Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/07/29

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Subject: Re: [Leica] 90mm Tele-Elmarit (1984)
From: Thomas Kachadurian <kach@freeway.net>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 21:15:26 -0400

At 03:34 PM 7/29/98 -0400, you wrote:
Paul:

You understate the situation. The problem is common, with older
Tele-elmarits. I wanted one for it's size and bought and sent back 3 with
hazing so profound you didn't even need a flashlight to see it. The one I
finally kept was late in the production (late 1980s) and is clear as a bell.

There is no concensus on the source of the hazing, some say grease, others
say resins, but no one doubts that the hazing does exsist on many of these
lenses.

Tom

>I have a 1983 Tele-Elmarit-M, and it has no problems.  I understand you
>can check for the problem by shining a flashlight through the lens and
>looking for hazing.  There was a discussion about this problem here a
>while ago, and as I remember the consensus was that very few people had
>ever seen it.  Stephen insists he has, but there's not much support
>for his observations among LUG members.  Personally, I think the risk
>of getting a lens of this vintage with "the problem" is low.
>
>I love this lens.  I have no experience with the other Leica 90's,
>so they may be sharper, I just don't know.  I do know that the images
>I get from it are Leica-level satisfactory to me.  And the size means
>I never have an excuse not to have it with me!  A great lens at home
>doesn't take nearly as nice pictures as a good lens in your bag :-)
>
>I'd negotiate a reasonable return privilege with the seller, though.
>I hate the thought of buying something like this solely on the basis
>of the seller's description, without any recourse.
>
>Paul Chefurka
>
==================================
Thomas Kachadurian
WEB PAGE: http://members.aol.com/kachaduria