Short Tele for M4-2

[ferider]

Found one more thin TE shot 🙂

and crop

Roland.

 

[Robert Lai]

M4-P is when 6 framelines appeared.

M4-P is when 6 framelines appeared.

To answer f16sunshine's question regarding framelines on the M4, the M4 and M4-2 had only 4 framelines:
35, 50, 90, and 135 doubled with the 35.

The M4-P introduced the 6 framelines in pairs that we're all familiar with:
50+75, 28+90, 35+135

 

[roscoetuff]

For now, not wanting to spend a lot of dough, I found a Tele Elmarit-M with 90 on the barrel, 90mm/F2.8 circa 1980 vintage from a Leica shop with 6-bit coding for just inside $500. Liked the small/short size, light weight and 39mm filter which will work with my 43mm's off the Zeiss with an adapter ring. And the photos posted here were great... convincing... and probably much better than I'll manage (nice work btw!).

So thanks, crew! Good work!

FWIW, note that Youxin Ye retrofits viewfinders for the MP type, adding non-Flare (!) and 28mm as well as 75mm framing... if that's what you want. Might do that when my pup goes in for CLA after completing it's tests.

 

[Godfrey]

...
(1) the Elmar-C, (2) the CL M-Rokkor, and (3) the CLE M-Rokkor.

(1) and (2) have strongly slanted RF cam which gives focusing accuracy issues on some Leicas. (3) has a flat RF cam making it more compatible in my experience.

That's an interesting difference that I've not seen listed anywhere before.

Thus far, I have seen no focusing incompatibilities with my Wetzlar produced CL generation, M-Rokkor 90mm on CL, M4-2, M9, M-P, or M-D bodies. Perhaps the incompatibilities occur on a one by one basis between certain combinations of a particular lens and body.

G

 

[Godfrey]

For now, not wanting to spend a lot of dough, I found a Tele Elmarit-M with 90 on the barrel, 90mm/F2.8 circa 1980 vintage from a Leica shop with 6-bit coding for just inside $500. Liked the small/short size, light weight and 39mm filter which will work with my 43mm's off the Zeiss with an adapter ring. And the photos posted here were great... convincing... and probably much better than I'll manage (nice work btw!).

So thanks, crew! Good work!

FWIW, note that Youxin Ye retrofits viewfinders for the MP type, adding non-Flare (!) and 28mm as well as 75mm framing... if that's what you want. Might do that when my pup goes in for CLA after completing it's tests.

Sounds good. enjoy!
G

 

[splitimageview]

Can't go wrong with a TE!

 

[Huss]

Macro Elmar M 90mm is perfect on the M4-2

 

[Ronald M]

I am surprised someone likes every 90 produced that is easily available.

Did this help your pick?

Oh and I have nearly all and the all seem nice.

 

[WJJ3]

If f4 is ok then look at the 90 Elmar C or the Rokkor for the CL. They're modern tendering , very small and tack sharp. They're cheap also.

4) if you are OK with f4 and the Tessar formula, I recommend a 90/4 Elmar-C, or the equivalent and better built 90/4 CLE Rokkor. Both can be had for around US 300 or so. Very sharp lenses, same size as Tele Elmarit.

I have the Rokkor and it's an excellent lens. It's small and light, and the rendering is sharp and very contrasty. I think it matches well the rendering of my 35mm C-Biogon. Wide open, the Rokkor doesn't have the flare resistance of the C-Biogon though because the contrast will drop a bit if there's a light source near the frame. But overall it is a great lens if you can live with F4.

IM-Rokkor 90mm f/4 are more than just equivalents: In fact, the M-Rokkor 90mm f/4 was made in Wetzlar on the same production line as the Elmar-C until Leica discontinued the CL and Minolta replaced their "Leitz/Minolta CL" with the Minolta CLE.* Then production of this lens moved to Japan. Unless Minolta recalculated it and added multicoating, there should be no difference between them in performance or build quality.

I've also owned the 90mm CLE lens which was super on the M8.
So tiny in the bag when not in use. If you need a part time RF tele lens I think it's the best choice.

Pretty much this! M-ROKKOR/ELMAR-C/M-ROKKOR (CLE) 90mm

I prefer the M-ROKKOR 90 (CLE). Here are a few examples of what a short tele can be used for on a 35mm rangefinder:

Portrait


Selective landscape (city)


Selective landscape (country)


Bokeh effects


Subject isolation

 

[Huss]

I like that city shot Will.

 

[roscoetuff]

Yes, actually it did. Initially, I'd been watching one of the newer 90's, but ended up buying a Canadian build version from some time back... a version I'd dismissed. But I cross checked it with data reports, and while not necessarily considered "THE" sharpest ever, it is still sharp and smaller as well than the others. Plus the speed at 2.8 was a full stop faster than the Zeiss ZM 85 that had been my default go-to lens until I posted here. So yes, it helped very much.

 

[WJJ3]

I like that city shot Will.

Thank you Sir!

 

[peterm1]

One cheap option is the Russian Jupiter 9 85mm f2 in LTM so an adapter would be required. It's based on a prewar Zeiss Sonnar design and while it is not super sharp it renders very nicely as with other Sonnars. While it is not so handy as modern lenses and quality control can be an issue with any soviet era lenses, when you nail good shots with this it is charming. Some reviews:
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-jupiter-9-85mm-2-0/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iQh4aCI1pk&t=435s
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87265

 

[agoglanian]

Though I know the OP has already made his decision I will chime in and say that I really liked the rendering of the Pre-Asph 90 Summicron though I admittedly struggled to accurately focus it. I also really liked the Konica 90mm M-Hexanon.

Recently I tried the 90 Elmarit-M and was wildly impressed but had to return it due to negligent packing from the store I bought it from.

Most recently, as in tonight, I just bought a fat Tele-Elmarit with the caps and hood for a super fair price so I'm going to give it a try on the M3. I didn't want to spend a lot on a 90mm either but I also missed having one around.

I won't be using it digitally so as long as it performs well on film I'm happy!

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Not sure what they call them but my favourites are the CL's f/4 90mm, the Jupiter f/2 85mm and the old M2's f/2.8 90mm.

And right off topic (meaning not for M4's) I do like the Pentax SLR's f/2 85mm lens.

Regards, David

 

[Rico]

I have heavy coverage of ~90mm across several mounts. For M, I would take the Elmarit v2 for modern rendition: it's on my buy list. Otherwise, the Elmars offer a range of prices (from $100) to performance (the 3-element is pretty darn sharp). My fav for build is the collapsible which is an absolute tank. Mostly, I use a 1950s rigid for the aperture (clickless, 15 blades). Postwar 4-element Elmars come in various barrel flavors, but the optical design is the same, with sufficient sharpness, beautiful blur, and a bit too much veiling glare. 🙂