Tele-Elmarit 90 versions vs performance?

x-ray

x-ray

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The only experienc I have with the tele-elmarit 90 is the first version. It's been since the 70's since using one but if I remember correctly it didn't quite come up to the 90 elmarit v1 in performance and flared more easily. I just read that there is a difference in formula between the slim v2 tele-elmarit and the fat v1 tele-elmarit. Optically how does the performance of the v1 compare to the v2? I've also read that some suffer from spots formiong on the glass. Do both lenses suffer from this problem?

Thanks!
 
I just got the v1 TE two weeks ago. I used the v2 TE for quite a while as well as
the v1 Elmarit.

My first feeling is that the v1 TE is less contrasty, but less flare prone
when compared to the v2 TE (note that the v2 flare can be well controlled
with hood).

WRT contrast the v2 TE seems more similar to the v1 Elmarit,
while the v1 seems more similar to early 90/2 Summicrons wide open,
which is what I was looking for.

Roland.
 
I'm quite familiar with the earlier v1 elmarits and earlier non asph summicrons. Are you saying the v1 tele is soft wide open and a little flat? The v2 tele would be slightly sharper and more contrast wide open? No problem with using a shade. I've been thinking of adding one for a kit that I will keep in my car. Bessa R2, PII35 cv, 50 2.5cv and 90 Tele-Elmarit.

Thanks!
 
Yeah, pretty much. I want to use mine for portraits - so a bit soft is desired.

Since you want to combine with the 35/2.5 I recommend the thin TE -
they will pair up nicely.

I believe there were several thin TE versions made. Some developed spots,
some didn't. To be sure look for one with Ser # > 3 Mio, or the yellow
90 on the focus mount. Many older thin TEs are fine though.

A shade that will work as well and make a nice compact combo is the
current Elmar 50/2.8 shade.

Best,

Roland.
 
The one I'm looking at is the yellow 90 and 2.96 Million. It's minty and the folks want $399 with caps and hood. Sound like a decent deal?
 
x-ray said:
The one I'm looking at is the yellow 90 and 2.96 Million. It's minty and the folks want $399 with caps and hood. Sound like a decent deal?
Click to expand...


Yes, grab it quick they go for over 500 normally.

Best,

Roland.
 
ZM 85 is still on the slate but I'm putting together a kit to leave in my car. The 85 ZM will replace my 90 apo asph summicron that I'm not too wild about for close shooting. Thought about the 90 CV and still thinking about it but from what I understand it's about the same size as the 90 elmarit v1. If the cv 90 was 2.8 I would think more seriously about it. Just a wild hair and not something I need but you know how it is, toys toys. The car kit will consist of a 35 and 50 and will probably be the90mm, 35mm PIICV and 50mm 2.5 CV with a really nice R2 Bessa that I just picked up on a whim. I insure all my equipment but don't have the sentimental attachment with the Bessa kit that I do with my Leica M's and lenses and ZI Kit. I'm also going to be doing a good bit of travel in europe in the next couple of years and want a light weight kit that I will carry in a old gas mask bag. If it got snatched from my sholder I would still be upset but not like a $10,000 kit of leicas or Zeiss gear. Also I'm learning to travel with a minimal kit when going on vacation. If I carry a large kit then I feel like I'm working and not playing. When I work I carry 2 or 4 35 bodies bodies and lenses plus MF, 6x17 panoramic and sometimes LF.
 
Last edited:
x-ray said:
ZM 85 is still on the slate but I'm putting together a kit to leave in my car. The 85 ZM will replace my 90 apo asph summicron that I'm not too wild about for close shooting. Thought about the 90 CV and still thinking about it but from what I understand it's about the same size as the 90 elmarit v1. If the cv 90 was 2.8 I would think more seriously about it. Just a wild hair and not something I need but you know how it is, toys toys. The car kit will consist of a 35 and 50 and will probably be the90mm, 35mm PIICV and 50mm 2.5 CV with a really nice R2 Bessa that I just picked up on a whim. I insure all my equipment but don't have the sentimental attachment with the Bessa kit that I do with my Leica M's and lenses and ZI Kit. I'm also going to be doing a good bit of travel in europe in the next couple of years and want a light weight kit that I will carry in a old gas mask bag. If it got snatched from my sholder I would still be upset but not like a $10,000 kit of leicas or Zeiss gear. Also I'm learning to travel with a minimal kit when going on vacation. If I carry a large kit then I feel like I'm working and not playing. When I work I carry 2 or 4 35 bodies bodies and lenses plus MF, 6x17 panoramic and sometimes LF.
Click to expand...
Whats this keep in the car thing mean? Do you have a way to keep the A/C on when parked. Explain.
 
x-ray said:
The one I'm looking at is the yellow 90 and 2.96 Million. It's minty and the folks want $399 with caps and hood. Sound like a decent deal?
Click to expand...
It does. The hood is terrific and fits over the lens in reverse so the whole package is really small and neat. The thin TE is a perfect travel lens. I really like it - the pic below is a typical rendering for the lens. When you get the lens shine a penlight through it to make sure that it doesn't suffer from the etching problem. It is thought that only about 5% of production had the issue but you should check for it. On the subject of the Summicron 90 APO ASPH I've replaced mine with an M-Hexanon 90/2.8. It's worth consideration. Not only is it Sonnar-like and terrific, it is also light in weight.


U353I1095886940.SEQ.0.jpg
 
Thanks everyone, I just made the purchase and will have it in a couple of days. The dealer i purchased it from is a Leica dealer and has a good reputation and assured me it has no problems with the glass or any others for that matter. When it arrives I will give it a thorough check.

The apo asph 90 has been a disappointing lens in that i do a good deal of close work and find it isn't a particularly good performer at close distances. At medium to long distances it reall is fine with the exception of excessive flare in back light conditions. The kind of work I'm doing at the moment requires f2 frequently. I find myself shooting in some of the serpent handling churches during services and shooting 1600 neopan at 1/60 @ f2-2.8. I'm finding my 75 summilux to be a particular favorite but it's just a little short on reach and the 90 apo asph flares to badly under the lighting conditions I find myself in. After the 85 Sonnar comes out and has been around for a few months to shake the bugs out i will most likely replace the apo with the Sonnar.

I've owned and used the v1 elmarit for 40 years and still love that formula. I still have a very clean black one and will keep that one.
 
peter_n said:
When you get the lens shine a penlight through it to make sure that it doesn't suffer from the etching problem. It is thought that only about 5% of production had the issue but you should check for it.
Click to expand...


While I am not in the market for a 90 currently, the short has always seemed the best to me. Can you give me a bit more background (why, how to identify it, etc.) on the etching problem? One never knows when GAS will get the better of them......

Thanks.

B2 (;->
 
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I find my tele-elmarit fat really has an ugly flare. It's not stars or circles but a sheet haze that appears when light enters from the side. As far as I can tell the glass on mine is perfect so I don't think it is from haze or anything. I haven't tried it much with the hood I recently bought for it. I find that a 90 is not a lens I use a lot. Oh, there is a UV filter...

Would you care to comment on your opinion of the tele-elmarit fat, x-ray? I'd love to hear what you think about it. Has it been a useful portrait lens for you?
 
Last edited:
Sirius:

It's been 35 years since using the fat tele but from what i remember it did flare easily. The one I just ordered is the thin version and will be very interested to see how it reacts to stray light.

The more closely that i look at Leica glass, vintage and new, the more i see that it flares quite easily. The one exception is my asph summilux 50. My 35 asph summicron and 90 apo asph summicron flare quite easily and can render images totally useless with a veil of flare and the 35 will give aperture patterns. I've also noticed the aperture patterns from my 21 Elmarit non asph when a strong light bulb is just outside the frame. On the flip side I find my Zeiss ZM lenses, 25, 35 and 50 Planar, extremely hard to get to flare if at all. It seems as though Leica is and has designed glass with a different ideal than Zeiss and even CV. Flare seems to have taken a back seat to other factors. For the kind of work that i do I find flare controll to be a high priority.

When the lens arrives i will evaluate it and give my findings.
 
Thanks Mike!

BillBingham2 said:
While I am not in the market for a 90 currently, the short has always seemed the best to me. Can you give me a bit more background (why, how to identify it, etc.) on the etching problem? One never knows when GAS will get the better of them......

Thanks.

B2 (;->
Click to expand...
Not sure that I can describe it in words but there are a lot of threads over on PN about this issue. Of the two following the first one is not about the thin TE but shows what etching looks like. The etching occurs on the inner surfaces of the sealed rear element pair on the thin TE. The second link discusses the TE. Hope this helps that's all I have time to find at the moment. As I said, lots of threads over on PN about this.

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003Nni

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AwlK
 
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