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The nickel Elmar is the early form of the collapsible 5cm f/3.5, Max Berek's design for the first Leicas, sold in nickel plate before chrome took over. Roughly 36,000 serial numbers were assigned across the run, covering both the nickel and chrome finishes. It uses the Tessar-derived four elements in three groups with a ten-blade diaphragm, an A36 filter fitting and one metre close focus on the 39mm screw mount. Nickel examples belong with pre-war black bodies.