing when shooting close up, which is the main function of macro lenses. Once the focus is lost, the lens has to move a large distance, so it takes time to return to the correct focus position. In addition, subjects that are out of focus the first time are rarely in focus the second time. Even though you can see that the focus is correct, it is very frustrating that the lens does not stop after determining that the focus is correct, so you end up giving up and having to use manual focus (MF).

When shooting using the rear LCD of the LEICA T, it is very difficult to see the focus position on the normal display of the rear LCD, so you need to enlarge the display to check the focus. Therefore, it is very difficult to use it with subjects other than still, and it was a stressful lens to use.
When using MF, I think a single-lens camera with a high-definition EVF like the LEICA SL, which allows you to see the focus without enlarging, is better. I also tried the AF of this lens on a LEICA SL typ601, but the focusing accuracy was almost the same as that of the T series, so there was almost no point in bringing out the larger body of the LEICA SL typ601.

Lens appearance is quoted from Leica official website

Specification

Leica APS single focal length lens

Lens name	ELMARIT	SUMMICRON	SUMMILUX	APO MACRO ELMARIT
Focal length(mm)	18	27	35	60
35mm equivalent focal length	27	35	50	90
Max aperture	2.8	2	1.4	2.8
Min aperture	16	16	16	32
Lens Construction	8elements 6groups	9elements 6groups	12elements 8groups	10elements 9groups
Min distance(m)	0.3	0.35	0.4	0.16
Lens length(mm)	21	37	77	134
Lens diameter(mm)	62	63	70	70
Filter Size(mm)	E39	E52	E60	E60
Weight(g)	80	154	428	320
Release date	2017.12	2014.5.26	2016.3.31	2016.9.24
List Price	¥142,500	¥230,000	¥310,000	¥320,000

Reference links

LEICA APO ELMARIT-TL 60mm Official page

Update history

2024.07.01
2024.03.06
2022.12.05

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