Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Which One: 90 mm f/2 Summicron or 90 mm f/2.8 Elmarit?
From: Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2001 13:00:09 -0700
References: <v04011702b725d5daf113@[208.187.35.139]>

Guy Bennett wrote:
> 
> >Any opinions, empirical evidence or anecdotal comments about the superiority
> >of either the 90 mm f/2 Summicron or the 90 mm f/2.8 Elmarit? Or is this
> >simply a case of six of one, $700 or so more dollars for a my aperture's
> >bigger than your aperture?
> >[snip]
> >Greg Rubenstein
> 
> In the words of the immortal B.D. (and where the hell is he, BTW?):
> 
> the Summicron is better at f/2.
> 
> Guy
> 
> N.B. FWIW, when I faced that decision, I opted for the Elmarit because the
> 90 focal length is not one I frequently use, and thus I couldn't justify
> the additional expense for the Summicron.

The French magazine called the Elmarit the second greatest lens since sliced
bread 5 years ago but Erwin called it a generation removed at least from the
present offerings. I have both. I felt the Elmarit outclassed the look i had
gotten from my Nikons for 20 years. Even though the sync speed on my white
backdrop dropped from 250th to a 50th.
But as i do 90% of my work with a 90 i also got the new apo Summicron 90 Asph.
so i could shoot with the best.Erwin had said better was than the existing
champion, the 100 apo R.
I do need two 90's one on each of two bodies anyway because that's how I've
always worked.
The feel and look of this new 90 really makes me feel like I'm hot stuff far
more than any other lens I've got (besides my Zeiss 120 CFi macro). maybe not
less. Such amazing balance this new 90 has!
I took a long walk with the apo Summicron 90 Asph at dusk and i was really
cranking out shots wide open that I'm glad were at 125th and not a 60th and it's
wide open performance is astounding. Which is why we shoot Leica as the great
Nikon and canon lenes are great stopped down two only.

When i get my results back i cant always remember which lens i had on which
body. The color vs. the black and white. But i feel unstoppable with my new 90
with it's amazing feel and balance. If you could put the bucks together i
couldn't recommend it enough. 


Mark Rabiner

Portland, Oregon
USA

http://www.rabiner.cncoffice.com/

In reply to: Message from Guy Bennett <gbennett@lainet.com> (Re: [Leica] Which One: 90 mm f/2 Summicron or 90 mm f/2.8 Elmarit?)