Mandler Heaven: pictures of, and by, lenses designed by Walter Mandler

90mm Tele-Elmarit (Fat) on Leica M9

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Walter Mandler, meet Walter de Silva

Walter Mandler, meet Walter de Silva

90 Elmarit M, M9P
 

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I didn't realize that the - what I think of as modern lens - the 90mm Elmarit-M was a Mandler- designed lens. Is it the same optical formula as the earlier Elmarit version I in a new-designed lens barrel, or a new optical formula?

Well, of all the 90mm lenses listed on Leica Wiki - M Lenses by Focal Length, only three or four don't have Walter Mandler's name associated with them (the two recent series Summarit-Ms, the latest Summicron-M APO, and one other).

How different they are, well, I'd need Erwin Puts book with all the lens diagrams to figure that one out. 🙂

G
 
The Leica 90 2.8 lenses

The Leica 90 2.8 lenses

The 90 Elmarit M (built-in hood) is a different formula with 4 elements in 4 groups than either of the Tele Elmarits ('fat' and 'thin' 5 elements in 5 groups) and those are different than the larger 90mm Elmarit 2.8 from the 60s with production into the 70s. It has 5 elements in 3 groups.
 
Godfrey and DwF, thanks for the information.

It seems that there really are no bad 90mm lenses in M mount!

I've tried them all (I think, except the 90mm Summicron E55) - including the Elmar-C, the 90mm Rokkor-M, and the Voightlander Apo-Lanthar, and they have all been excellent. Way better than any 85mm or 100mm lens I used to use 30-40 years ago on a Minolta or Olympus SLR.

In the end, I settled on the fat Tele-Elmarit and the 90mm Macro-Elmar-M.
 
For the 90/2.8 it goes like this:

1 - Elmarit / 5 el / 3 groups
2 - "fat" Tele Elmarit / 5 el / 3 groups
3 - "thin" Tele Elmarit / 4 el / 4 groups
4 - Elmarit M / 4 el / 4 groups

All 4 are Mandler designs. If you like 90 and haven't tried the v3 pre-asph Summicron, you have missed out, small and great lens, the "Mandler Ernostar". I think it comes both as E49 as well as E55.

Roland.
 
The current 90 collapsible is a plain killer lens close or far. Way sharper than all older and only rival is APO 90 and it needs a redesign with floating elements for close range.

My Mandler 90 E55 Summicron and thin Tele/elmarit are not even close.
 
The 90s

The 90s

I have had all of them but the old or current collapsible. Currently I have a later version of the Elmarit 2.8 in black (from the 70s). This lens does great wide open. Of course stopped down is better but unlike either Tele-Elmarit, is much less likely to flare and great for portraits wide open. I considered the current collapsible because the prices have been softer on those of late, but 2.8 is nice to have in a smallish 90. I agree the pre-asph Summicron 90 is a sweet lens but significantly heavier.
 
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