Which 90mm versions 2.0 2.8 4.0 I have them all

gregarpp

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90mm will probably be my most used lenses.
I have not found much info on the different versions of the lenses.. I figured I would ask here..

90mm/4.0 Rokkor
90mm/4.0 Elmar (LTM)
90mm/2.8 Elmarit
90mm/2.0 Summicron

I am looking for something portable, and something to give me the "vintage" look.
I also have an older 50mm lens I plan on keeping for the "vintage" look.

The 90mm/2.0 is too big and heavy, it will be sold.
I have a 85mm/1.4 for my SLR... I don't need a fast lens.

90mm/2.8 Elmarit seems nice. It is an older M mount chrome lens. Looks like a blue coating. Will this lens give me the older look? Or is the lens to new.

The 90mm/4.0 rokkor is very compact and smooth. It probably has the best coating of the lenses????

The 90mm/4.0 LTM is an older lens, but has the blue coating.
If I had a choice.... the rokkor feels better.


How about the optics on these lenses? Any suggestions?
 
Is the 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit "too modern" for you? Small size of the 90/4 Elmar, pick up an F-Stop. Very sharp, higher contrast than the older lenses.
 
I don't think the 90mm/2.8 is the tele-elmarit version.
It is the plain Elmarit version....
It looks a bit older to me...
 
Hmmmm. So you did not buy every Leica 90....

Of the lenses listed, I am partial to the Elmar 90/4. The Rokkor is the same formula. I traded off the coated Elmar 90/4 in M-Mount and kept the older uncoated version. The Rokkor will probably give higher contrast, as compared to the "older look" of the LTM Elmar.
 
The first version of the Elmarit 90mm f2.8 that you list does give the vintage look you are after. It is portable esp. when compared to faster 90's like the Summicron, it looks nice and its priced even nicier.
 
90 Tele-Elmarit version 2

90 Tele-Elmarit version 2

Brian Sweeney said:
Is the 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit "too modern" for you? Small size of the 90/4 Elmar, pick up an F-Stop. Very sharp, higher contrast than the older lenses.

I'd echo this- the telephoto design allows both versions to be shorter than their focal length. Version 1 (1974-74), often known as the "fat" tele-elmarit, has 5 elements & weighs 325 g. Version 2 has 4 elements & weighs 220g, but has a rubber lenshood, a la Elmar-C

Happy hunting
David
 
The 90 f4 m-mount coated Elmar is a cracking lens 🙂. When I look at slides taken with this lens, and my latest 2.8 50mm Elmar, the 90 compares very favourably.

Here in the UK you can pick one up from a Dealer for a little over £100. One dealer in AP this week has an Exc++ example for £119.00. For leica glass that has to be a bargain.
Also IMO the M6 is better-balanced for having the 90 Elmar on front.

No experience with the other 90's, but doubt you'll find better value than the 90mm m-mount Elmar.....
 
I don't know about "the vintage look" part but the 90mm F2.8 FAT Tele Elmarit is compact and portable. I enjoy mine and it is never a pain to have along. Saw a 90/2 Summicron and felt that I would not want to carry it much less put it on my M, talk about a lens wearing a camera body. If you need the speed though I guess have to put up with the size.

Nikon Bob
 
90 4.0 will give the best vintage look Match coated or non-coated with whatever you have. The 2.8 Elmarit is really part modern, part vintage. It matches up well with 50 DR and rigids and 8 element 35 Summicrons.

I have in addition to thread mounts 90`s, a bayonet 90 4.0 with 39mm filter ring and a collapsible 90. All very similar. A shade is required on the 2.8 or 4.0 90`s so the 39mm version are handy.
 
Here is the lenses again. I looked up the serial numbers
90 Elmarit F2.8 Type 1 1,645,300 - 2,730,000
90 Summicron F2 Type 2 1,651,000 - 3,013,000
90 Elmar M39 thread
 
I still favor my 90 2.8 elmarit after thirty eight years. I own an ltm elmar uncoated and have had both coated an non. It's a nice lens but prone to flare in both cases and not nearly as sharp as the 2.8 untill uou stop down a couple of stops. It has size in it's favor but not actual lens performance. I've owned a couple of 90 summicrons too and currently have the asph 90. The asph is a wonderful lens but I still like the look of the 2.8 1st version elmarit. The early 90 summicrons are OK but not great and rather large and heavy for the performance factor. They were OK when that was all there was but by todays standards they are rather lack luster. I porobably have owned three 2.8 elmarits over the years and have shot with a number of tele-elmarits. While the tele-elmarit is a fine lens I don't feel it stacks up with the regular elmarit and don't feel there is a bif enough gain in compactness to warrent the loss of performance with the tele. My vote is keep the 2.8 elmarit.

There are a number of elmarit examples in my gallery.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=5045
 
90mm is definitely not my most-used lens on a Leica M, so take my comments in that regard. I have 3 Leica 90s, an Elmar f/4 in LTM, the first-type Tele-Elmarit, and the 55mm-filter compact pre-APO Summicron. Most of my photography is travelling, so weight is certainly an issue, but one that I have to (no pun intended) weigh against other factors, namely, getting the shots. I too have 80-85 for my SLR but I can't possibly travel with both systems. There are just times when the speed of the Summicron is important in order to keep the shutter speed at the point where I can get a sharp image even when I'm bracing the camera against a solid object. So I tend to take a few ounces less socks and underwear and wash them out in the hotel sink. There's only 167 grams difference between my T-E and the Cron.
 
I wanted to to see how the feel on the camera first..
I plan on shooting them... Just wanted some comments first.

I have already shot film with my 75mm/2.5 90mm/4.0 (rokkor) and 40mm/2.0 (Rokkor)
 
I really dont' understand why nobody said to you that the Elmarit is not only the best lense of the lot, but one of the best 90mm from Leica ever (if I have the money for one summicron I won't buy it. One day maybe I'll buy the 75mm summicron, but no 90mms other than the first elmarit).
Later elmarits (tele, fat, nano ...) are definetely not so good, or to say it better not so good as the older elmarit.
Elmar is a bit too old, good image quality, but it can't compare with the elmarit.
Rokkor is very good too, but a stop darker.
 
whitewave said:
I really dont' understand why nobody said to you that the Elmarit is not only the best lense of the lot, but one of the best 90mm from Leica ever (if I have the money for one summicron I won't buy it. One day maybe I'll buy the 75mm summicron, but no 90mms other than the first elmarit).
Later elmarits (tele, fat, nano ...) are definetely not so good, or to say it better not so good as the older elmarit.
Elmar is a bit too old, good image quality, but it can't compare with the elmarit.
Rokkor is very good too, but a stop darker.


I fully agree that the first version elmarit is the best general purpose 90mm.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?user_id=790229
 
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