Experience with 135mm Elmarit with M8

E

eleskin

Well-known
Local time
3:41 PM
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
1,080
I was on Ebay looking for a reasonably priced telephoto for my M8 and I see the 135mm Elmarits are not that expensive. Should I buy one or should I consider a Voigtlander lens?
 
I think my Elmarit-R 135 is identical optically (tell me if I'm wrong)... and IMO it is absolutely lovely! Absolutely sharp enough, but beautifully pleasing for portraiture. The CV 75 looks beautiful in example shots I've seen...
 
eleskin said:
I was on Ebay looking for a reasonably priced telephoto for my M8 and I see the 135mm Elmarits are not that expensive. Should I buy one or should I consider a Voigtlander lens?
Click to expand...


May be a bit long with the crop factor, you might be using the RF rectangle to frame if you are using the viewfinder. Are you planning on an accessory finder?

I have several (Leitz and Canon) and have not figured out a good plan yet to use them on the M8, perhaps a telescopic sight and I might mention lack of Live View, but do not want rocks tossed in my direction for any such suggestion, so I leave it out. ;-)

On the CV lenses, I have the 75, 50, 35 1.2, and the wide bros., and I find them all very pleasant lenses. I use the 15mm finder for the 12mm on the M8.

I just got the Nokton modified for use on the M8 and am waiting for Leica to send my M8 back, but it produced fine images on the M7.

I use the 75mm CV and the 90 Tele Elmarit, both seem good for the M8.

Having said all this, I might entertain offers on the Canon SM, I just noticed it sitting in a drawer. ;-)

Regards, John
 
Last edited:
If I were to buy a 135 on a budget, i'd go and look at the 135/3.5 Nikkor. It is a sleeper, sharp, great color, light weight (the black one) and she's small. I had a Komura 135/2.8 that I sold here that was GREAT and very reasonable cost. Another thing to look into is a 200 that is LTM and coupled (critical). I have not seen a lot of these, but they come up from time to time.

B2 (;->
 
I think the crop factor turns this lens into something like a 190mm. If you google it in Pnet you'll find that someone posted some photos using this lens and an M8 body.

To me, the goggles make a big difference because they enlarge the framelines a bit. Besides, the lens uses the 90mm framelines, not the 135mm. I cannot recall if the M8 has the 135, but I'm sure it has the 90mm lines.

I like my Elmarit. My avatar was taken with my first one. I sold it later, when I managed to get a copy of the second version. It's a very nice, sharp lens. Heavy and a bit hard to handle, but it's fast, and that makes a good deal of a difference to me.

Good luck shopping! ;)
 
Don't forget the Tele-Elmar. A great lens and once you trick it into showing the 90 mm framelines very usable on the M8. I rather dislike the tunnel-vision of the goggles on the 2.8 and the TE 4.0 is arguably the better lens.
 
Last edited:
jaapv said:
Don't forget the Tele-Elmar. A great lens and once you trick it into showing the 90 mm framelines very usable on the M8. I rather dislike the tunnel-vision of the goggles on the 2.8 and the TE 4.0 is arguably the better lens.
Click to expand...

I also have TE 4.0 and agree that it is the better of the two lenses. It is a lot smaller and I believe somewhat better optically then the Elmarit.

Best regards. Terry
 
Igor of IgorCamera tells me he has three or four 135's, Canon and probably Leitz, and probably Nikkor, he is of the opinion that the Canon's are very good. Am pretty sure he would give you a decent price, he is in Boston for a show this weekend, is there a Leica meeting as well? He does not list everything on his site, and if you catch him in the mood, he has a very good personal collection he might sell from, plus he just bought a large Canon RF collection with some rare bodies and glass.

I am pretty sure there are no frame lines for 135 in the M8, unless you count the RF patch, however, I have not tried an accessory finder yet, so will perhaps try the 135 again.

I think I have a couple that tagged along with some other deals.

I also have a shot with the 90 TE 2.8 in my gallery with the M8.

Regards, John
 
No the M8 has no 135 framelines, but you can bring up the 90 mm framelines (release the lens lock and turn the lens against the stop) and those are fine if you keep reasonably within the frame. The RF patch is far too small to give any framing information, only useful for aiming ( and focussing of course :D)
 
jaapv said:
No the M8 has no 135 framelines, but you can bring up the 90 mm framelines (release the lens lock and turn the lens against the stop) and those are fine if you keep reasonably within the frame. The RF patch is far too small to give any framing information, only useful for aiming ( and focusing of course :D)
Click to expand...

Good to know, now if the upgrade for the M8 would include a setting to click in the frame preview to hold manually, --- someone there must have thought of that, somehow a toothpick stuck in seems inelegant?

I have a few finders I was thinking of trying as well, I wonder if Cosina can support the company on the sales of finders alone. ;-)

I had a Canon 35mm with a finder, and am thinking I should have kept it all for the finder.

Much chance of bumping and dropping the lens?


Regards, John
 
Just bought an Elmarit on Ebay

Just bought an Elmarit on Ebay

Thanks for all the info everyone. I just bought one on Ebay for $295. I was hesitating until seeing some others for sale that were more money, in some cases, over $700. The one I bought is from 1982, Canadian, with "Like New" condition. I could not pass it up. They wanted $345 on the buy it now, but there was a make an offer option, and I thought $295 was a fair price.
 
Congrats on the purchase.

Just got my M8 back from Leica, and was trying several lenses, fitted the 135mm Hektor, and was pleasantly surprised, at least on the camera screen, I definitely have to reconsider my attitude -- was based on my friend's experience.

May dial up my external finder, and see what can be done.

Now I have to find a larger bag to carry one more lens. ;-) I even had the 135 adapter, which of course brings up something like the 35mm frames on the M8, so will either use a separate finder, or cheat with the 90 frame.

I may have to try the Canon sitting about.

Regards, John
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom