Which 90mm for my M3

[thawkins]

Considering purchasing a 90mm for my M3. What is the difference between a 90mm Tele-Elmar, 90mm Elmarit and the 90mmTele-Elmarit? Which one is the preferred lens? Eagerly await all of your replies.

 

[hendriphile]

Considering purchasing a 90mm for my M3. What is the difference between a 90mm Tele-Elmar, 90mm Elmarit and the 90mmTele-Elmarit? Which one is the preferred lens? Eagerly await all of your replies.

I'm not sure which would be "preferred" (it depends largely on what you want out of the lens), but at least this should help in sorting out the differences between the ones you mentioned (and many more besides).

http://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/lens-reviews.htm#90

 

[Huss]

I use the 90mm Macro Elmar M. Stunningly good, and super compact.
I shot my series Kosmic Koi using it, and that has sold really well so my customers obviously agree!

Here it is on my CLE:

 

[Calzone]

Huss,

That is a stunning shot. I love my chrome version of the 90 Macro Elmar.

BTW the round cylindrical hood for a version 3 50 Elmar works great on the 90 Macro Elmar, and the front lens cap from the 90 Macro also works with the Elmar hood for an even more compact 90. The hood is also usable with filters.

Cal

 

[FPjohn]

The Tele-Elmarit is a good trade off between cost, weight, size and resolution. yours FPJ

 

[steverett]

What are you going to be using it for? I have a Tele-Elmarit, it has superb performance and is very compact, very easy to carry around all day.

 

[thawkins]

I will be using it for short telephoto landscape work and portraits.

 

[x-ray]

There isn't a 90 Tele-Elmar. Elmar v1 and v2 (cl), Elmarit v1 & v2 and Tele Elmarit. The elmar v1 is a bit soft wide open and low low contrast. The v2 was a modern lens designed for the CL - CLE and is razor sharp and high contrast. I think there were 2 versions in the CL-CLe series. I own the late CLE version and can confirm its very small, light, crazy sharp and nice modern contrast even at f4.

I've owned a couple of the v1 elmars and they are too low contrast and soft wide open for me. You might like it for portraits though.

I have used and owned three or four of the v1 Elmarit lenses since 1968. They remain my favorite of all 90's. They are light, not too big and very sharp with a nice balance of contrast even wide open. It's a perfect match for a v2 or 3 50 summicron. I've never used the v2.

I have owned and used the thin Tele Elmarit and never like it. It's not overly sharp wide open and prone to serious flare under certain lighting conditions. A hood IMO is very important.

For travel and walk around the sharp and contrasty lens I'd vote for is the Elmar for the cL / CLE. I believe the CLE (Minolta) version was multi coated and often regarded as a touch better than the Leica version. Both are M mount and identified as Leica lenses not Minolta. The Minolta version takes a 40.5mm filter if I remember correctly that's very easy to find cheap. The Leica takes an odd series 5.5 thats expensive and hard to find.

For general shooting inside or out I'd say the Elmarit v1.

 

[pechelman]

want a compact lightweight travel lens, classic rendering, dont need as much edge or corner sharpness, & dont mind medium contrast and potentially some flare? Get the Tele-Elmarit "Thin". (though even the "fat" is worth considering imo) Be prepared to carry a hood.

want a more plain modern rendering, medium sized, light'ish weighing, high contrast, flare resistant, extremely sharp (edge to edge) lens, and dont care about the rubber focusing ring? Get the new Summarit.

want something that renders modern with a touch of classic, medium sized, dont mind a bit of extra weight, has a built in hood, is high contrast, flare resistant, extremely sharp edge to edge, and with the "classic" leica all metal build? Get the new and now discontinued Elmarit-M.

Just want the smallest leica 90mm out there? Get that Macro f4 collapsible.

The best "all-around" imo goes to either the Summarit or Elmarit-M depending on priorities.
The best for portraits, maybe the Tele-Elmarit for a softer look or Elmarit-M for more a bit more sharpness.
Best for landscapes, Elmarit-M or Summarit because they have the best sharpness across the frame.

Not sure Id consider any Leica 90mm not mentioned above unless you need f2.

 

[thawkins]

There isn't a 90 Tele-Elmar. Elmar v1 and v2 (cl), Elmarit v1 & v2 and Tele Elmarit. The elmar v1 is a bit soft wide open and low low contrast. The v2 was a modern lens designed for the CL - CLE and is razor sharp and high contrast. I think there were 2 versions in the CL-CLe series. I own the late CLE version and can confirm its very small, light, crazy sharp and nice modern contrast even at f4.

I've owned a couple of the v1 elmars and they are too low contrast and soft wide open for me. You might like it for portraits though.

I have used and owned three or four of the v1 Elmarit lenses since 1968. They remain my favorite of all 90's. They are light, not too big and very sharp with a nice balance of contrast even wide open. It's a perfect match for a v2 or 3 50 summicron. I've never used the v2.



I have owned and used the thin Tele Elmarit and never like it. It's not overly sharp wide open and prone to serious flare under certain lighting conditions. A hood IMO is very important.

For travel and walk around the sharp and contrasty lens I'd vote for is the Elmar for the cL / CLE. I believe the CLE (Minolta) version was multi coated and often regarded as a touch better than the Leica version. Both are M mount and identified as Leica lenses not Minolta. The Minolta version takes a 40.5mm filter if I remember correctly that's very easy to find cheap. The Leica takes an odd series 5.5 thats expensive and hard to find.

For general shooting inside or out I'd say the Elmarit v1.

OK...........What are the identifiable differences between the V1 and V2 versions?

 

[pepeguitarra]

Tele-Elmarit M 90/2.8

Tele-Elmarit M 90/2.8

Small, thin and good. Here are some of the pics taken with it:

SDButterflyFarm2-1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Tele-Elmarit M 90mm f2.8 @f5.6 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


Tele-Elmarit M 90mm f2.8 @f5.6 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

 

[pepeguitarra]

Of course, there is always the Canons 100mm ltm.

Of course, there is always the Canons 100mm ltm.

Esomeliae by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Canon100mmf2LTM@f2-Pli by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

 

[Ronald M]

Current collapsible 90 is my all time favorite. Excellent full sharpness at 4.0 and only focus depth improves stopping down. Resolution/contrast right up there with current lenses.

90 2.8 Elmarit with removable head for visoflex and/or bellows for nature. Terrific portrait lens with mild micro contrast so the ladies will still love you.

Anything with tele in the name is an optical compromise.

90 APO if I did low light with a 90 which I do not.

 

[Huss]

Huss,

That is a stunning shot. I love my chrome version of the 90 Macro Elmar.

BTW the round cylindrical hood for a version 3 50 Elmar works great on the 90 Macro Elmar, and the front lens cap from the 90 Macro also works with the Elmar hood for an even more compact 90. The hood is also usable with filters.

Cal

Thanks Cal!

And yet again I am jealous of your gear.. I wanted it in chrome, but missed an opportunity to get one. Haven't seen another since..

 

[raid]

I use the second version Summicron 90/2.0M with the M3. There are many excellent lenses in this range.


75/1.5 Summilux .... very special
Nikon 105/2.5 .... very special
Nikon 85/2 ,,, excellent

 

[Rico]

Elmarit v1 has beautiful build and handling, but I never liked it due to bad bokeh f/g and b/g. How did Wetzlar achieve that? 🙂 I guess you could stop it down a bunch but, then, its f/2.8 speed is pointless. For portrait, the 4-element Elmars are perfect: I have the collapsible (best Leitz mechanical design ever, heavy) and rigid (15 aperture blades). For landscape, the 3-element Elmar is sharper, and the subpar bokeh doesn't offend when you stop down. For high-rent options, the Elmarit v2 and current Elmar-M macro are winners.

Elmar 90 4-element rigid.

 

[x-ray]

For examples shot with the V1 Elmarit click the link to my gallery at the bottom. On page 2 there are a couple of women with tattoos and a man with a KKK hat. On the next page you'll find a whiskey old man sitting with his hands folded looking straight into the camera. On the last page #4 the tight portraits of a young boy and one of a young girl, a girl at a fence holding a piece of hose, two firms with a kitten, children walking on a ladder and a closeup of a boys arm with a tattoo are all with the v1 Elmarit. Mist were shot wide open or down a stop or two. The bokeh is excellent imo as is contrast and sharpness. I Bisbe the whiskers old man, the head shots of the boy and girl and girls with the kitten were wide open.

Forgot two other images on page 4. The shot close on two hand and the persons butt and the shot of satan loves me. These were the V1 also.

On one of the pages is a photo of a man in a white suit sleeping and it was with a 90 Apo asph summicron. On the same page is a produce stand 1970 and that I think was with the v1 Elmarit.

 

[x-ray]

The V1 Elmarit was thin and appeared long but wasn't. It has a removable head and 39mm filter size. It looks vintage like the v2 rigid summicron. Most were chrome but some black chrome. The V2 has a modern appearance, non removable lens unit and collapsible hood. Don't know the filter size but believe it's larger than E39.

The v1 Elmar has a removable head, non parallel focusing mount (head rotates when focusing) and the earlier ones took a clamp on filter and later E39. The ones designed for the CL/CLE have a non rotating head and have a parallel focusing mount. These take 40.5 mm if I member correct (Leitz/Minolta version) and the earlier Leitz takes series 5.5 filters. Neither have removable heads and both are black and modern looking.

 

[Pioneer]

For most work I love the old collapsible Elmar that came with the M3. It does seem a bit heavy as Leica lenses go, but it certainly pays the rent.

I have heard that the new Macro-Elmar is awesome but I haven't been willing to part with the cash to own it. The old collapsible Elmar has been perfectly great to this point and I already own it.

To be completely honest, I have found that my old v1 90mm Elmar LTM lens is a great option on bright, sunny days. It is a solid, well built lens with beautiful brassing and it was very reasonable in price.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

You know what is funny... Person asks about lens for film camera and gets digital samples in return... Like it really means something...

While, as Pioneer has mentioned above, even basic old cheap and slightly fungusy Elmar 90 f4 is good enough on film. 🙂

Elmar 90 f4 LTM on M4-2.

Only one of those was taken on bright, sunny day. BTW. 😎 All four are handheld.

The lens was given to me at local camera store because even the owner who used to work for Leica in Midland has no value for this lens.

Any 90mm lens is going to be great on M3!
Want it in color get younger one, want for bw, old is OK.

Cheers, Ko.