Leitz 105mm f/6.3 Elmar LTM
The Leitz 105mm f/6.3 Elmar is a pre-war short telephoto for the Leica screw mount (LTM/L39), widely known as the 'Mountain Elmar' and designed for distant subjects where its modest f/6.3 maximum aperture was an acceptable trade-off for a compact, lightweight barrel. It was aimed at landscape, alpine and travel photographers using Leica I, II and III bodies.
At recent UK auction, clean examples of the 105mm f/6.3 Elmar have typically fetched hammer prices between £380 and £700, with a £400 result in January 2025 sitting close to the current median and a £700 sale in 2021 marking the upper end for standard copies. Early-2000s saleroom results sometimes pushed past £900, so the lens sells for less today in real terms than it did twenty years ago, and values in 2026 remain firmly in the few-hundred-pound bracket for an average screw-mount example. One exceptional £50,000 saleroom result in 2020 reflects a rare special-finish or presentation variant rather than the standard Mountain Elmar, and should be treated as an outlier when assessing what a normal copy is worth.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
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| Nov 2025 | £362 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica (Lot 22) Title: A Leitz 'Mountain' Elmar f/6.3 105mm Lens
Description:
black/nickel, serial no. 162313, body, G, elements, VG, some light internal haze Notes: SKA0524 |
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| Jan 2025 | £400 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 12) Title: A Leitz Wetzlar Elmar f6.3 10.5cm Lens
Description:
originally black but all paint removed to bare brass, serial number 162851, iris and focus smooth, optics F-G with light haze, with rear cap. |
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| Nov 2024 | EUR 800 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 45 (Lot A01125) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm black/nickel
Description:
Rare early beautiful 'Mountain Elmar' ELZEN in black/nickel finish meter scale in absolutely mint condition, clean and clear optics, delivered to Leica retailer Perabo, Darmstadt (Germany) on 29.07.1932, together with original FIZEN hood, both caps and original maker's box with matching retailer sticker. Estimate: EUR 1,200 - EUR 1,400 |
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| Sep 2023 | £312 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 18) Title: A Leitz Mountain Elmar f/6.3 105mm Lens
Description:
black, serial no. 136221, body, F-G, elements, VG, some light internal haze, complete with rear lens cap & universal hood, (Qty: 1) |
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| Aug 2022 | £438 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 312) Title: A Leitz Mountain Elmar f/6.3 105mm Lens
Description:
black, serial no. 128735, body, F, elements, G, some light internal haze and light marks to the front element, complete with lens hood and original |
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| Nov 2021 | £769 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science (Lot 40) Title: A Leitz Mountain Elmar f/6.3 105mm Lens
Description:
1933, black, serial no. 162173, body, VG-E, elements, VG-E, complete with lens hood and cap, in original maker's red tube |
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| Jun 2021 | EUR 700 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 38 (Lot AI_38_39179) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm 'Mountain-Elmar' ELZEN black/chrome
Description:
black/chrome 'Mountain' Elmar in beautiful, almost mint condition, with matching hood, both caps and red maker's box (worn), one of the best examples we have seen. Estimate: EUR 1,400 - EUR 1,600 |
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| Nov 2020 | EUR 380 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 37 (Lot AI_37_37804) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm black/nickel
Description:
Black/nickel Mountain-Elmar in excellent condition, good optics, with rear cap and very rare original early red box (stamped with Germany) Estimate: EUR 600 - EUR 700 |
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| Jun 2020 | EUR 500 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 36 (Lot AI_36_38265) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm black/nickel
Description:
black/nickel Mountain Elmar in excellent condition, meter scale, with good optics, incl. original hood, both caps and dark-red maker's box (bottom repaired) Estimate: EUR 1,000 - EUR 1,200 |
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| Jun 2020 | EUR 50,000 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 36 (Lot AI_36_38242) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm prototype
Description:
the famous prototype of the 'Mountain' Elmar 6.3/10.5cm ELZEN, ex Leica Museum and still with the original red museum inventory sticker 'M 899'; with the exception for the mount, all elements made out of black-painted brass, despite the similar outer appearance, this prototype is considerably smaller than the serial production lens, it is only 77mm high (vs 93mm of the production lens), the visible part of the front element is of the same size, the front rim is slightly larger (25 on the prototype vs 24mm on the production lens), the focal length is also marginally shorter (around 10cm); only two prototypes in this form are known to exist. The other example can be seen in P.H. van Hasbroeck 'Leica, A History illustrating every Model and Accessory' on page 219, the offered lens can be seen in Lager II 'Lenses' on page 89 and in L. Netopil 'Prototype Leica' on pages 131, 136-139. It is one of the most interesting items from the early history of Leica! Estimate: EUR 100,000 - EUR 120,000 |
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| Jun 2020 | EUR 300 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 36 (Lot AI_36_38264) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm black/chrome
Description:
a late 'Mountain' Elmar in excellent condition, very good optics, with original hood, front and rear cap Estimate: EUR 600 - EUR 700 |
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| Nov 2018 | EUR 1,000 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 33 (Lot AI_33_36574) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm
Description:
near mint black/nickel Mountain-Elmar, rare export version engraved with 'Germany' on black barrel, only minimal signs of use on the edges of black elements, clean optics, complete with near mint hood and both caps Estimate: EUR 2,000 - EUR 2,400 |
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| Apr 2018 | £312 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 1053) Title: A Leitz 'Mountain' Elmar f/6.3 105mm Lens
Description:
1933, black, serial no. 162384, body, G, elements, VG-E, with maker's caps |
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| Nov 2014 | EUR 400 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 26 (Lot AI_26_30035) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm
Description:
very fine black/nickel Mountain-Elmar, Feet scale, 'Germany' engraved on barrel (hood, rear cap) Estimate: EUR 800 - EUR 1,000 |
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| May 2013 | EUR 800 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 23 (Lot AI_23_10938) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm
Description:
black/nickel 'Mountain' Elmar in very fine condition, coated lenses, complete with hood and both caps Estimate: EUR 1,000 - EUR 1,200 |
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| May 2013 | EUR 420 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 23 (Lot AI_23_10311) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm
Description:
black/nickel version with good lenses, both original caps and hood and a small beige soft bag marked 'E.Leitz Wetzlar' in condenser logo Estimate: EUR 600 - EUR 700 |
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| Jun 2008 | EUR 440 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 13 (Lot AI_13_17232) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm
Description:
early 'Mountain Elmar' in black/chrome finish, in Feet with 'Germany' engravings, clean lenses, rear cap, chrome VIDOM finder (2) Estimate: EUR 600 - EUR 800 |
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| Nov 2005 | £480 | Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS, MAGIC LANTERNS AND OPTICAL TOYS (Lot 52) Title: Elmar 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 128701
Description:
Elmar 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 128701 Estimate: £280 - £350 |
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| Nov 2004 | EUR 917 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 6 (Lot AI_6_24330) Title: Elmar 6.3/10.5cm
Description:
Berg Elmar (black/nickel) in superb condition with hood, both caps Estimate: EUR 1,200 - EUR 1,500 |
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| Jun 2003 | £446 | Christie's | |
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Auction: LEICA, NIKON AND 35MM CAMERAS (Lot 101) Title: Elmar 'mountain' 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 162009
Description:
Elmar 'mountain' 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 162009 Estimate: £300 - £400 |
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| Oct 2000 | £646 | Christie's | |
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Auction: LEICA, CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 286) Title: Elmar f/6.3 10.5cm. no. 300182
Description:
Elmar f/6.3 10.5cm. no. 300182 Estimate: £600 - £800 |
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| Aug 2000 | £881 | Christie's | |
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Auction: Cameras and Photographic Equipment (Lot 52) Title: Elmar 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 300188
Description:
Elmar 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 300188 Estimate: £700 - £1,000 |
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| Jun 1999 | £276 | Christie's | |
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Auction: Leica Cameras (Lot 286) Title: 'mountain' Elmar f/6.3 10.5cm. no. 136130
Description:
'mountain' Elmar f/6.3 10.5cm. no. 136130 Estimate: £200 - £300 |
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| Jan 1999 | £1,035 | Christie's | |
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Auction: Cameras, The Property of a Collector (Lot 53) Title: 'Mountain' Elmar 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 162363
Description:
'Mountain' Elmar 10.5cm. f/6.3 no. 162363 Estimate: £400 - £600 |
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