Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/06/19

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Subject: Re: Reviw of Leica lenses
From: Federico Quintana <fquintana@interlink.com.ar>
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 97 16:39:37 -0300

>90mm 1:2,8
>
>The (Tele-)Elmarit's are a clear indication of Leica's queeste for the 
>ultimate in optical performanc The long and slender
> Elmarit (11129) is  followed by the Tele-Elmarit(11800), a full 2 cm 
>shorter and fits in a normal everready case.
>Leitz has great difficulties to give this lens the same optical 
>performance as its predecessor. 
>The successor arrives in 1974, loses a lens element, has therefor more 
>contrast, but is a little longer ans smaller again. Here Leitz has gone a 
>little to far 
>The lens is very compact and short, but the small distance ring proves to 
>be a bit difficult for accurate and fast shooting (the diameter is  a 
>mere 47mm).
> The final form is found in 1990 with the Elmarit-M (11807).
>Optically the new  Elmarit-M is closely related to the older
> Elmar-C for the Leica CL, made in 1973,
>only one year earlier than the Tele-Elmarit-M (11800).
>In 30 years  Leica has produced  10 fundamentally different optical 
>designs for the 90mm, of which seven for the M-series. 
>The new  Elmarit-M howver is the culmination of this soul searching for 
>the ideal 90mm. 
>Erwin Puts

     I recently purchased a new M6 with summicron 50 and I am checking 
out lenses to complete the system.  One of the lenses is the 90 Elmarit.  
Recently I followed up on an add at my local lab, for a 90 elmarit priced 
at $700.  I went to see the photographer that was selling it and the lens 
is in exellent condition.  However, it is not the latest version, it 
doesn't have a lens hood built in and the shape resembles that of a grown 
up 50 Summicron.  The seller couldn't tell me exactly when it was bought 
but he said he had it with an M4-P that he already sold. It fits in the 
(n)eveready case with no problem and the serial number is 2968359.
     Can anyone tell me which generation it belongs too, how it compares 
to the latest version and if the price is acceptable? Erwin?  Ben?

Thanks in advance

P.S.  Erwin I think your lens reviews are great.

Federico,
Argentina