100 Macro Elmar

A Happy New Year to all of you. Being in Singapore I think I get to welcome the new year before most of you in Europe and America.

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Has anyone used the 100 macro Elmar? Is it any good? I accept that it is not in the same league as the 100 APO Elmarit, but stop down for macro purposes can it hold it's own? How about field flatness? Any info will be appreciated.

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Happy shooting for the coming year.

Hello Steven. I love Singapore and have left a lot of US Dollars

there from buying camera equipment from the many great photo shops.

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I don't have the lens you are asking about, but I can quote from

Dennis Laney's book, "Leica Lens Practice", which has the narrative

that comes right from Leica on the spec sheet. These comments are

unusually honest, compared to some books, and for some lenses, less

than flattering.

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For the 100mm f/4 Macro Elmar R, Quote:

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"Applications: The application of this lensare similar to the 100mm

f/2.8 APO Macro Elmarit R. It is one stop slower and lacks the

apochromatic correction. Focuses down to a reproduction ratio of

1:3.

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"Characteristics: Corrected to give its optimum performance in the

range from 1:5 to 1:10. It yields its highest contrast and

definition when the diaphragm is closed by only one stop. At its

closest focusing distance it gives a reproduction ratio of 1:3, or

1:1.6 with the Macro Adapter R. Elpro close-up attachments may be

used alone or in conjunction with the Macro Adapter R or the

Extension Rings."

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Some comparisons:

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Weight: f/2.8 - 840g, f/4.0 - 540g

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Length: f/2.8 - 104.5mm, f/4.0 - 90mm

i have this lens and i would never part with it......i also have the

90/2 and 90/2.8.........the 100/4 is an excellent lens that seems to

suffer abuse from people who have never used it.....that enabled me

to buy this lens with adapter ...both in perfect, boxed shape for

250 dollars................good luck with it !!!!!!

Oh, it's a mighty fine lens! Especially with any one of the Elpro

adaptors and/or the Leica bellows unit, which I use the lens for

because it doesn't have a focus helical. It works as nicely at

inifinity as it does at 1:3, or even at 1:1 with the bellows.

It is also fairly small and especially light. Wonderful lens.

This is a bit off topic but Don Chatterton has cut the price of his

new Elpros in half to $50. The 90 Summicron-R makes a suprisingly

good macro lens with an Elpro 3 attached.

The 100/4 macro is a very decent lens, slightly lower contrast and

not quite as sharp as the 60/2.8 and in absolute terms of course

nothing close to the 100/2.8 APO. The bellows-only version has its

own specialized use, but the standard-mount version is a useful

lens. As a macro lens, it is more difficult to use than the 60 or

100, due to the slower maximum aperture and resultant dimmer focusing

screen. Money-wise, its price-to-performance ratio puts it in

the "best buys" category even if its ultimate performance doesn't.

Thank you all for the prompt and valuable response. I should seriously

consider getting this lens instead of the far more expensive APO macro,

though reputedly phenomenal, just plain out of my reach, wallet wise.

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Happy New Year to all. Cheers.

Hello Steven.I have used this lens in bellows version for several

years and can vouch for it.Characteristics as follows: Remarkably

flare free in comparison to earlier 90 Summicron M and 90 Elmarit R.

Micro contrast a little low until stopped down to f5.6 to f8.but

these stops and lower used for close ups.Distortion not visible in

practice.I have copied many artworks for a color catalogue and artist

noted distortion free images.Extremely sharp in closer to medium

distance applications.This lens in practice sharper than 90 Elmarit R

with Elpros and 90 Summicron R closer up and matched by 65 Elmar V

and 60 Elmarit R.Color using 100 Apo R is more luminous especially in

projected chromes.The working distance of this focal length has

proved handy when using auxilliary lighting and in the field.

The bellows version has the follwing advantages:Vertical to

horizontal format quickly achieved,continuous focusing to 1:1 and

when tripod mounted camera and lens is rock steady.Be sure that

bellows version is triple cammed for correct metering with Leica R

cameras.It is possible to take photos without double cable release

albeit in stop down mode.The non bellows version,optically

identical,is more handy in the field,has auto aperture but needs

elpro or extension tube to go closer.

All in all this lens is a low cost, remarkably distortion

free and sharp lens for the Leica reflex.Granted the 100 Apo R is

brighter in color and has higher contrast opened up but the

reputation of the Apo should not fully overshadow this classic four

element design.