The Elmarit-S 30 mm f/2.8 ASPH. is equivalent, in 35 mm format, to a 24 mm super-wide-angle lens. The lens is optimised for maximum contrast rendition at maximum aperture, thus ensuring consistent high quality from its close-focusing limit to infinity. Thanks to its exceptionally high correction, images are almost entirely free from distortion.

Five of the thirteen lenses arranged in nine groups have anomalous partial dispersion, and three of these are fluoride lenses with particularly low dispersion (colour scattering) characteristics for the correction of chromatic aberration. Two lenses are also elaborately manufactured with aspherical surfaces. Only the six lenses on the back are moved when focusing offering outstanding imaging quality even when close-focusing.