Which lens in the 85-105mm range?

[artears]

Thank you everyone for the info they provided. It seems like both of the nikkors are worth trying. The hexanon is also good. Let's see which one in mint condition I can find first 🙂

@ramosa: I have a subscription to Sean Reid's website (reidreviews) and I highly recommend it if you want to check all newer lenses and their tests. I don't want to provide the test regarding the new Elmarit here (not the old very long one), I think it would not be ethical and appropriate, however I can say apart from showing CA wide open and being one stop slower than APO cron, they seem to be quite comparable. APO cron is a very nice lens, hence if Elmarit can be compared with that lens without many issues, I think it will give higher resolution at comparable apertures compared to a nikkor 85mm. You can take my word as a grain of salt, I used neither 90mm Elmarit nor 85mm nikkor before, but from example pictures I can see that nikkor is a bit soft wide open compared to f/4. Still, as I said, it would be better if someone familiar with those lenses would jump and share his/her experience... BTW, I agree with you that the oof rendering is quite nice with the nikkor...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The DOF of the Nikkor 8.5cm f2 wide-open is very shallow. In the shot of the "sprouts" on the tree, the DOF at F2 is less than the width. Focus is on the lower-left portion. These are all hand-held shots.

F2:

F4:

The shot of the rooster above is at F2.

Spring is coming, and I'll have to try the Tele-Elmarit along side the Nikkor. It is a sharp lens, but I gravitate towards the extra speed of the Nikkor. The Nikkor usually cost less than the Tele-Elmarit.

 

[Ben Z]

Did someone mention the modern CV 90/3.5 APO-Lanthar in LTM? Probably around or under $200 used in decent shape. I have a several 90's (chrome LTM Elmar, "fat" T-E, "thin" T-E, pre-APO Cron) and an LTM Nikkor 105/2.5, all of which are great lenses and not horrendously expensive (other than the Cron, which would sell for around $800, the others are all <$500), but performance😛rice the CV would win.

 

[maggieo]

A thin tele-elmarit is a great choice. They can be had for not too much money, probably in your price range if you look. They're really light and small... and work very well on the M8.

I got my Tele-Elmarit for just under $400.00US. It's a great, if flare-prone, lens.

90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit set on Flickr

 

[ramosa]

artears: thanks for your input.

sean reid: i have a subscription, too. my only complaint is that i wish it came in a form that i could enlarge. i don't think that's possible, though. but, in terms of practical lens recommendations, sean is the best.

i agree with your summary of sean's review of the summicron and elmarit 90mms. they seem close, aside from the summ being a stop faster. from my viewing of photos, i think the summicron also has an OOF rendering more in tune with what i like (and would want out of a new lens). with the summicron's price being prohibitive for me at this point in time, i seem to be looking for a 90mm with an OOF rendering similar to the 90mm ... (at f2 or f2.8) ... and that's what has me reading up on the nikkor, as well as hexanon.

@ramosa: I have a subscription to Sean Reid's website (reidreviews) and I highly recommend it if you want to check all newer lenses and their tests. I don't want to provide the test regarding the new Elmarit here (not the old very long one), I think it would not be ethical and appropriate, however I can say apart from showing CA wide open and being one stop slower than APO cron, they seem to be quite comparable. APO cron is a very nice lens, hence if Elmarit can be compared with that lens without many issues, I think it will give higher resolution at comparable apertures compared to a nikkor 85mm. You can take my word as a grain of salt, I used neither 90mm Elmarit nor 85mm nikkor before, but from example pictures I can see that nikkor is a bit soft wide open compared to f/4. Still, as I said, it would be better if someone familiar with those lenses would jump and share his/her experience... BTW, I agree with you that the oof rendering is quite nice with the nikkor...[/quote]

 

[AhShun]

"perfect" frameline for 90mm?

"perfect" frameline for 90mm?

I use the 8.5cm f2 with the 75mm framelines on the M8: perfect, and the 10.5cm F2.5 with the 90mm framelines on the M8: perfect.

I use a 1.25x magnifier, bought here on RFF for under $50.

Sorry for a bit OT.
I use Rokkors w/M8, and thus feel good to take the 24-frameline for 28mm and 35-frameline for 40mm. I also use a 28/90 adaptor for the 35 summaron. But I have no experience for the 90s. Should it better to use the 75-frameline? (I used the 75 Summarit for a few days and found that I can't manage to "frame it" 😱)

 

[AhShun]

Sorry for a bit OT.
I use Rokkors w/M8, and thus feel good to take the 24-frameline for 28mm and 35-frameline for 40mm. I also use a 28/90 adaptor for the 35 summaron. But I have no experience for the 90s. Should it better to use the 75-frameline? (I used the 75 Summarit for a few days and found that I can't manage to "frame it" 😱)

Found by search:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86980

Sorry for my lazy 😛

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I've been using the 85mm lenses with 75mm framelines- and it is a very good match; I will try my 90/4 LTM Elmar, and suspect it will be close. The real delight was being able to use the 10.5cm f2.5 Nikkor with the 90mm framelines. It now has an M-Mount adapter and Hot Mirror on it ready for use.

 

[hiromu]

I like Voigtlander APO Lanthar 90mm very much. Cheap and sharp.