jto555 Posted January 6, 2016 Share #1 Â Posted January 6, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi, did Leica make a 90mm Preset lens? If so, what are the results like? Â Â I have an idea for using the lens for portraits as I fine the APO lenses way to sharp. I bet not many of you have had a subject say "look how sharp the picture is, you can see all my wrinkles. They really pop with your APO lens!!!" No, thay say "Oh, you made me look old..."Â Â The preset idea is because when the rangefinder goes out of alinment I can use the EVF. This way I can focus wide open and spin the appature ring to its hard stop at my working appature. And been a perset lens means that it should be old and forgiving. Â Â John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 Hi jto555, Take a look here Leica 90mm Preset lens? For portraits?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
elgenper Posted January 6, 2016 Share #2  Posted January 6, 2016 Well, the oldest 90 Summicrons did have this feature; they had detachable optical units that could be mounted on a Visoflex reflex housing.  And, yes, they could well be described as being ´old and forgiving´... .  And they´re not all that expensive nowadays either... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 6, 2016 Share #3 Â Posted January 6, 2016 Buy a 9cm f4 Elmar. A perfect more forgiving portrait lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 6, 2016 Share #4 Â Posted January 6, 2016 I have no idea about such a Preset lens sorry. Otherwise, a Thambar 90/2.2 (TOODY) would probably be the best solution, but i have no experience with it. I would not choose an Elmar 90/4 macro (11629, 11633) anyway as it is almost as sharp as the Summicron 90/2 apo. But i'd second the choice of a rigid (11830) or collapsible (11631) Elmar 90/4 at f/4. At wider apertures, i would choose a Summicron 90/2 pre-apo (11136) at f/2, an Elmarit 90/2.8 v1 (11129) at f/2.8 or a Tele-Elmarit 90/2.8 (11800) at f/2.8 also. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graafber Posted January 6, 2016 Share #5 Â Posted January 6, 2016 Something like buying a Porsche GT3 and put square wheels on it :-) Can't you adjust the sharpness within lightroom? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted January 6, 2016 Share #6 Â Posted January 6, 2016 Are not all Leica lenses pre-set, at least for rangefinder cameras? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrödinger's cat Posted January 6, 2016 Share #7  Posted January 6, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Like the ones in this thread http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/47053-black-summicron-90-with-preset-diaphragm/  and also here http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/33899-summicron-90-with-zooef-preset-diaphragm/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted January 6, 2016 Share #8 Â Posted January 6, 2016 Are not all Leica lenses pre-set, at least for rangefinder cameras? Yes for Leica rangefinder cameras, no for Leica SLR bodies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 7, 2016 Share #9  Posted January 7, 2016 Yes for Leica rangefinder cameras, no for Leica SLR bodies.  Well no actually, a pre-set lens has an aperture ring and then another ring which will open the lens up and close it down again to the set aperture.  I don't see the benefit on an M even with the EVF as it will compensate for the darker image if the lens is stopped down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jto555 Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share #10 Â Posted January 7, 2016 Â Hi James, yes it will but by increasing the gain or pushing up the iso. Also It is easier to find the focus point at full aperture than closed down a few stops. As long as the lens does not focus shift as I stop down! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jto555 Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share #11  Posted January 7, 2016 Something like buying a Porsche GT3 and put square wheels on it :-) Can't you adjust the sharpness within lightroom? No, its more like using a 1973 Porsche RS instead of a 2016 Porsche GT3. Just as much fun but very different.  As for adjusting the sharpness in Lightroom, yes I can but I would prefer to reduce my retouching as much as I can. Before Christmas I had a shot of 40 portraits, which ment that I had to spent spending about 10 hours at the computer retouching the shots the following day. After that the wheels weren't square, but my eyes were...   I am hoping that a Leica 90mm f:2 Preset Summicron may be the answer. Sharp with a glow wide open and with the preset so I can focus at full apature and then stop down to the working apature without having to look at the lens or count clicks. Well that is what I am hoping for. Has anybody used/tried this lens? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted January 8, 2016 Share #12 Â Posted January 8, 2016 Some older 90 2.0 were true presets, i.e. 2 rings, one to set, one to open & close. Â very few warmed that way Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie Posted January 9, 2016 Share #13  Posted January 9, 2016 Hi John,  As others have said earlier, if you're using an M series, then probably your best bet is to use an Elmarit, either the long focus one or the tele. Both will give you super portraits wide open. You will have to be very careful focussing the Summicron wide open at short distances, and if you stop down to f/2.8 you might as well use the smaller, lighter and cheaper Elmarit.  Best wishes,  Susie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted January 9, 2016 Share #14  Posted January 9, 2016 No, its more like using a 1973 Porsche RS instead of a 2016 Porsche GT3. Just as much fun but very different.  As for adjusting the sharpness in Lightroom, yes I can but I would prefer to reduce my retouching as much as I can. Before Christmas I had a shot of 40 portraits, which ment that I had to spent spending about 10 hours at the computer retouching the shots the following day. After that the wheels weren't square, but my eyes were...   I am hoping that a Leica 90mm f:2 Preset Summicron may be the answer. Sharp with a glow wide open and with the preset so I can focus at full apature and then stop down to the working apature without having to look at the lens or count clicks. Well that is what I am hoping for. Has anybody used/tried this lens?  How about just saving a bunch of time and money and use a #1 diffuser filter for men's portraits and a #2 for womens?  Instant softness when you want it...  Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jto555 Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share #15 Â Posted January 10, 2016 I already have a Softar I on the way. However I kind of like the idea of the preset. With that I can focus wide open with the EVF and quickly close it down to the working aperture without having to look at the lens or count clicks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted January 10, 2016 Share #16 Â Posted January 10, 2016 I already have a Softar I on the way. However I kind of like the idea of the preset. With that I can focus wide open with the EVF and quickly close it down to the working aperture without having to look at the lens or count clicks. Â But with the EVF, you don't need to open the aperture to focus... Â the EVF will select the optimum viewing brightness and adjust. Â The only reason you'd need to open the lens is to control DOF or, potentially I suppose, a more critical focus; but you'd only need to do that once per pose? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 10, 2016 Share #17 Â Posted January 10, 2016 Hi, did Leica make a 90mm Preset lens? If so, what are the results like? Â Â I have an idea for using the lens for portraits as I fine the APO lenses way to sharp. I bet not many of you have had a subject say "look how sharp the picture is, you can see all my wrinkles. They really pop with your APO lens!!!" No, thay say "Oh, you made me look old..."Â Â The preset idea is because when the rangefinder goes out of alinment I can use the EVF. This way I can focus wide open and spin the appature ring to its hard stop at my working appature. And been a perset lens means that it should be old and forgiving. Â Â John The classic solution is to put a bit of nylon stocking over your lens.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
henning Posted January 11, 2016 Share #18 Â Posted January 11, 2016 The 90 Summicron that had the preset rings was the short mount version that was intended to be used on the Visoflex, or on the bellows with only the lens head. If buying one of these, make sure the focussing mount is matched to the lens head. The last four numbers of the lens head serial number should be written in pencil on the inside of the focussing mount. The majority of the short mount lenses were never matched to a focussing mount. Â The earliest Summicrons, which were the only ones available with this feature, were not really sharp anywhere at f/2 and were very low contrast, but improved nicely upon stopping down and were/are great portrait lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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