The Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm f/2.8 is a universal standard lens with a focusing range down into the macro region. It has six elements in five groups. It exhibits very good performance over the entire focusing range, even at full aperture, with peak performance at 1:20 to 1:10. The best contrast in this range is produced at f/4, and over the entire range at f/5.6.

At 1:3 to 1:1 (1:2 to 1:1 accessible with the Macro-Adapter-R accessory), slight curvature of field occurs at full aperture, i.e. the corners of the frame appear slightly unsharp. This dissappears, however, on stopping down to medium and small apertures. Stopping down to f/8 or f/11 is necessary anyway for close-up photography in order to obtain reasonable depth-of-field.

The Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm f/2.8 exhibits practically no distortion and is therefore especially suitable for duplicating work. The vignetting (light fall-off into the corners), present in every optical system, is so small in this lens that it has no effects on practical photography.

This lens received a maximum score of 5 stars for optical quality from the French photo magazine Chasseur d'Images. It is considered the benchmark in its category.

The German photo magazine ColorFoto gave this lens 74 points (4 stars) for macro, and 86 points (5 stars) at infinity.

Weight: 390 gr, length to bayonet flange: 62.3mm, built-in lenshood. E55 filter size. Its Leica catalog number is 11253 or 11347 (with ROM). It succeeded to its predecessor in 1980.