Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4

[P_Wijk]

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Reviews, pictures and other Macro-Elmar 90mm lens facts. Version I and II.

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[wizard]

vor 3 Minuten schrieb P_Wijk:

Reviews, pictures and other Macro-Elmar 90mm lens facts.

... seem to be missing.

Cheers, Andy

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[Nick_S]

While I can understand that Leica introduced another type of extension tube when live view was introduced to the M cameras, I don't get why they felt the need to increase the diameter of the aperture ring, meaning that the lens hood no longer stores away in reverse on the lens. Similarly it would have been nice to keep the close focus scale on the underside of the lens to allow it to work upside down on the old goggled extension tube, when used with analogue and older digital M cameras.

[otto.f]

37 minutes ago, Nick_S said:

meaning that the lens hood no longer stores away in reverse on the lens

Isn’t that impossible anyhow because of the new Macro Adapter needed?

[Soden]

46 minutes ago, otto.f said:

Isn’t that impossible anyhow because of the new Macro Adapter needed?

I don't see why, I use the old version on the new Macro Adapter and the hood is unaffected. 

[P_Wijk]

Great feedback, which of the different versions would you recommend? I’ve heard optically the last version is superior. What is your thoughts?

 

I like the visual finish of the old silver version the most. 🔴

[P_Wijk]

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Pic. Reference.

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[P_Wijk]

2 hours ago, wizard said:

... seem to be missing.

Cheers, Andy

I would like to start a thread, to make sure which one to buy 🤘🏻🔴

[Ecar]

The search function is your friend...

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/256551-whats-the-difference-between-the-old-macro-90mm-and-the-new-one/

or

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/262795-leica-macro-elmar-m-v1-and-v2-question/

or

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/237436-macro-elmar-90mm-old-vs-new/

etc.

 

[otto.f]

32 minutes ago, P_Wijk said:

I like the visual finish of the old silver version the most

Did you have it in your hands? It is much heavier than the black one and more than you would expect. I found that paradoxical: you want a collapsible, handy 90 to get it up the hill so to speak so that you can leave your APO 90 at home, and then you take the heavy version. I sold it in favor of a black one, version 1. I sold that one too, because it couldn’t compete with the APO 90; I found my cropped images from that lens sharper than the ‘macro’s’ from the MEM 90. Apart from the Macro option, I found the MEM 90 a very very sharp and nice lens for landscape and I still sometimes regret that I sold it, not in the least while prices have gone up considerably for this lens since its introduction. 

Edited July 31, 2019 by otto.f

[P_Wijk]

7 minutes ago, otto.f said:

Did you have it in your hands? It is much heavier than the black one and more than you would expect. I found that paradoxical: you want a collapsible, handy 90 to get it up the hill so to speak so that you can leave your APO 90 at home, and then you take the heavy version. I sold it in favor of a black one, version 1. I sold that one too, because it couldn’t compete with the APO 90; I found my cropped images from that lens sharper than the ‘macro’s’ from the MEM 90. Apart from the Macro option, I found the MEM 90 a very very sharp and nice lens for landscape and I still sometimes regret that I sold it, not in the least while prices have gone up considerably for this lens since its introduction. 

Agree, I’ve haven’t had a chance yet to feel the weight difference. However if black is lighter and the last version has superior image quality. I would favor this unit. I also like the collapsable design 😃 

I need a M-lens which handle macro photography. 

How is this lens in comparison?

https://jerrybei.com/reviews/2018/4/23/alpa-kern-macro-switar-50mm-f18f19-lens

 

cheers

[lct]

3 hours ago, Nick_S said:

[...] I don't get why they felt the need to increase the diameter of the aperture ring, meaning that the lens hood no longer stores away in reverse on the lens [...]

Allows for turning the aperture ring more easily when the lens is in retracted position to focus at infinity w/o removing the macro adapter. Otherwise the optics of both versions of the lens are the same AFAIK.

[Nick_S]

1 hour ago, P_Wijk said:

...  I’ve heard optically the last version is superior.

My understanding is that the optical design was unchanged between both versions. The black lens collapsed is so compact and light that it feels like having a 50mm lens in your pocket -- it is an ideal travel lens. I use mine with the short 12550 lens hood from the 50 Elmar which saves some weight and means that the lens is always ready to use without the need to reverse the large included lens hood.The chrome version is quite a bit heavier, being made of brass, though its  finish may be more robust.

Some years ago Erwin Puts published a review online comparing the Macro Elmar to the  90 Apo Summicron and the R APO-Macro-Elmarit f2.8 100mm, concluding that "Its [the 90 MEM] image quality in the near focusing range is unequalled in the M-range and this brings the added value to the lens." A search engine should be able to pick up the version of the article with the graphics included.

Edited July 31, 2019 by Nick_S

[otto.f]

1 hour ago, P_Wijk said:

if black is lighter and the last version has superior image quality

I have never seen anyone here at LUF confirming that the 2nd version has been altered in whatever direction. Leica would have said so, like they did with the Summicron 28 and the Summarit series for instance, when they changed the hoods along with some minor improvements in contrast of the lens itself. 

Edited July 31, 2019 by otto.f

[lct]

90/4 macro v1 & v2 and v2 in retracted position.

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[P_Wijk]

1 hour ago, Nick_S said:

My understanding is that the optical design was unchanged between both versions. The black lens collapsed is so compact and light that it feels like having a 50mm lens in your pocket -- it is an ideal travel lens. I use mine with the short 12550 lens hood from the 50 Elmar which saves some weight and means that the lens is always ready to use without the need to reverse the large included lens hood.The chrome version is quite a bit heavier, being made of brass, though its  finish may be more robust.

Some years ago Erwin Puts published a review online comparing the Macro Elmar to the  90 Apo Summicron and the R APO-Macro-Elmarit f2.8 100mm, concluding that "Its [the 90 MEM] image quality in the near focusing range is unequalled in the M-range and this brings the added value to the lens." A search engine should be able to pick up the version of the article with the graphics included.

Any comments on Jerry  investigation on the Alpa-kern-macro-Switar 50mm?  Or never heard of it?

 

thanks for the feedback related to the optics and main difference between releases of macro-elmar. I will try to find the article and post it on this thread 👌🏻🔴

 

cheers Per

[P_Wijk]

9 minutes ago, lct said:

90/4 macro v1 & v2 and v2 in retracted position.

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Version II shorter in total length? 

[lct]

13 minutes ago, P_Wijk said:

Version II shorter in total length? 

Both approx. 59mm AFAIK but i have no experience with v2.

[wizard]

vor 18 Stunden schrieb P_Wijk:

and the last version has superior image quality

No, there were no changes to the optical system. In this regard, v1 and v2 are completely identical. I bought a chrome v1 when it was still available, and love the lens.

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[UliWer]

A question to users of the Macro-Elmar's version II:

When you extract the tube and turn it to the left (seen from rear) to fix it in extracted mode, does it stay fixed or does it happen to get loose again?

I am asking as I found out that a whole series of photos I took with the lens was not sharp.  

I first thought there was a focussing issue, but when I tested on different distances all results were sharp as expected. I now think that the tube's extraction wasn't fixed when I used it with the hood, so it had some play which led to unsharpness. 

Edited September 8, 2019 by UliWer