Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Kent Smith wrote: > Hi, > > Apologies if this has been asked before but I would appreciate hearing > > about user experiences with the 90mm Tele-Elmarit-M and 90mm Elmarit-M > lens > (built in hood). I saw the two today side by side for the first time > and > was surprised by the difference in size. What's the verdict on these > two? > > Kent Smith > unipac@teleport.com Kent - I owned a Tele-Elmarit-M for some time and wasn't satisfied with the image quality; then I found out why: I decided to trade it for a newer 90M and had it rejected by the dealer. He pointed out that there had been a bad batch (or more) of this lens ... a problem with the cement, I believe, as a result of which some of the elements separated and there was a permanent haze on the rear element. You can see the haze by shining a flashlight at 45 degree angle through the rear element. Since I bought it used some time ago, I have to "eat" it. I'm kinda ticked off since Leica US did a clean/lube/etc on it a few years ago and never said anything to me about it. For convenience, it was hard to beat. Exteriorly, the glass looks great and you can't tell anything is wrong with it. I can't even ethically offer it for sale, so I guess it'll make an attractive paperweight. I've transferred the screw-in rubber lenshood to my 135 Tele-Elmar, so that'll be more convenient than fiddling with a separate lenshood. Bottom line: do some careful research on the one you're looking at to be sure it's not from the bad batch.