LEICA M 90mm SUMMICRON - M fair value?

[maxofrome]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I know is a strange question because market do the price but I am searching a 90mm SUMMICRON -M (the latest before APO) and I see a wide range of price between 1000 to 1900 Euro and I do not understand well the difference.

 

The SUMMICRON M II version is much cheaper but optical quality?

 

Thanks for your help.

[luigi bertolotti]

Uhm... usually the last Summicron 90 M (take note of the - M) is rather stable around 1K (fra italiani... guarda un po' dal "mejo de Milano"... Newoldcamera - Prodotti )

 

The previous Summicrons 90 ("not - M") are in wider range of costs because some variants are indeed rather or even very rare, and, also, conditions can be in general more disparate (I have a rare screw mount version... but in less than good conditions, which knocks down the value)

[maxofrome]

Uhm... usually the last Summicron 90 M (take note of the - M) is rather stable around 1K (fra italiani... guarda un po' dal "mejo de Milano"... Newoldcamera - Prodotti )

 

The previous Summicrons 90 ("not - M") are in wider range of costs because some variants are indeed rather or even very rare, and, also, conditions can be in general more disparate (I have a rare screw mount version... but in less than good conditions, which knocks down the value)

Grazie molte, appena passo a Milano allora ci faccio una visita.

I am aware of that shop and I already visited but being from Rome and being lazy I sometimes prefer to go on the web.

Let me check!

[adan]

The 90 Summicron family has a long history, with 4 optical designs (and a 5th for the R cameras) and numerous mechanical, operational, or cosmetic variations.

 

1953(1957) - 1963: 6-element "true" 90mm lens, with a long barrel and a built-in tripod mount (which gives an idea of the weight!). Made in screw-mount, with some factory-adapted to M mount (basically a LTM-M adapter attached semipermanently with set-screws and cement). Some made as eraly as 1953, but the lens was not on the general market until 1957.

 

Wetzlar designed, built in both Germany and Canada. Early versions had a separate lens hood, later ones had the hood built-in.

 

1963 - 1980: Same overall size, but slightly different optical design. Made directly in M mount.

 

Both those versions could have the front portion containing the optics removed for remounting on a visoflex focus mount. "Reversed" aperture rings, where the index dot was on the ring, and moved to align with the fixed aperture engravings, rather than the more common design where the dot is fixed and one moves the numbers to align with the dot.

 

Here's a chrome lens in screw-mount - but the M-mount and black versions were generally very similar: Leica's E.Leitz Canada SEOOF Summicron f=9cm 1:2.0 (90mm f/2.0) short-telephoto Lens - MIR Image Library

 

1980-1998: 90 Summicron-M. Smaller lens with a "telephoto" design to shorten the length. 5 elements. In very early versions, extra compactness was achieved by having the built-in lens hood cover the aperture ring when retracted, and putting the front engraving "outside" the filter threads to keep the filter size at 49mm. The majority have the engraving inside the filter threads, which were expanded to 55mm, and a hood that does not cover the aperture ring when retracted.

 

The early version with the shade covering the aperture ring is shown here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/45854-praise-mandler-lenses.html#post483051

 

The more common version, made in both Canada ("Leitz") and then Solms ("Leica"), looks like this: http://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/images/90mm-f2-m/D3S_6020-1200.jpg

 

Some were made in silver-chrome finish late in the 1990s.

_________________

 

The rather varied operating convenience and sizes - as well as condition - make for some of the variation in price. The older, large "stovepipe" lenses have usually commanded lower prices due to their relative "unwieldiness."

 

Optically

 

- the early large lenses have the lowest contrast, and reasonable resolution.

 

- the 1980 design had more contrast, but corner resolution (and distortion) were modestly compromised by the telephoto design. Further description in my second link above.

 

- the APO is roughly the overall size of the 1980 design, but heavier, and with the engraving moved to the outside of the lens hood to accomodate a larger front element within a 55mm filter size. Much more "snap" wide open, and APO-corrected.

[adan]

I should also add that ebay asking prices for the pre-APO 90 Summicron-M have been inflated a bit recently (as have all M lens prices), especially by Hong Kong dealers, and by other sellers who take the Hong Kong prices as the "market" price.

 

Silver lenses also command a premium. As would 6-bit coding.

 

I've generally paid $800-$950 when I've bought them, and consider $1000-€1000 to be the rational range at the moment, for good condition, black, uncoded lenses.

[maxofrome]

Thanks all! I catch a pre APO version today for 1000 Euro and I just get in love with it. Small, sharp and great colors. I am happy of the deal.