75mm Heliar or 90mm Leica

[stevencrichton]

Hi guys, First post boy here.

Ok I've just got an R3a and a 40mm and am looking for a short tele to finish my system, but as usual finding a solution is not easy.

I have enough to either get a 75mm voigtlander or 90mm f2.8 leitz secondhand. I can't remeber the exact models. In all honesty though do I go for the new 75mm or the used 90mm. I know leica gear people get very anal about just how good it is, but there is a bucketload of leica users with voigtlander lenses attached so overall which should I go for?

Any opinons will be very appreciated. Any brand arguments will be ignored.

Regards
Steven

 

[ferider]

Welcome Steven !

Assuming that you are talking either about the Tele Elmarit or about the v1 Elmarit, all 3 lenses are very good (I have used all three). Value of the three lenses (new Heliar with adapter vs used (Tele) Elmarit) is about the same).

The advantage of the (Tele) Elmarit is that you can get just a bit closer/more
enlargement (.9m min. focus).

On the other hand, the Heliar uses the same filter as your 40 (assuming
you use the Nokton), is half stop faster, and the R3* has an isolated 75mm frameline,
which is really fun to use.

So if it were me, the Heliar would win, but only by a small margin.

You cann't go wrong with either of the three, assuming the used lens
is in good shape.

Best,

Roland.

 

[rover]

What he said......

I think 75 is a great focal length for RF shooting, and a great match for your R3.

 

[stevencrichton]

Ta

Ta

Thanks guys,

I have been looking at samples and so on, probably will go with the 75mm as then I'll have a nice compact setup and I have a Nikon F4 with 85mm f2 for portraits if I really want to do that kind of thing. Or even better large format ( my other photographic wife )

Also with the 75mm the saving allows me to get the 15mm at a push.

Steven

Once again, thanks

 

[mfunnell]

I don't know a thing about 90s as I've yet to discover a need for one (that's just me - others use them happily; my longest is a 75) . But if it were me I'd first assess the field of view of both the 75 and 90 to see which suited me best. Then I'd think about the light and film speed I'd be using and seeing if the f2.5 of the 75 Heliar were important to me. Then I'd look through photos (here, on flickr etc.) to see which lens has the "look" I like best. (BTW, if f3.5 doesn't worry you the CV 90 Lanthar seems good, and costs very little more than the 75).

Then I'd go over the trade-offs and buy my favourite. (Knowing full-well that #2 will tempt me in future; and #3, and...)

...Mike

 

[rover]

Also with the 75mm the saving allows me to get the 15mm at a push.

There you go. This is what we call GAS, welcome to RFF.

 

[mike_j]

I think it depends on your preferrd standard lens. With a 35mm standard a 75mm is a great option, with a 50mm you need a 90mm or greater.

 

[Avotius]

I think that the 75 is a great lens, that said any of the "older" leica 90's look pretty good too, cant go wrong either way I think

 

[sepiareverb]

2¢ from me- I have both and the 90 just sits most of the time. The 90 is usually too long for me, and the 50 is too short sometimes- that leaves the 75. Still need to get a good handle on the 75 though- I've not shot it enough to give any impressions, but initial response is that it is nearly as good as the 90 elmarit- less contrasty and a little less sharp, but a lot smaller too. The filter ring being the same as something I already have that has always been something to help sway my decision about a particular lens over another.

maybe that was only a pennys worth, good luck!

 

[peter_n]

Welcome to the forum Steven! 🙂 I don't have a 40mm but I do have a 35mm, and both 75mm and 90mm. I think the 40 is closer to the 35 than the 50 and IMO the 35 & 75 are a very well matched pair (as are the 50 & 90). So I would advise the 40 & 75 for a good two lens kit and the 15 for those tight situations. 😉

 

[mike goldberg]

Hi... I've had the Elmarit 90/2.8 for over 30 years, and don't use it much.

I like the focal length and FEEL of the CV 75/2.5 very much.
It is so new, I have very little to show you.

Here's one shot at 1/125 f4:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegoldberg/436791404/

Cheers, mike

 

[peter_n]

Steven I just got a roll of XP2 back from Motophoto with some 75mm shots on it. Let me take a look and see if there's one or two worth posting and if so I'll post later. 🙂

 

[oscroft]

Also with the 75mm the saving allows me to get the 15mm at a push

I've never used a Leica lens (sob), but I do have a CV 75/2.5 and I love it - the focal length suits me really well (and there's a matching Bessa 75 frameline) and the results are excellent - I really think 75 is about the longest I really want with a rangefinder. Unfortunately I don't have any results scanned, or I'd post them.

And I also have and love the 15/4.5, so if getting the 75/2.5 means you can get one of those too it would be an easy choice to me (even without having used a Leica 90).

 

[back alley]

i used the 85 to 100 focal length alot with slr cameras but have not used my 90 lens much at all with rf cameras.
when i had an bessa r, i had the 35/75, 2.5 combo and loved it. i used the 75 way more than i use the 90. it just seemed a better fit for rf and with the 35.
and the cv 75 is a very good lens as well.

 

[stevencrichton]

thanks guys 40mm is like your eye, I think the 75mm will be like how I envisage it without walking 🙂. whereas the 90mm will make me wish I had a bank loan and and an MP.

 

[Bertram2]

75mm Heliar:
new better than used
75 easier to use with a Rangefinder in general (frames)
better to focus with the Bessa RF base
Superb lens, mechanically and optically, on par with Leica

Regards,
bertram

 

[peter_n]

OK so here are a few from a demonstration held in Boston two weeks ago today. Unfortunately I was only able to spend an hour there but I shot a roll of Ilford XP2 with a 35mm and a 75mm. Below are a few of the shots from the 75 only. My sense of the lens is that is gives the picture the look of a 50mm shot but you take it two steps back. It doesn't give you the compression of planes you get with a 90. I've only had this lens for about a month but I'm really warming up to it.

 

[peter_n]

Hmmm. I thought we were allowed five files per upload. Now it is three? 🙁 Anyway here are a couple more.

 

[dostacos]

well.... I have both the CV 75 & 90 ah well they both usually stay in the bag or at home. I end up with the 21,25 & 35 most of the time and the 28 f1.9, 35 f1.2 or the 50 f1.5 when I know it is low light time.

 

[mike goldberg]

It sounds to me, that Steven who opened this Thread, is going with the 75.

Dan's post, just above this one, reminds me that we all have our ways of
Seeing and working. With me it has developed this way...
and let me say, the 'formula' is NOT etched in stone:

Bessa R + 50/2 + 75/2/5 ...

Bessa T + 35/2.8 + 25/4

Although I have dedicated VF's for the T, a favorite that stays on the
body most of the time, is a Rostow 35. Under my Avatar it says,
"Done for a while" ;-) ... meaning I've bought a lot of gear in recent months.
A FED-2, Fed-50/3.5 and I-61 l/d are on the way.
These will need to be integrated.

Integrated is a key word here.
We want to know how a favorite lens behaves on which body?
What f stops are the best?
And, let the process of discovery be a good deal of fun 😀
Cheers, mike