Old&New Elmar 90 Compatability

[Baybers]

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Hi,

Can someone confirm for me if the lens groups are the same, and therefore, interchangeable between the old black 1930's Elmar 90 f4 and the newer 1950's LTM version?

I'm referring to the common 4 lenses in three group type and not the rarer 3 lens variant.

I have a later silver 90 that has a badly damaged rear group and I have the chance to buy an old black unit with a badly scratched front element and I'm hoping a possible marriage will be a success.

From what I have read it seems that these lenses remained unchanged throughout their history.

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[luigi bertolotti]

I am not definitely sure that the marriage matches perfectly : in theory, yes : lens' schema is the same, ditto the thread mount of the lens head. But this isn't sufficient to guarantee a perfect matching : the optical elements can have incurred in slight modifications through the years, thus impacting the exact dimensioning of the assembly.... similar issue impacts Hektors 135 too.

I have a number of Elmar 90 pre and postwar, and frankly never tried the intermixing of lens heads... but I observe some small differences in the curvature of the visible glass elements.