APO-Summicron-M 75mm or APO-Summicron-M 90mm for travel?

[Ricard0]

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By way of background, after buying an M10M + 35 FLE and getting the RF bug I recently traded in my CL + full complement of TL lenses (11-23, 35, 18-56, 60,  55-135) to fund an M11, Elmarit 28 and Summicron 50 (v5). 

In April I'll be traveling to England for 3 week stay in the Cotswolds with a brief trip to London for King Charles' coronation, then on to Cornwall for 2 additional weeks before returning to Atlanta.  I was about to trade the 50 cron on a black chrome Summilux 50 but have decided that at this point I'm better off spending my limited budget on either a 75 or 90 APO Summicron.

As for the TL 60 and 55-135 - on previous trips I found myself using the 55-135 more often than I used the (VERY GOOD) APO-Macro-Elmarit 60.  I'm looking for recommendations as to which would likely be the most useful - the 75 or the 90, in particular for this trip but also as a longer term 'rounding' of my lens stable.  I suspect that eventually I'll replace the 50 cron with the 50 BC lux and will eventually own both the 75 and the 90 regardless which I buy for the England trip.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

-rich-

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[Gelatino]

Got both, both excellent optically speaking.

IMO the 75 is more versatile: lighter, smaller, a little easier to focus.

A little crop of the 75 picture will give you the one you would have taken with the 90, and it happened to me ( in street photo) that 90mm was a bit too long.

Of course if a portrait of His Majesty King Charles in American shot is your goal even longer than 90mm may be usefull😜

[LocalHero1953]

I had both with the M240. I used the 90 almost exclusively for portraits. When I travelled, it was almost always with the 75 and the Elmarit-M 28 asph (or sometimes the Summilux-M 35 FLE).

[satijntje]

I would recommend to have a look at the Macro-Elmar-M 1:4/90mm lens. 
IMO the best 90mm Leica ever made.
A hidden secret and it is very small and light.

[lct]

Depends if you bring a 50. If you don't i would take the 75/2 apo which is significantly more compact than the 90/2 apo. If you do, i'd favor a 90 but a smaller and lighter one than the 90/2 apo. If f/4 is not too slow for you the Macro-Elmar is the best f/4 for travels, otherwise i would take a Skopar 90/2.8 apo which is as compact as the Tele-Elmarit "fat" 90/2.8 with less flare and more sharpness at f/2.8.

Edited February 9, 2023 by lct

[Robert Blanko]

If „travel“ mainly means landscape photography with the 75 or 90, I would choose the 75 APO. I frequently use mine for landscape photography. But works great for portaits as well.

I only have the 90 macro Elmar which is perfect for landscape photography but in view of f4 less universal. 
 

For my taste, the 90 APO is too large and heavy, taking into account how rarely I need f2 at 90mm. (The 75 APO is not super tiny either, but IMHO more universal).

[Ricard0]

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Thank you all for the excellent suggestions!

Although I'm a fan of macro photography, I'd only given cursory consideration to the Macro-Elmar-M 90mm.  Given the recommendations here I'm leaning toward trying to acquire one to add to the 28, 35, 50.  I usually keep my travel configuration to only 3 lens, but I can't decide between the 28 Elmarit and 35 Summilux and given how (relatively) small the Elmar is I will probably take all four.

FINDING a Macro-Elmar-M 90mm will be my next challenge.  I'd hoped to get a good price via Leica Store Manchester but the lens is on back order there, as it is at Leica Store Miami.

 

-rich-

Edited February 10, 2023 by Ricard0

[Ouroboros]

I have both, currently in Iceland with M10-R and  28, 50 & 90 summicrons.  In three weeks time I’ll be trekking in Nepal followed by 6 weeks travelling in India  with 35 & 75 summicrons for a bit less weight to carry at altitude.

Both the 75 apo-summicron and 90 apo-summicron are excellent lenses and either one is a great choice.  Of the two, the 90 apo-summicron is one of my all-time favourite lenses, not just Leica.  
 

Despite being larger and heavier than the 75 apo-summicron it just feels slightly better balanced on the camera  to me and the extra reach is usually more useful.

Really, either one would make a great partner for your 35mm fle.  Ideally you should try both before you decide.

[j453]

Am 9.2.2023 um 09:04 schrieb Gelatino:

Got both, both excellent optically speaking.

IMO the 75 is more versatile: lighter, smaller, a little easier to focus.

A little crop of the 75 picture will give you the one you would have taken with the 90, and it happened to me ( in street photo) that 90mm was a bit too long.

Of course if a portrait of His Majesty King Charles in American shot is your goal even longer than 90mm may be usefull😜

Regards to the M 75 APO easier to focus, would say not over the full distance...

In close range (0,7-1,2m) the M 75 APO is quite bitchy, I find even the M 75 Noctilux easier to focus.

Regards to the 90 APO, if you have a properly adjusted, not having front/back focus issues or too much tolerance in the focus ring, then it is easier to focus compared to the 75 APO. Tolerance and front/back focus is the reason I sold my 90 APO last fall.

In perfect condition the 90 is easier, regards to the problems a usable 75 might be easier to find

 

The 75 APO is definitely even sharper than it's M 50 Lux brother (which is also an APO) and will have a more similar look if you also love that 50 than the 90 APO.

Regards to owning 28 and 50 already for travel it depends how many you want to take with you.

Take 3, then I would recommend the 90 APO as I find the 75 too close to the 50.

Take 2, then the 28 and the 75 might be enough.

 

On my last trip I had 24, 35, 50 Lux and 90 APO, kind of never went to 35.

Used the most 24 > 90 > 50 > 35.

 

Regards portraits, 75 APO might be too true for some women

 

Thinking about a M 90 Cron in general.

Would recommend you getting a late pre-APO version.

Had that one a few years ago, sold it because I wanted an APO ^^

Comparing the 90 Cron pre-APO and the APO, I prefer the look of the pre-APO and its a bit warmer rendering.

The rendering of the pre-APO 90 will be more similar to your 50 Cron.

Budget-wise, good APO starts around 2000€ more towards 3k, pre-APO in good condition you find around 1000€.

 

Looking for a small M 90, check out the old 90 Tele-Elmarit, also budget friendly and fully underrated in my opinion.

 

Safe travels and hope you have a good time!

Take care.

 

 

[charlesphoto99]

I guess it depends on what you want to shoot. I'm currently on holiday on the island of Kauai, and primarily shooting landscapes and a few family, local pics. Brought with me a 28 'cron, 50 lux asph, 75 APO, 90 Macro-Elmar, and 135mm APO. Primarily using 135, 75 and 50 for landscapes (in that order), 28 and 50 for family and local. 90 if I need to travel lighter and don't want to bring 135, but I find the 135 to have a more dramatic effect. 

[rsolomon]

For me, I debated between the 75 and 90 cron’s. You mentioned your getting both- I would get them both now and bring them both…. 
 

I went with the 75 cron for reasons mentioned above and have never missed having a 90. 
 

my kit is 21 SEM / 35 cron / 75 cron, next up is the 135, I want it but not sure it will get much use. I don’t miss having a 50 cron but always looking at them:)