Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/12/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Randy Holst jotted down the following: > I just signed on again after being away for a year and a half. I > appreciated everyone's willingness to help me with questions back then, > and have a new question. Flattery will get you anything. > I'm looking to buy a used 90mm lens to supplement the 35/f2 Summicron-M > on my M4 and I'm considering the Tele-Elmarit 90/f2.8 (two versions), > Elmarit-M 90/f2.8, and Summicron 90/f2 (three versions). I have a Leica > lens identification book to help me tell them apart, but have no > references to help me with the relative merits of each. I'm rather > partial to a version which has the built-in lens hood. Can anyone make > some recommendations as to which performs best or which to stay away > from? Oh boy, what a choice. First the obvious. Do you need the extra stop? -> one of the 'crons. Can you afford the extra cash? -> the latest 'cron. Want the sharpest lens? -> probably the latest 'cron. Want the most creamy bokeh? -> the first version Summicron. Do you need the lightest lens? -> the thin Tele-Elmarit. Like lens hoods that collapse when you least need them to? -> Any of the cron's or the latest Elmarit. A number of people have reported problems with their Tele-Elmarit. It would appear (though this is speculation) that there was some quality-control problems in the manufacturing of that lens. I *think* this only applies to the thin version, but I'm not sure. Then again, my thin version Tele-Elmarit is perfectly fine, so I've never had the problem. Check the archives for the discussion. The 1960's 'cron is large, but a lovely lens. Most superb portrait lens I've come across. I'd skip the 80's 'cron and go directly for the new ASPH/APO if you don't want the oldest version and have the cash to spare. Stuff to check: LUG archives: http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/ Erwin's pages: http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/leicahome.html M. - -- Martin Howard | "We learned that there is no such thing Visiting Scholar, CSEL, OSU | as a free launch". email: howard.390@osu.edu | -- Dr P. Murdin on Cluster II launch www: http://mvhoward.i.am/ +----------------------------------------