Leica 90mm tele-elmarit or Konica 90mm hexanon

[Dunn]

Hey y'all,

I'm considering adding a 90mm to my kit for more detail shots and maybe some portraits. I typically stick to the 28-50mm range so this will be my first 90mm and I don't plan on using that much so not really looking to spend a whole lot.

I think I've narrowed it down to the Leica 90mm tele-elmarit and the Konica 90mm hexanon, both about the same price.

So, does anyone have a recommendation between the two? I've read that the tele is prone to flare and some people seem to have had focusing issues with the hexanon. I'll be using it on an m240 and m6.

Also, has anyone ever bought an "ugly" condition lens from KEH? They have an ugly tele-elmarit but I'm wondering just how bad that is, mainly in terms of the glass. I don't care so much about the outer appearance.

Thanks!
Ben

 

[astrobuoy]

When I was planning a trip with my wife last year I was deciding between exactly these two lenses. I ended up finding a Konica 90mm for a decent price and went with that. Personally I prefer the Sonnar-type rendering of the 90mm Hexanon (which is a Sonnar design, or perhaps an Ernostar, though I believe it's the former), beyond the "flatter" more clinical look of the Elmarit (which is no slouch, but personally my preference lies in another direction).

I wasn't unhappy with my choice, by any means. But one thing to consider is that the framelines which 90mm lenses bring up (if you're shooting on a Leica) are fairly small. I got around this by using a magnifying eyepeice, the 1.25x piece for my M7 which has 0.72x magnification. I'm wondering, though, whether you might consider picking up a 75mm lens instead? A few months after our trip I ended up buying a Voigtlander 75mm f/2.5 Color-Heliar LTM, and I have to say I was absolutely wowed by this lens. It is FANTASTIC, and also very affordable. The color and rendering are top notch, even better than the Hexanon, I find it a perfect focal length for detail shots and portraits while still giving a sense of the environment, it's faster at f/2.5 and still supremely sharp wide open (sharper than the Hexanon wide open to my eye), and the 75mm framelines are much more useable without any magnifying eyepiece needed.

I've bought UGLY-rated lenses from KEH before. In some cases I've really lucked out, and have received lenses which have absolutely nothing wrong with them (a few times it's just been a mark on the lens that wiped off, or a scratch on the lens barrel, or slightly stiff focusing but nothing to complain about). But I have gotten lenses with a bit of haze before and sent it back. The nice thing is you can still get free returns on UGLY items within, I think, 14 days, so it's not a huge deal if it doesn't work out.

 

[astrobuoy]

In case it's helpful, these are some street shots that I've taken on the Voigtlander 75/2.5 (though on digital):

L1001289

L1001342

L1001346

L1001347

L1001356

L1001298

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

They are both great lenses with lovely results. I ended up with a Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 90mm f3.5 when I recently decided to change from my Summicron 90mm. It's light, small and compact, with excellent optics. Cheaper than the others, and easy to pack in the camera bag on the off-chance.

 

[Dunn]

In case it's helpful, these are some street shots that I've taken on the Voigtlander 75/2.5 (though on digital):

L1001289
L1001342
L1001346
L1001347
L1001356
L1001298

Great looking images! I'll definitely consider this lens as the price seems right too! Just have to decide if 75mm would be tight enough.
Thanks for mentioning it!

 

[astrobuoy]

Thanks! If it's helpful, I found this article super helpful in thinking about it, as I'd never shot 75mm beforehand: http://gear.vogelius.se/-editorials/75-focal-length/index.html. He also talks about the Voigtlander 75/2.5 specifically.

One other thing I forgot to mention about the lens is its size. It's surprisingly small, the same size without the hood as most of my 50mm lenses.