Rejoice, all Leica shooters!

[SolaresLarrave]

Miracles still happen, bargains still are to be had... I just won an auction for a Leica M Elmar 90mm collapsible, with caps, in decent shape, for less than $200 (actually, a mere $192.29). It'll go to work with my M3 as soon as it arrives. 🙂

The fun aspect of this auction is that I have been hunting for one of these for a long time. After bidding, I could have bet my thumbs I was going to be sniped. It's happened to me so often I thought I'd never win anything again, ever... But I lucked out today. Feels nice!

Will the IROOA hood cause any vignetting with this lens?

Thanks!

 

[payasam]

Some people <GRUMBLE> have all the luck...

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I had an old Elmar some time ago... But it wasn't collapsible, it was an LTM from 1936. It did work on my M6TTL, but it was a bit difficult to focus and handle because all the rings turned the opposite direction.

I'm ready for this one. Will I really need the special hood for it, or can I just navigate with the IROOA? Thanks... and, Payasam, you'll be the lucky one soon! 🙂

 

[BTMarcais]

I looked for one for quite a while too... finally snagged one a couple months back for about 150$! Got sniped out of quite a few before that one though... and then somehow i was the only bidder on one, go figure! I would've been THRILLED to pick one up for $200 when I was looking too- good job!

(as for the f/2 vs f/4... I use it at it's minimum focus distance a lot, and f/4 is shallow enough at 1M usually... the size is great though! F/2 would be nice, no question... but most of the time this is fine, and I always have space in my bag for the lens...)

-Brian

 

[payasam]

Thanks, Francisco. I have an Apo Lanthar, which is a descendant-in-spirit of the Elmar. I'm trying to use it as Brian uses his lens, close up so that depth of field even at f/4 is suitably small.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Brian, did you find yours as a BIN auction? I recall one, some months ago, in very good shape and going for a very NICE price.

But then, there was a time when I was almost obsessed with this lens. I must have spent some six weeks scouring eBay daily, keeping tabs on all the ones I found... and losing them. This one... was very unexpected. And it feels nice, coming probably next week, right on time to burn some film and develop it with the T-Max I just ordered! 🙂

Now... how about them hoods? 😕

 

[ZeissFan]

Congrats on your win. There's something fun about hunting for a particular piece of gear for months or even years and then finally winning it at a price that you didn't expect.

It makes it all the more sweet.

I'm sure that you'll put that lens to good use.

 

[Tom A]

Being obsessed with collapsible Elmar 90f4 is a fairly common disease with Leica fanatics. I usually have two of them, but at the moment I am down to one only (dont know why I feel insecure with only one!). It is not so much the performance -though it is a decent lens, but like the DR Summicron - it is that "mechanical" feel to it. The little release button, the inter-lock for collapsing it and the sheer weight and "mass" of it. There are other well built Leica lenses, but the DR Summicron and the collapsible Elmar are probably the best built of any of the M-lenses.

 

[BTMarcais]

Francisco... the collapsible 90 is a 39mm filter thread, so you can screw a generic hood into that if necessary.
I have the 12575N (IUFOO?) hood for mine though, that I share w/ the 135 f/4.5 Hektor. Works great...and even when the lens is collapsed, you can reverse the 12575N so it takes up no space at all in your bag!

now if only I had a decent cap for the back of the hood...

it never ends! 🙂

(I think the IROOA fits, but it wouldn't give as much flare protection because it's designed for the shorter lenses...)


And no, not a BIN auction... just one that apparently no one else noticed! It still happens once in a while I guess.

-Brian

 

[Chris101]

... for less than $200 (actually, a mere $192.29). ...

... for about 150$! ...

Ya see. You guys have stirred the lust pot, and started the inflation already - a leap of 33% in the time between your purchases. Now we all want one and it'll start to climb, incrementally at first, but soon it'll be 4 figs. 😕😕😕

 

[Rico]

Even for that era. the collapsible was built like a tank, and the interlock is a feat of mechanical design. It is distinctly heavy, however, and that makes it less attractive as a travel optic (I continue to use the 3-element Elmar).

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Thanks for the info on hoods, Brian. I'll look into that IUFOO hood later. Now... that little button... is it to collapse the lens then? 😕

 

[BTMarcais]

The little button is the infinity lock.
The lens will only collapse if you're locked at infinity, and you can't release the lock to focus when the lens is collapsed.
It's less of a pain than it sounds, the lock falls right under your finger where you'll grip the lens to focus anyway, and disabling the focus when the lens is collapsed is going to save you from forgetting to extend the lens when you shoot a few times (which has happened to me a few times w/ my collapsable summicron 50...oops🙄 ).

It's a great lens Francisco, I think you'll like it.

-Brian

 

[raid]

I "nearly" clicked on the BuyNow for such a lens at around $200 in mintish condition a few days ago. I did not do it.

Congratulations on your lens.

 

[Nokton48]

I alternate between the 90 F2 V1 Summicron, and the 90mm Collapsible Elmar. Use them both. Mine has the 12575 90/135 Hood, and the Cutout Cap, for when you reverse the hood. Keep an E39 Leitz filter on there, too, but that's just me. If the hood is 39mm snap-on, it will work just fine, as it was intended for shorter lenses. Great build quality, and I've Dymo-taped mine, so I can't collapse it all the way, and damage my M5 meter arm.

Congratulations! I know you will enjoy it!

 

[Bingley]

Francisco -- Congrats! Nice win. A compact lens in the 90-100 range is handy to have in the bag. I borrowed a beautiful little 90/4 Elmar, 1936 vintage, a couple of years ago, and loved the results I got w/ it. Owner wouldn't sell it, though (I don't blame him). Got the Canon 100/3.5 instead, and it's a sweet little lens.

 

[former member]

Look for haze on each side of the zperture. It is easy to clean off, the front element comes off easily. It's a great lens.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Thanks for your comments, folks! I feel as if I had climbed the Everest with this little gizmo... After all, the 90mm focal length in Leica is one of my favorites.

Now... Windex or alcohol for that front section? 😕 Of course, I'll use a microfiber cloth... 🙂

 

[former member]

I use ammonia based eyeglass cleaner. Be gentle with the interior coatings on the older Leitz glass. Front name ring came off with a rubber stopper, front element unscrewed using needle nosed pliers.