Best 90mm on M8?

[carstenw]

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While I really enjoy the 90 Macro, I often find the f/4 limiting, and even on sunny days, I find myself leaving the camera on at least ISO 320. I think at some later point I will supplement the 90 Macro with either a 90 Cron or a 90 Cron Asph, I am not sure which yet. I do have the 75 Lux, so perhaps the APO-Apsh is the one which makes more sense.

[Quorrell]

Hi Maurizio

 

Just come in at the end of this discussion. The 90m F2 APO is a superb lens. I bought one in February this year. But it had serious back focus issues with my M8 at full aperture. It's now residing along with the M8 at Solms. It works perfectly with my two M7s. Leica have had my gear for a month now and it looks like being another couple of weeks. They assure me that all will be well with both my M7s and M8 upon it's return. So I'd try any lens first before buying if possible. I tried this lens on a friends M8 and it worked fine so from this, you can deduce that the camera was at fault. It worked ok with all the other lenses I have.

 

Cheers

 

Phill

[Guest V64]

re. 90mm ElmarCollapsible.

 

My reading of the Leica M8 Manual says that this lens cannot be used (under any conditions) on the M8 - but some responses in this form seem to suggest that it is OK (provided of course that it not collapsed when mounted).

 

Can anyone give a definitive answer?

 

Thank-you

[AlanJW]

One more vote here for the Macro Elmar. Just got one last week -- a demo, no 6 bits. It does not back focus, and it is excellent with and without the macro adapter. Plus (and it is a big plus), it is light and as small as a 50 'cron when collapsed, and can easily be toted. I do not have a frae of reference other than the old f/4 Elmar, which I had for a while and sold. The new Macro Elmar is far superior IMHO.

[adan]

Oddly, after 6 months of trying most of the post-1990 90mm lenses at one point or another, I settled on the same 2nd version Tele-Elmarit that dissappointed Maurizio. Mine is sharper than anything but the 90 APO f/2.

 

But this lens has had a very mixed reputation over the years, even on film, so there must have been some QC issues when it was being made. Glad I have a superb one!

 

I gave up on using a 90 @ f/2 on the M8 - the DOF available and the DOF required for silicon just strain the abilities of the M8 rangefinder too far for FAST journalistic shooting. For those shots where I once used a 90, 85 or 75 f/2 on film, I now just use a 50. Since it's actually a 52.2mm lens, it makes a great little easy-to-focus "70mm" short tele on the M8 crop.

 

With f/2 being out of the equation, I didn't see the point of carrying the extra weight of a 'cron.

 

One thing I've noticed in trying the various 90s is that Leica has shortened the focusing "throw" - the amount the focus ring turns from infinity to 1 meter. Current lenses have about a 120-degree throw; my old TE has a 180-degree throw. This makes for finer vernier control of the focusing, and I think that's part of what gives me more consistent results with the older lens.

 

Same with 135s. I tried the APO 135, and the focus was all over the place - back, front, etc. My old 1960's 135 again has a longer throw, and it is much easier to nail focus with.

 

One other point - the 90 TE 'thin" has a reputation for low contrast - IMHO this is a GOOD thing for slides or digital. It equates to a longer tonal (dynamic) range.

[tom0511]

I own the 90/2.8 and 90macro. Lately the 90 Macro is my choice, sharp, small, light, unobstrusive and you can go close.

Cheers, Tom