90mm Elmarit Current of 90mm Macro Elmar?

[james mitchell dc]

I'm looking to go back to one 90mm Leica lens. I've owned and used the 90mm

Tele-Elmarit thin, which was very nice, but not what I want. I had the 90mm

MEM, which I loved and am leaning towards reaquiring. I'd love to hear good

arguments for the 90mm current model 2.8 Elmarit. Price and portrait quality

are my key desires. Also, as I know the MEM, how much larger does the Elamrit

feel? Thanks in advance for any constructive answers.

[james mitchell dc]

The title should read "or"

[jja]

Hi James. I have not used or even seen a 90 MEM, so I cannot provide a helpful comparison,

but I recently acquired the current Elmarit-M, and I think it's a fabulous lens. It handles and

balances well on my MP, and does not feel too big at all. I like its ergonomics better than a

90 Elmar, which felt undersized on an M body. Performance, in my opinion, is first rate. Very

sharp and good contrast. I do not find it is overly clinical, as I seem to recall some people

complaining. Here's a link so some recent photos:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10229578@N00/sets/72157594531915098/

[stuart_richardson]

The 90mm elmarit is a great lens, but so is the Konica 90mm f/2.8. If you don't mind using a

non-Leica lens, the 90/2.8 Konica is great, small and cheap. It is much better than my 90mm

f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit. The build-quality is excellent too. It feels about the same size as the

90mm Tele-elmarit, only slightly thicker (it is a 46mm filter, not a 39).

[james mitchell dc]

Stuart, any samples with the Konica? I'd greatly appreciate it.

[james mitchell dc]

Stuart, I use Leica, Nikon, Canon, Voightlander, Kobalux, Zeiss ... I am not so brand-conscious. Although, I do have a Leica bias.

[james mitchell dc]

Thank you, Juan. Nice pics. I'd also like to see color examples. I shoot both mediums, in film and digital now.

[jja]

I don't have any color examples handy, but look here:

 

 

I think you can find more by searching for photo tags. As for the Konica 90/2.8, I tried

buying one two months ago, but never found one. Then I got an Elmarit-M at a decent price,

and that was that.

[james mitchell dc]

Juan, I'm interested in what is a decent price. I have an idea, but if you could e-mail me your idea to "cvocek AT aol.com"

 

Thank you for going out of your way to show me what you have. I appreciate it.

[stuart_richardson]

Hi James, sorry, I mostly use the 75/2 these days, so I cannot really find too many examples.

Here is one that I dug up...but it does not do much to show the abilities of the lens<P><img

src="http://www.stuartrichardson.com/sapporo-ema.jpg">

[paul hart]

James:

 

To answer your last question (as someone who owns the 90 MEM and has owned the

Elmarit), there is a significant difference in size, weight and 'feel' between these two

lenses.

 

Length (Elmarit/90MEM): 76mm/59mm (extended) - 40mm (collapsed).

 

Weight: 410g/240g (black versions).

 

I don't do tests, but judging from those who do and my own experience, there's nothing to

choose between them in terms of image quality. The MEM is a remarkable little lens and if

you can live with the 'unsexy' maximum aperture, it's the one to go for, IMHO.

[james mitchell dc]

Paul,

 

I've owned the MEM, so I know it pretty well. Any evidence of the Elmarit not living up to its billing? It is quite a bit less expensive. I'd like to settle on one 90mm lens.

[ronald_moravec1]

The current 2.0 and 2.8 lenses will be soft under 6 feet and stopping down will not improve the results. My 90 pre asph Summicron does the same and Leica stated that it will. The old thin 90 2.8 does the same, but stopping down fixed the softness unlike the other three. I like the 90 Preasph Summicron for portraits for this reason as sharpness is not the main criteria here for me.

 

The 90 Macro is designed not to go soft close up just as were the 90 Elmarit (not tele elmarit thick or thin) and old 90 Elmar.

 

It is easy to soften a sharp lens with optical printing or photoshop, but impossible to do the oppposite.

 

If I wanted a sharp 90 for portraits, 90 MEM is my first choice. Old 90 Elmarit second. For slightly soft, I use my 90 preasph `cron or one of the current 2.0 or 2.8 90`s.

 

Since you had a 90 MEM, I sure you realise how well it worked at any stop, any distance. Mine is wonderful for when I need only 4.0.

[james mitchell dc]

Someone talk me into the Elmarit before I get another MEM.

[james mitchell dc]

Ronald, can I see an example of your pictures with the MEM and the Elmarit?

[james mitchell dc]

Or just one from the Elmarit. I know the MEM.

[jose_angel]

Ronald, I`m looking for the highest magnification Leica M lens to be used without adapters. Maximum sharpness at 0.7mts. is a requirement. Which one would you choose? Current MEM 90/4, `Cron 75/2 asph or `Cron 90/2 asph? Thanks (and excuse me James for my interference).

[james mitchell dc]

Jose, this is an open forum. You're welcome to ask about anything. It's very instructive.

[blowingsky]

James, if you click on my name and go to my portfolios, check out the first portfolio on Dublin. On the first line, "On Dame St." and "Window Treatment" are current 90 Elmarit shots. "Window Treatment" is a good example of what the lens can do, handheld at 250th. I used XP2 and scanned that from a glossy 5X7 print. The last three photos in that portfolio are also the same lens.

 

The lens handles well and often pleasantly surprises me as to how it reads the edge light in high contrast situations. I think although it is considered a high contrast lens, it is a lot tamer than the current 50 sumi.

[luigi v]

James, I owned (and sold after acquiring the MEM) both the Elmarit 2.8 (as big as the 2/75)

and the Summicron 2.0 ASPH. (much much bigger and heavier than all other lenses...)

I was so pleased with the MME results and its ease of handling that even the speed difference

did not make mean lean towards the other lenses and I have not regrets at all...

The 90 MME is nearly as good as the Summicron both 90/2 AND 75/2 and in my opinion

much better than the Elmarit. To me is actually one of the best Leica lenses on the market

right now (and I own many...).

As Paul says, if you can live with the f4 (I can...) I would suggest you get another one...

[luigi v]

Jose,

in reply to your question I would have no doubts (my opinion...):

Summicron 2/75.

[dennis_cheng1]

90mm Elmarit is a great lens that can be bought at very reasonable price(I bought a mint chrome one for $700 a few months ago.) 90mm Macro Elmar is harder second hand to find but much smaller. I have tried both but still prefer Elmarit.

[jose_angel]

Thanks Luigi.

[35mmdelux]

While others may be sharper, I prefer the summicron, the newer model the better.

 

I would only consider slower lenses (Including the new 90 Macro) for overseas travel.

[Robin Smith]

James,

 

I am one of the people who think the Elmarit, although an excellent lens,lacks "character". I basically found it a good solid, but unexciting lens. I am really not like this usually (a good lens is a good lens is my usual mantra), but I sold mine for the pre-Asph Summicron 90mm which I much prefer image wise, but dislike its weight. I still have the Elmarit in the R version where I use it for landscapes and when I want best quality short tele performance. I found it very stiff to use too which did not help its appeal. I am very tempted by the MEM myself, my only worry is that an f4 lens does not make for selective focus in the same way that an f2 lens does. On the other hand the MEM does focus nice and close.