Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/12/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]First, the Russians are extremely conservative in their lens data: the lines/mm resolution they list are probably not terribly accurate as a consequence. I don't have an answer to this nor have I ever performed a resolution test on this lens in any of the forms of it I have (German Contax RF, German LTM, Russian Contax RF, Russian LTM, Russian M42), but I use it a LOT and find it a perfectly satisfactory lens design. It's not QUITE up to my 2/90 Summicron, but close. Second, the 4/90 is an OLD design, going back to the early '30's (as does the Jupiter, for that matter!). Leitz made a LOT of these between 1931 and 1964, when production of the rigid four-element design ceased: there are at least 42,000 uncoated rigid Elmars and 94,000 coated rigid Elmars out there, along with 25,000 collapsible Elmars and 6,000 three-element Elmars. This keeps the price down: it is simply TOO common a lens. But it is ONE fine picture-taker. I use a 4/90 collapsible as a normal lens on my M6. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!