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Question about this lens....Leica 30-90mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario-Elmar-S ASPH. Lens


Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

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As a norm in the DSLR world, zoom lenses are known to be inferior to prime lenses.............is that the same with the Leica Leica 30-90mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario-Elmar-S ASPH. Lens ??

I asked this same question over there at the LuLa forum with regard to the Hasselblad zoom and the guys defended it saying it was as good as any prime Hasselblad lens?

So what do the guys that have and use this lens think??

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In my view, supported by several reviews, the Leica 30-90 is better than the Hasselblad HC 50-110 and the marvelous HCD 35-90.

 

In practical use, for people shooting, I believe, the Leica Zoom is on par with the primes, if you like work with the focal shutter. If you need the high syncing and leaf shutter, a cheap HC 50-110 will cover most of the range for a reasonably spontaneous model shoot.

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

In my view, supported by several reviews, the Leica 30-90 is better than the Hasselblad HC 50-110 and the marvelous HCD 35-90.

 

In practical use, for people shooting, I believe, the Leica Zoom is on par with the primes, if you like work with the focal shutter. If you need the high syncing and leaf shutter, a cheap HC 50-110 will cover most of the range for a reasonably spontaneous model shoot.

Its an expensive piece of glass but if its as good as you say it is then I guess it would be good as a travel/landscape lens.....I still prefer an 90/100 focal length for portraits so will plan to get the 120mm for that.

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Its an expensive piece of glass but if its as good as you say it is then I guess it would be good as a travel/landscape lens.....I still prefer an 90/100 focal length for portraits so will plan to get the 120mm for that.

I own only two S lenses: the Zoom and the 120mm Makro. The rest of my lenses for the S2 are either Contax 645 or Hasselblad, used with the adapters. The 100 mm S-Summicron is very tempting and I want to get it eventually, but the 120mm. and 100mm. are too close and the the set of my two S lenses covers my travel photography needs. We also use the 120mm CS lens for copying work and it pays for itself.

I travel with my 30-90 Zoom as the only lens, its only fault is the weight, it's heavy. Sometimes I add the Contax 2/80mm. as a nighttime lens and its light enough.

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

I own only two S lenses: the Zoom and the 120mm Makro. The rest of my lenses for the S2 are either Contax 645 or Hasselblad, used with the adapters. The 100 mm S-Summicron is very tempting and I want to get it eventually, but the 120mm. and 100mm. are too close and the the set of my two S lenses covers my travel photography needs. We also use the 120mm CS lens for copying work and it pays for itself.

I travel with my 30-90 Zoom as the only lens, its only fault is the weight, it's heavy. Sometimes I add the Contax 2/80mm. as a nighttime lens and its light enough.

Ynp when you say heavy do you mean like Canon/Nikon 70/200 f2.8 or 24/70 f2.8 heavy?

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

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The S2 + 30-90mm. is a bit less than 3 kilograms.

So about the same as the Nikon D4s with 70/200 lens........an all day walk around set up cool :)

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

I have taken my 30-90 all over the world and into very unforgiving areas. It has performed flawlessly and I think of it as a collection of 60 PRIME lenses and no longer as a zoomlens.

Albert :)

Sh}t Albert.......why did you just say that, that statement has just cost me another 3 grand :) :)

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Neil-

 

It is the best 3 grand investment you will ever make.

The lens reminds me of the old Leica R 70-180mm but it is far BETTER. 

The photos are amazing and not to be believed until YOU use it yourself, blow up the images and try to find any optical fault at any focal length..

Albert

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Yes. The 30-90mm zoom lens is very superb sharp. Indeed all the S lenses are heavy due to their construction. One of the main reason for their heavy weight is because these lenses are made for medium format usage. It need a bigger image circle due to the larger sensor. I have the 70mm, 30-90mm, 120mm macro, 120mm tilt and shift lenses. Usually I use a monopod for lenses like the 30-90mm.

 

Go for it and will never regret getting one.

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I own this lens and also the primes ,the zoom is a great lens and versatile but it gives up IQ at the edges and also speed.Its a good travel lens ,especially if you use a tripod to compensate for the slower speed.

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