Jump to content

Testing the Leica Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4 Mark I as a short telephoto for general use.

robbie3

By robbie3
in Leica M Lenses

 Share

Recommended Posts

robbie3

robbie3

Posted
Posted

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Today was a nice early Autumn day in Eastern England and I took the tiny Leica Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4 Mark I to Felixstowe Port to see how well it worked at f/4, both at  infinity and closer distances.

I bought the lens used a couple of weeks ago and have had mixed results as a result of my errors and lack of practice with rangefinders.

They're nothing more than test shots, processed as per my normal workflow, but I thought they might be useful to someone contemplating this tiny lens for general use.

Shot 1 - Leica M10 + Macro-Elmar-M 90mm Mark I at f/4, 1/1500 sec at ISO 200, focussed at infinity.

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!

  • Like 8
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
robbie3

robbie3

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Shot 2 - Leica M10 + Macro-Elmar-M 90mm Mark I at f/4, 1/3000 sec at ISO 200, focussed on the telescope eyepieces probably around a meter away.

 

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 by robbieevans
  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites
robbie3

robbie3

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Shot 3 - Leica M10 + Macro-Elmar-M 90mm Mark I at f/4, 1/1500 sec at ISO 200, focussed on the info panel around a metre away - the background is more challenging than shot 2.

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!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
robbie3

robbie3

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Shot 4 - Leica M10 + Macro-Elmar-M 90mm Mark I at f/6.8, 1/1500 sec at ISO 200, focussed at infinity.

 

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 by robbieevans
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
Gobert

Gobert

Posted
Posted

Advertisement (gone after registration)

9 hours ago, robbieevans said:

Gobert, they do seem garishly oversaturated posted on the forum. I've replaced two and four with toned down versions. It was a very bright afternoon.

Anyway, they do show the performance of the lens. Pictures are sharp en show a lot of detail. If you don’t need a fast 90, it is a very good choice. From experience I can add that the performance with the macro adapter is very good as well, although I use it not very often.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Alberti

Alberti

Posted
Posted

The lens gives very nice colours on my M240:

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!

I choose the scene because of the combination of the two types of tones  . . .

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites
MarkP

MarkP

Posted
Posted (edited)

Fabulous lens. Part of my 'lite' lens set : 2.8/28 Elmarit-M, 2.8/50 Elmarit-M and 4.0/90 Macro-Elmar-M. I don't have a faster 90mm M lens than this. What it loses i maximum aperture it gains in performance. I think that the light weight allows it to be held at lower shutter speeds than the heavier 90mm M-lenses.

 This is similar to this thread that I started 9 years ago when I first got the lens...

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/175185-in-praise-of-the-4090-macro-elmar-m/#comments

Edited by MarkP
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
Alberti

Alberti

Posted
Posted (edited)

The lens is also great for cat lovers:

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!

M240

I do have 90mm F2 LTM lenses, one soft & the other very sharp, but what a burden they are . . .

Edited by Alberti
  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
GFW2-SCUSA

GFW2-SCUSA

Posted
Posted

I use this lens quite a bit. In my opinion it is one of the unsung heros of the Leica family.  The only issue I have had is when I do not extend it properly and lock it. Of course its not as good then. But that is my error.  The size is great and with the excellent high ISO of the M 10s the slower aperture is not an issue. I use it with the Macro Adaptor on occasion and find it is a delight. 

 

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites
rcusick

rcusick

Posted
Posted
  • Great lens.  Only downside is f4.  Below see macro and telephoto. 

 

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!

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites
robbie3

robbie3

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sometimes f4 is fine, especially if you're picking out a foreground detail without too distracting a background.

For me the graduation from in-focus to out-of-focus is fine in this shot.

Leica M10 + Macro-Elmar-M 90mm Mark I at f/4, 1/350 sec at ISO 200

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!

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
KFo

KFo

Posted
Posted

I shoot mine willy-nilly aperturewise, but often enough at f/4.  Here are few at various distances.

All with M10P

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!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
robbie3

robbie3

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Certainly sharp at f4 - taken today in some late season late afternoon sunshine with dark rainclouds hovering around.

Leica M10 + Macro-Elmar-M 90mm Mark I at f/4, 1/3000 sec at ISO 200

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 by robbieevans
Link to post
Share on other sites
lct

lct

Posted
Posted

Why downside at f/4? The 90/4 macro has more acutance there than the otherwise very good 90/4 for CL. No 100% crop out of respect for the old young lady ;) (Sony A7r2 mod, 94/4 macro, f/4).

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!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...