Erwin Puts comparing first 90mm Elmarit and 3-element 90mm Elmar

[Matthew Runkel]

In his Leica Lens Compendium, Erwin Puts makes a couple of interesting comments about comparisons between the highly-regarded original 90/2.8 Elmarit and the 4- and 3-element versions of the 90/4 Elmar:

[Discussing the Elmarit] "Performance was better at full aperture than the [4-element] Elmar at 1:4 . . . ."

[Discussing the 3-element Elmar] "At 1:4 the contrast gets visibly higher and now very fine detail is recorded over the whole image area with good clarity. The Elmarit 1:2.8/90mm at 1:4 cannot equal the 3-element Elmar here."

The Elmarit is often cited as the best performer among all the pre-current Leica 90s. The 3-element, when mentioned at all, is most often noted as a premium-priced collectible novelty that is somewhat ahead of its 4-element predecessor (although Sherry Krauter has said the 3-element is a special lens). I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts and experiences, including those concerning things Puts generally doesn't care about such as bokeh.

 

[Rico]

I own both.

The 3-element is far from a novelty. It has all the qualities you want for travel and the street: lower weight for transport, discreet size, good balance on the camera. Optical performance is superb: medium to high contrast, nicely sharp at full aperture.

Roughly speaking, the Elmarit v1 has equal performance and character at the same f-stop. The aperture ring is easier to work: larger, higher profile, doesn't rotate with the focussing helical. On body, the Elmarit's weight requires a different handhold (under the lens).

Both lenses have long throw, excellent DOF scale, heavy-duty construction, and enjoy standard E39 accessories. In my usage, the 3E is part of my travel kit, while the Elmarit is a low-light specialist and subject of quack medical experiments with its head removed.

 

[Eelco Amsterdam]

Testing Thin Elmar M 4,0/90 mm with E 39 (1961)

Testing Thin Elmar M 4,0/90 mm with E 39 (1961)

Testing 90mm f 4.0 Screw M7 Kodak 400 VC Film
03 29 2007 Amsterdam The Netherlands

M6TTL 0,85

Wall Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Kodak 400 VC

Not bad for a lens made in 1961 :<) Kodak 400 VC
I like it together with my Tri Elmar. Nice Travel kit.

 

[Eelco Amsterdam]

Testing Thin Elmar M 4,0/90 mm with E 39 (1961) II

Testing Thin Elmar M 4,0/90 mm with E 39 (1961) II


M7 Kodak 400 VC

My scooter/Keizergracht Amsterdam M7 Kodak 160 VC

Church Keizersgracht Amsterdam M7 Kodak 160 VC