Comparison of Leica Macro Elmar 90mm f/4 lens and Minolta Rokkor 90mm f/4 lens

[Guest schmidt099]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Interesting comparison under identical shooting conditions: tripod mounted Lecia M9, raw unprocessed files, same ISO, f/16 at 1/125 sec., etc. with hyperfocal distance setting for f/16. Leica photos to the right, Minolta to the left. No comparison between the two sets of photos. The difference in resolution surprised me. The minolta lens is "mint," while the 90mm macro Elmar is new. Thank you Ken Hansen!

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[kokoshawnuff]

If you shoot at f/8 both would improve. I love the MEM, one of the best all around lenses ever made by leica--imo, so the results aren't too surprising

[Jeff S]

Erwin Puts, in his Leica Chronicle, characterizes the 90 Macro-Elmar as among the five or so "best performing lenses ever made for the 135 format," and as "simply the best general purpose 90mm lens in the current M range."

 

Jeff

[01af]

... raw unprocessed files ...

 

 

... with hyperfocal distance setting for f/16.

 

 

Interesting comparison ...

It's not interesting—it's totally pointless. Aggravating, in fact. Just another example how people will delude themselves with poorly executed "lens tests".

 

 

If you shoot at f/8 both would improve.

They would improve it he'd actually focus.

[Guest schmidt099]

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's not interesting—it's totally pointless. Aggravating, in fact. Just another example how people will delude themselves with poorly executed "lens tests".

 

 

 

They would improve it he'd actually focus.

 

One problem with posting any type of comparison in an internet forum is that a person like this inevitably surfaces.

[01af]

One problem with posting any type of comparison in an Internet forum is that a person like this inevitably surfaces.

No, this does not inevitably happen with any type of comparison ... only with the foul ones.

[giordano]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I agree with 01af. Setting a very small f/stop and not focusing on the actual subject is about the least informative way of comparing lenses.

[bill]

Thirded. This is pointless. Good idea, bad execution.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

Sent from another Galaxy

[40mm f/2]

What is the hyper focal distance with a 90 mm lens? If you are us using the depth of field markings on the lenses you are using by a circle of confusion of .033mm - great if you a making a 4x6" print!

I had once the Elmar C 90mm and now I am using the MEM 90mm which is a much better lens. The MEM is best at 5.6 - 11.0. I avoid f 16 if possible.

[giordano]

What is the hyper focal distance with a 90 mm lens?

With a 0.33mm CoC it's 15.4m (50 ft).

[Guest malland]

I just bought the Macro-Elmar-M 90 this week and am very impressed with this lens. But so far I've only shot a few street shots and some shots using the Macro-Adapter-M — I haven't yet tried it for portraits. I love the design concept of mounting the lens "upside-down" on the Macro-Adapter-M in order to use the macro focusing scale on the bottom of the lens. The small size of this lens is also a great design concept.

 

Making test shots at f/16 and not focusing properly and then being upset at people criticizing the so-called test is absurd.

 

—Mitch/Paris

Paris au rythme de Basquiat and Other Poems [download link for book project]

[lct]

Contrast is low at f/16 on the Rokkor. At f/8 you would see less difference in the center at least. The Macro-Elmar is significantly sharper but doesn't cost the same price by far. Would be more interesting to compare the Rokkor to lenses like Elmar 90/4, Elmar-C 90/4, or "thin" Tele-Elmarit 90/2.8 IMHO. Not sure which one would be the winner.

[darylgo]

 

Making test shots at f/16 and not focusing properly and then being upset at people criticizing the so-called test is absurd.

 

The OP deserves the common courtesy we normally show on this forum.

 

To the OP: Focus both lenses optimally. Shoot the whole range of f-stops. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Minolta do pretty well at the mid range apertures.

[lct]

This Rokkor is an M lens for Minolta CLE i guess.

[darylgo]

This Rokkor is an M lens for Minolta CLE i guess.

 

Thanks, the post has been modified.

[bjornthun]

Thanks, the post has been modified.

 

The Minolta Rokkor 90/4 is optically the same as the Leica Elmar-C 90/4, but the coatings may be different, and the Rokkor has the much more practical 40.5mm filter thread. The Elmar-C has a sloped focusing cam.

[lct]

...The Elmar-C has a sloped focusing cam.

Really? Are you sure you don't mistake it with the Summicron-C 40/2. Just curious as i have not the Elmar-C.

[pop]

Really? Are you sure you don't mistake it with the Summicron-C 40/2. Just curious as i have not the Elmar-C.

 

I have both and both have it.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[bjornthun]

I have both and both have it.

 

Yes, both have it, checked on both of the lenses again.