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Macro-Elmar 90mm old vs new

DigitalHeMan

By DigitalHeMan
in Leica M Lenses

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DigitalHeMan

DigitalHeMan

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I have the opportunity to purchase the 'old' Macro Elmar 90mm together with the close focusing adapter for a reasonable price. Since I am still shooting with the M-E I don't need (and wouldn't be able to use) the newer model with the extension tube adapter.

 

However one of the nice features of the new solution is the ability to focus all the way from infinity to close distance with the lens in the extension tube, whereas with the old solution you have to add the close focus adapter for focusing below 0.78m, and remove it for focus distances above 0.78m.

 

My question is, if I were to upgrade to a newer Leica with Liveview at any point in the future, would I be able to use the 'old' lens with the 'new' adapter, and focus all the way from close to infinity? Or is that only possible with the newer mechanical structure on the new 90mm?

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luigi bertolotti

luigi bertolotti

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By logic... YES... let's think a little (*) :

- Old lens on M240, no adapter : is a standard M lens... no problem by definition, in its focus range.

- Old lens with new adapter : mechanically, is an extension tube with helicoid, and you DO have Liveview...and maintain the capability to retract the lens of your "old" Elmar : it CAN be that with lens completely retracted, you cannot focus at infinity... I think that there is not any guarantee on this... but am almost sure (*) that with a partial retraction you can anyway achieve infinity focus, playing maybe even with the extension of the helicoid (:confused:); above all, is not a great problem if you cannot : dismount the adapter, simply. LV is a great step... indeed, I wonder if can be that, with the new adapter, one can regret to have lost the functionality provided by the old goggle unit: the capability to go always with RF can be a plus in some circumstances. The new adapter gives a minimum focus distance shorter than the old one (41 cm vs. 50) and this is surely a plus, together with the capability to be used with other lenses too.

 

(*) basically : on the new adapter, the new Elmar focuses at infinity when completely retracted : the new adapter (by sight, I haven't it) is SHORTER than the throw of retraction of the old Elmar (which of course, focuses at infinity when fully extended) : this means that adding the adapter to the old lens there is, by math, a certain retraction of the lens which gives an equal distance lens unit/sensor than the combination new adapter/new lens fully retracted.

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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luigi bertolotti

luigi bertolotti

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Hum... pity I have not the lens (and you don't YET, right ?) ... the 180° rotation , if I remember correctly, was to "read" the short distances.... as well as to achieve correct RF focusing when goggled unit was mounted... I mean, the focus helicoid of the lens made the same movement when focusing from infinity to 0,77 (or 0,78...) as when focusing from 0,76 to 0,5 mounted on the adapter (which had the female BM 180° rotated vs, standard position on the Leca body, with a proper release button) : so... I think in itself it doesn't enter in our computations .... of course with the new adapter you cannot "read" the distance , but neither you can with the new Elmar... it has a single scale from infinity to 0,8 (identical to the old one, I think) . Thinking again to the original problem...what I do not know for sure is if you can, with the "old" Elmar, operate normally with the tube partially retracted : I think yes but haven't direct evidence... with the "VERY old" retractable Elmar 90 (non Macro) you could NOT, in the sense that you could operate the focusing helicoid only when the lens is fully extended (and locked in that position)

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  • 4 years later...
adan

adan

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No silver version of the Leica 12575 clip-on hood for the 4/90 (and about a dozen other lenses over the years) was ever made by Leica.

However, the previous IUFOO hood that is virtually identical and fits the same lenses did come with a silver mounting ring (thick or thin depending on era).

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/IUFOO

I see one third-party 39mm screw-in hood that comes in silver - if still available anywhere.

https://www.desertcart.ae/products/3114377-ezfoto-39mm-silver-screw-in-metal-lens-hood-shade-for-leica-zeiss-nikkor-rf-tele-lens

 

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luigi bertolotti

luigi bertolotti

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Macro Elmar with old hood and old Elmar with new (all black) hood B)

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!

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jdlaing

jdlaing

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On 11/22/2014 at 7:36 AM, DigitalHeMan said:

Thanks Luigi, that makes sense. However i have read that the collapsible part of the old lens had to be rotated through 180 degrees in order to access the closer focusing distances. Wonder if that would make any difference?

Turning it 180 degrees gave access to the close focus scales on the other side of the barrel. 

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