stephengv Posted August 6, 2019 Share #1 Posted August 6, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) I can't find a thread discussing the 90mm Summicron pre-asph. Any users of the said lens? how does it render wide open? any issues? I'm particularly interested in the 1980s to 1998 version. Thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 6, 2019 Posted August 6, 2019 Hi stephengv, Take a look here 90mm Summicron Pre-ASPH. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
oudjunk Posted August 6, 2019 Share #2 Posted August 6, 2019 I have used version I and version III different but like both of them. Wide open of version III for me is sharp enough with smooth bokeh. And this lens produce the 3D pop from the background. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregm61 Posted August 6, 2019 Share #3 Posted August 6, 2019 (edited) My mid-80’s sample (sn 3.2 million+) was bought in virtually like-new condition in the original box from Tamarkin a few years ago. I subsequently sent it to Leica NY, had it 6-bit coded and adjusted for use on my M262. A superb lens it floats today between both my digital and film M setups. About half the time I’m using an outfit with the 75-135mm combo instead so it’s not my exclusive tele option. At f2, the biggest factor in how good it performs will be how well adjusted it is to your cameras rangefinder if that’s the way you primarily use it. For a brief period of time I had the 90mm f2 APO as well. Nice lens, but not so much better that I felt the extra investment was really worth it. This Wednesday evening I am looking forward to shooting a guitar-playing friend during an open mic night with the M6, 90mm f2 and some Kodak P3200. Should be fun. Edited August 6, 2019 by Gregm61 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted August 6, 2019 Share #4 Posted August 6, 2019 The big v2 (left) is simply my favorite 90 ever together with the R 90/2 pre-apo but it is... big indeed. I also have a v3 (same size as the apo below) which is a bit soft at f/2 and works well for portraits while it is plenty sharp at f/2.8 and on. It has a lot of CA though but it is fixable in PP. The 90/2 apo has not this problem and is sharper at f/2 but your mother in law will hate it i suspect as it shows everything on not that perfect skins. Happy snaps. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3792494'>More sharing options...
maron Posted August 6, 2019 Share #5 Posted August 6, 2019 (edited) I use the version III, which you are looking for. I love this lens for its sharpness and bokeh for portraits on my film MP and the APS-C Leica CL. here an example with the CL wide open: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited August 6, 2019 by maron 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3792502'>More sharing options...
stephengv Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share #6 Posted August 6, 2019 Anyone has the 85mm Tele-Tessar? how does this compare? thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jul Posted August 6, 2019 Share #7 Posted August 6, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) These two are wide open with the v3 on M6 and T-Max3200 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3792633'>More sharing options...
Gregm61 Posted August 6, 2019 Share #8 Posted August 6, 2019 (edited) LMAO! Most likely a little more "revealing" than what I'll have a chance to shoot on Wednesday! Was the film rated at 3200 for these? Edited August 6, 2019 by Gregm61 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jul Posted August 6, 2019 Share #9 Posted August 6, 2019 21 minutes ago, Gregm61 said: Was the film rated at 3200 for these? Yes and home developed with the dedicated developer. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregm61 Posted August 6, 2019 Share #10 Posted August 6, 2019 Thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregm61 Posted August 6, 2019 Share #11 Posted August 6, 2019 A couple of images from my M262 using the 90mm f2 pre-APO.. f4.. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! f2 and directly into the sun.. f4.. 5 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! f2 and directly into the sun.. f4.. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3792694'>More sharing options...
adan Posted August 7, 2019 Share #12 Posted August 7, 2019 13 hours ago, stephengv said: I can't find a thread discussing the 90mm Summicron pre-asph. Any users of the said lens? how does it render wide open? any issues? I'm particularly interested in the 1980s to 1998 version. Thank you. In essence, the 1980-98 90mm Summicron-M is "The Poor Man's 75mm Summilux." It shares a lot of the 75's "Look" - just less extreme. Which is not surprising - both those lenses came out of Leitz Canada in the same year. One of the "definitive" Walter Mandler Canadian designs. It's my personal favorite among Leica 90mm lenses (except for the tiny Tele-Elmarit-M, when ultimate compactness vs speed counts). Bokeh is generally soft and smooth, and there can be some color aberrations (purple or greenish fringes to slightly-out-of-focus areas, at larger apertures - it is definitely not APO). The wide-open sharpness is also "smooth." Some call it "soft sharpness', but to me it is simply "kind and gentle" without being "soft-focus" - it is neither an APO, nor a Thambar. At medium apertures it is very sharp, but still a bit duller and less-contrasty than its contemporary f/2.8 brothers, or the current APO. I find the 1980 version to hold its f/2.0 sharpness better in the close range ( < 2m) than the APO. From a different angle - the 90 Summicron at f/2.0 is sharper than the Summilux at f/1.4 - but the Summilux at f/2.0 is sharper than the Summicron at f/2.0. Of note - its general 5-element, tele, optical design has been recycled into the 90 Summarit, just reduced a half-stop. The Summarit has more contrast and similar bokeh, but is not quite as well-built, and seems to flare more at times. As with any f/2.0 90mm, DoF is narrow, and focusing requires care. One place the Summicron outshines the Summarit is having a longer, slower, more precise focus action (180°). Test any sample on your own camera to see how the tolerances match! Two different mechanical versions were made (identical glass and imaging, however) - an early version that takes 49mm filters and is a bit less weight, and the much more common later version that take 55mm filters, and is the size of (but 25 grams lighter than) the 90 APO-Summicron. The early version's lens hood slides back to cover the aperture ring for compactness when retracted (which may be good or bad, depending on your point of view - it certainly forces one to pull out the lens hood). A sample - M9, full image and crop for detail, f/2.0, E55 Canadian version. Teacher helping Student. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 6 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3792790'>More sharing options...
adan Posted August 7, 2019 Share #13 Posted August 7, 2019 A different "bokeh" sample at min-focus distance. Also M9, f/2.0, Sunflower and Oil Well. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3792791'>More sharing options...
adan Posted August 7, 2019 Share #14 Posted August 7, 2019 11 hours ago, stephengv said: Anyone has the 85mm Tele-Tessar? how does this compare? thanks. Completely different lenses - f/4 vs. f/2. Really should be compared to the Leitz/Leica 90 f/4 lenses (Elmar, Elmar-C, Macro-Elmar) 85mm will mean you get a lot more in the final picture than the M 90mm framelines predict. Haven't used the 85 TT myself, but from experience with other Zeiss ZMs and online examples, I expect it would be crisp and clear - and deliver none of what makes the 90 Summicron special (bokeh, subject separation, low-light capability). It also seems to have the same flare problem (sun just outside the picture edge) as Leica Elmarits. Something the Summicrons generally avoid in my experience. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephengv Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share #15 Posted August 7, 2019 Thank you all for the feedback, really appreciate it. I might get this lens primarily for portraits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musotographer Posted August 7, 2019 Share #16 Posted August 7, 2019 (edited) I got a chrome '60s II very cheaply recently (about £300 I think) and I love it. Adan is quite right - the rendering is very similar to the 75 Summilux - but it's a fraction of the cost and, for me, rather easier to focus wide open - mine has no focus shift. It IS big, but it's not as heavy as one would expect and it's beautifully built - the collapsing hood is a minor masterpiece in itself. On the M9 Monochrom: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited August 7, 2019 by Musotographer 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3792941'>More sharing options...
stephengv Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share #17 Posted August 8, 2019 Any more shots? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted August 8, 2019 Share #18 Posted August 8, 2019 On the M8 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3793431'>More sharing options...
Ecar Posted August 8, 2019 Share #19 Posted August 8, 2019 And two more Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3793432'>More sharing options...
Musotographer Posted August 8, 2019 Share #20 Posted August 8, 2019 On the Monochrom mk1 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/299997-90mm-summicron-pre-asph/?do=findComment&comment=3793462'>More sharing options...
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