90mm Macro Elmar - do you like it for portraits and landscapes?

[Winedemonium]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Lately I have been thinking about getting a 90mm lens. I don't have one at present. I used to have the 2/90 APO, and I liked the results, but found it a bit heavy when travelling.

 

I used to have a 2.8/90 Tele-Elmarit "thin". Nice lens. I will reconsider that lens perhaps, as it is so compact and light. The copy I have flared quite badly - perhaps that's a trait for this one. I also had the 2.8/90 Tele-Elmarit "fat". Also nice and compact, but heavier, and performance on my copy was below that of my "thin".

 

Recently though I have been thinking about the 2.8/90 Elmarit - it seems perhaps to be a very good compromise between size/weight and performance. Maybe the best of all?

 

But I am thinking about the 4/90 Macro Elmar, together with the Macro Adaptor-M that was launched last year. That would put an extra level of use in my M-P 240.

 

I am wondering though, those of you who have and use this 4/90 lens, do you like its rendering for portraits, and also for landscapes? Anything about it you don't like for these two purposes?

 

Thanks in advance.

[jdlaing]

Landscapes are good for me with the 90 Macro.

[MarkP]

My thoughts haven't changed at all since I started the thread below, but I can't help you with using it for portrait work.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/175185-in-praise-of-the-4090-macro-elmar-m/

[dpitt]

+1

The Macro 90 Elmar is a fantastic lens.

Light and razor sharp. I still have the Tele-Elmarit F2.8 thin version, but it does not get much use since I have this one.

The only small advantage for the thin version is the one stop.

All the other parameters are improved by a wide margin by this collapsible lens: size, weight, sharpness, contrast, flare resistance...

 

I do not feel the need for the macro ring, since I prefer my R8+RMR + a Macro R lens for anything over 1:4 anyway. 

[tobey bilek]

If you want sharp under 6 feet,  nothing with "Tele" in the name will get you there.  Same for 1982  Summicron and APO Summicron.   Not that they are horrible,  but some sharpness/contrast is lost and stopping down will not help.  You need a floating element design like the 75 APO to control focus shift and close range resolution.  

 

The  90 macro which has very modern cutting edge sharpness and contrast from 4 to well stopped down and from near to far is a grand lens.   If you want light,  get the black as the chrome is pretty heavy.

 

The 90 Elmarit from previous era that fits the visoflex via removable head is much the same without the modern rendering, also 3 element elmar 90.  

 

I have kept my 1980`s 90 Summicron and thin 2.8 for portrait where I want a little softness.

 

I have or have had or used all the above lenses.

[Doc Henry]

I agree ,

Fabulous and wonderful lens , light for trip (I also have Apo Summicron 90 asph heavier)

used as tele for portrait , landscape and macrophoto .

Ex. for landscapes :

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/245621-aravis-mountain-range/?p=2823370

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/245621-aravis-mountain-range/?p=2824052

for macrophoto :

(click in the top middle and right icon to enlarge)

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Doc+Henry/L1000307_JPGm8macro90_jpght-2_jpgred1200.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Doc+Henry/L1010290_JPGorchht-2_jpgred1200.jpg.html

for portrait as tele:

(click in the top middle and right icon to enlarge)

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Doc+Henry/L1011987htcplednred1200.jpg.html

Best

Henry

[nelly]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have a 90mm 2.8 Tele-Elmarit (thin) .....a very late German made copy

Despite reading some negatives about this lens I have always found it to be a great performer and as It's small never a hassle to carry with me.

I really like it's rendering and even the occasional flaring has its own qualities. I did manage to find a Leitz IUFOO Hood in the original box for $31 which is handy sometimes

but I must admit I most often use it without and am just as happy with the resulting images and colour.

......Happy Shooting.

[jmahto]

I also have 90mm 2.8 Tele-Elmarit (thin) and it produces wonderful picture. See the picture below.

https://flic.kr/p/sbgLro

 

The only reason I went with 90mm Macro-Elmar is because I was not very happy with Tele-Elmarit for landscape use (corner to corner performance was lacking even if stopped down to f8 or so). But I do not use it for portraits. The f4 aperture is not wide enough to blur background if they are close to the subject. I use 50 lux instead.

[bocaburger]

I have a fat and thin T-E, and e55 pre-ASPH Summicron. For maximum edge sharpness and contrast, all the aforementioned lenses need to be stopped down to f/8.  For sharp landscapes in good daylight that's never been a problem, but in lower light camera shake can be a problem unless using some kind of rigid support. Or crank up the ISO, but then noise increases. 

 

The advantage to the Macro Elmar is at f/4 it's already at it's peak and stopping down is for DOF only.   But the current cost of that lens makes me gag and no way I would pay it.  A lens with similar wide-open sharpness and contrast is the CV 90/3.5 APO-Lanthar.  I had one and sold it, and have been looking to repurchase one.