Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/04

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Tele-Elmarit first and second
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 13:40:06 -0500

The 90 Summicron gets a somewhat unfair bad rap. First off, when compared to
the later versions of the 90 2.8, it is not particularly large or heavy -
both of which are complaints.

No, it may not be the quintesential Summicron - as Erwin is quick to point
out - and for those who can afford it, the 75 1.4 is probably the way to go
to get speed and short tele...but...I don't find that when using B&W I have
any real image quality problems with it...Does focusing take skill and
practice? Absolutely. And, again, if I can afford it, would I like to have
an ASPH APO version? Sure...but I'm not going to be embarassed by any
results because I don't have the new version...



- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
drodgers@nextlink.net
Sent: Thursday, March 04, 1999 1:29 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] Re: Tele-Elmarit first and second




Mark

You wrote:

>>We've been going off and on, hot and cold, love and hate on this lens
for the 3 or 4 months I have been here. Both had a filter size of 39 but
the thin second lens as 220g and the first made till '74 was 325g. I'm
willing to bet the lovers had the five element and the haters like
myself had the four element.<<

I had both. I sold the older, fatter, heavier 5 element and kept the newer,
thinner, lighter 4 element. The thin lens, I felt, had slightly better
contrast.

The 90mm lens in general, I think, is difficult to use on a rangefinder.
More
difficult for some (like me) than others. Wide open and in close DOF is
quite
narrow.

I tend to disregard the rangefinder once I focus. So if a subject moves, and
goes out of focus, I don't always notice. It could be that I used an SLR for
too
many years.

It's always easier to blame the lens that it is to blame my technique. It's
possible that the love hate relationship has more to do with technique and
type
of work, than the version of the lens. I never have a problem with the 90 M
when
shooting landscapes.

For years I've heard people discount the 90 Summicron M, I think for the
same
reason. I love mine when the subject is in focus, and I hate it when the
subject
is slightly out of focus.

Dave