Compact 90mm M lens

B

Berliner

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Currently using the 90 'cron AA. Love it/hate it. Great image quality/way too big for discrete work. What's the most compact M 90? I'm ok with a slower lens, and was considering the latest Elmarit-M? Any thoughts?
 
Most compact would probably be the second type Tele-Elmarit (f/2.8) or the Elmar-C (f/4; same outward size but lighter). Haven't compared measurements but the CV Apo-Lanthar 90mm (f/3.5?) is probably about the same size. The modern Elmarit-M is relatively bigger, but will give pictures that are probably indistinguishable from the AA Summicron at every aperture except f/2. 😉 The Tele-Elmarit never grew on me, image-wise, but it is compact.
 
I'm quite fond of the cle version of the M rokkor 90/4, though I don't use it as much as I should.

I just measured it - incl caps its 90mm tall 🙂) syncronicity) and 55mm wide at the rubber hood - its widest point.

there's a couple of samples in my gallerry in the CLE 90 folder including "Bird" @f4, min focussing distance (just under 1m), which is a bit back focussed I admit, but that's my error.
 
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I like the fat Tele Elmarit I am using for it's size and the photos it produces. Saw a faster Leica 90 once and thought it would look at home on an SLR. Too big for my liking.

Bob
 
The current 90/4 is quite small if you can deal with the maximum aperture. I use a thin TE and love it and actually prefer the pictures from it to those from my 90 AA. I only have that lens for f2 and when the project I'm working on is finished I'm selling it. I think the best 90 I've used is the Konica M-Hexanon 90/2.8. It is smallish also and only weighs 330g.
 
The T/E is small, but I was newer blown away by the performance. The Elmarit M seems a good compromise between size & IQ. f4 may be a little slow for an all purpose 90, and I would be recycling the AA 'cron. How big is the M Hex 90, and where are they?
 
M-Hexanon

M-Hexanon

I have the Hexanon and I am quite happy with it wide open.
Best regards,
Uwe
 

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Here is a picture of the thin Tele Elmarit next to the 75/2.5 from Stephen's website; it shows you just how small that 90/2.8 is:

voi75b.jpg


Here is a color pic taken with that lens:

28840007-L.jpg


Roland.
 
Berliner said:
The T/E is small, but I was newer blown away by the performance. The Elmarit M seems a good compromise between size & IQ. f4 may be a little slow for an all purpose 90, and I would be recycling the AA 'cron. How big is the M Hex 90, and where are they?
Click to expand...
The TE has a propensity to flare and is a wee bit soft wide open. Below is a pic taken with the lens that was described on another forum as very representative of it's performance. Sorry to be posting it here again.

M-Hexanon dimensions are 55mm (max dia.) x 69mm (front lens surface to reference plane of mount), weight is 330g. They can be found used in forums, and used and new on eBay.

U353I1095886940.SEQ.0.jpg
 
I used to own the 90/2.8 Hexanon and it was almost as sharp as the 90/2 APO but the only thing that stood out (as with the current 90/2.8 Elmait-M but to a slightly lesser degree) was some noticeable color fringing wide open that decreased nicely when stopped down to f/4. Otherwise, it's nice and compact with great build quality. The risk of "TE disease" on the thin TE's rear element concerns me and of the TEs, I'd consider the fat TE instead if you prefer compact Leica lenses of decent speed.
 
I really like my Elmar-C, especially now that I have an M3. Very small and light, great sharpness and look.

However, the M3 does such a good job with 90s that I'm thinking about going the other direction - to a 90 Cron.
 
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