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90 Tele Elmarit question


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Hi all,

An acquaintance of mine is selling his 90 Tele Elmarit (serial number dates back to 1978). He lent the lens to me for a couple of days to play with and see how it feels, if I like it etc.

After a few shots, I found the lens to be a little soft wide open. Not too much, but not as sharp as a modern lens. For a 34 years old lens, it is in extremely good condition, almost mint. Focusing is quite good, almost buttery. Aperture clicks are quite crisp, though a bit clunky. it doesn't come with box, front cap or shade.

The selling price is $550 CAD. What do you guys think? Is this a good price for it?

On the other hand I am thinking, if I decide to buy it, should i send the lens with the M9 to NJ for adjustments, CLA and 6bit coding?

Cheers.

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I own 2 of these (just haven't gotten around to selling one) and had both 6 bit coded by Leica NJ and that included checking them out to factory specs, etc. They are lovely small lenses.

 

I would say the price is OK, but hey, that's your call. As to the quality many here seem to like the heavier and longer Elmarit-M 90 better, but look how small and light weight that lens is! If the box and all bothers you, you can find a case for it on ebay. Or just keep it in a neoprene Zing pouch like I do with all my Leica lenses (old or new) when traveling.

 

You are talking about a 35 year old lens. Sure newer ones are better, but their prices are worse, if you get my slant.

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Price is good for these days - five years ago it would have been "average", but "M9 inflation" has driven these higher recently. Right now, KEH has one listed as "excellent" condition for about double the price you name.

 

I don't know about "a little soft wide open." Example one: portrait of picture editor Anastasia Svartsevich (Russian Reporter) at the 2012 POY awards - which hair or eyelash did I miss @ f/2.8? ;) (there is a bit of motion blur at 1/125 sec.)

 

(her work: Picture Editing Portfolios - Magazine)

 

I would recommend you try some backlight settings, though. The 90 TEM (v. 2, 1974-1990) does have strong (and sometimes sneaky) veiling flare tendencies from internal barrel reflections, even with a lens hood: Example 2 - also POY awards, TIME freelancer Marco Grob.

 

(his work: Second Place | Portrait Series)

 

Stopped down, the 90 TEM is just plain razor-like (Example 3 - Cargo Ship, f/5.6)

 

Another 90 TEM example - third picture in my story on wildflowers (Rocky Mountain Columbine) in the current issue of ColoradoSeen: ColoradoSeen - Home

 

Despite the occasional vicious flare, the 90 TEM v.2 is a lens I can't stand to not have in my arsenal. It's the one M tele that is "right-sized" for the M cameras, while keeping a reasonable low-light aperture (f/2.8).

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I've had one for years and it is a favorite lens. It works wonderfully with black and white film and with the M8. It is a bit soft at 2.8, but I consider that normal for its vintage. Be sure to look for any hazing inside - that seems to be a problem that can't be easily fixed. There are faster, sharper, and heavier lenses, but this is a good compromise.

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I picked up a late edition german made tele-elmarit 90mm about a year ago and find it a great performing lens and like very much how it renders.

It is prone to flare but I find this can be useful for certain shots too and use it mostly without a hood. Because the lens it is so compact I always carry it with me

I use it with my M6ttl for mostly B&W and my M9 and code manually with great success

The fungus problem seems to effect early editions of this lens so close inspection is advised.

The price offered seems great as $800-$1100 USD seems the going rate now

Good luck with your decision.

Edited by nelly001
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The price sounds reasonable. It is a very nice lens as it is light and small for a tele. Being thin it it does not obtrude as much as other 90mm lenses in the viewfinder. It is also easy to code by hand as the single black dot required is on one of the screw heads.

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The problem with some early TEM lenses is not (organismic) fungus, but (inorganic) haze. Where this comes from is moot. What matters is that due to its unique (for Leica) assembly method, the offending elements cannot be easily taken apart for cleaning. So if you have a hazy TEM, it's lost.

 

Fortunately, this seems to affect only early specimens, and lenses that are not already hazy probably won't be in the future either. The lens is quite sharp in the center, wide open, with medium-high contrast, but the edges and corners get progressively softer. Things improve rapidly when stopped down, the lens has no real sharpness problem at f/4 and is impressively brilliant at 5.6. Best definition is at f/8–11.

 

My specimen is from 1983 (with jubilee engraving) and in fine shape, after a CLA. I have the original rubber hood, quite similar to that of the f/4 C-lens, with a retaining ring for a Series 5.5 filter (which I also have). The lens can also use the 12575 snap-on hood, introduced as the IUFOO for the 90mm Elmarit of 1958 and still produced for the 90mm Macro-Elmar, and available as a replacement part, I presume. Ordinary 39mm filters also fit, of course.

 

The lens bayonet has a screw head placed exactly where it can code for a 90mm/2.8 lens. My M8 accepted this coding with no problems. The M9 demands that the camera is switched on when you mount the lens. Try it, this can work with your camera too. I too find this a convenient 'walkaround lens' with good performance stopped down, and delightful handling. I have given the rubber hood a treatment with the kind of conditioner used for keeping rubber boots from cracking.

 

The old man from the Analog Age

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Hi all,

An acquaintance of mine is selling his 90 Tele Elmarit (serial number dates back to 1978). He lent the lens to me for a couple of days to play with and see how it feels, if I like it etc.

After a few shots, I found the lens to be a little soft wide open. Not too much, but not as sharp as a modern lens. For a 34 years old lens, it is in extremely good condition, almost mint. Focusing is quite good, almost buttery. Aperture clicks are quite crisp, though a bit clunky. it doesn't come with box, front cap or shade.

The selling price is $550 CAD. What do you guys think? Is this a good price for it?

On the other hand I am thinking, if I decide to buy it, should i send the lens with the M9 to NJ for adjustments, CLA and 6bit coding?

Cheers.

 

It seems the lens is in good shape but shine a flash light through the lens just in case (there may be better places online for a description but this is the only one I found now fwiw).

 

My experience is that black anodized lenses tend to have crisper/harder/more defined click stops than the chrome ones. Personally I like it. In fact, my 90 Elmarit-M has very clear stops.

 

The price seems really fair to me so my advice is to buy it. Then use it and see how it performs in various situations and at various apertures. I would only send it in for a CLA if there's any perceptible problem. Don't fix it if it isn't broken just to "feel good". Not sure if it helps, but I'm using a Leica II from 1931 which hasn't had a CLA for decades and which still works as intended.

 

And congrats on the lens. It's a beautiful and very competent little lens.

 

cheers

philip

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  • 2 weeks later...
Thank you all for your help. After some tests done in real life, I have decided to buy it. The lens seems to be quite sharp and at 5.6 is absolutely stunning. The colours are good too. It is a nice little lens. :D

 

If its anything like the one I have I'm sure you will really enjoy using it. BTW just for information, mine was manufactured in Germany in 1987

 

Best wishes :)

Edited by mikebidwell
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