LEICA 90mm 2.8 ELMARIT M vs. Voigtländer 90MM 2.9 APO SKOPAR VM vs. ...

[un-342]

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Hello everybody

Currently Im considering buying a 90mm M Lens.

I tried the LEICA 90mm 2.8 ELMARIT M, which handles great (size and weight). The optical performance is fine.
Does anybody know a comparison, review or something like it, between the LEICA 90mm 2.8 ELMARIT M and the Voigtländer 90MM 2.9 APO SKOPAR VM ?

I wonder if the Voigtländer is optically that much better, since I tend to prefer the build of the leica 90 elmarit.

The
LEICA 90mm f/2 ASPH APO-SUMMICRON-M  
and the
LEICA 90mm f/2.5 SUMMARIT-M 

are also contenders, yet I think the 90 APO summicron would be to large and heavy for my taste.
the LEICA 90mm f/2.5 SUMMARIT-M is totally unknown to me.

 

Does anybody know a direct comparison between the 90mm M lenses, particularly the ones I mentioned?
Or a recommendation ?

 

kind regards

 

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[pgk]

I have both the 90mm Elmarit-M and Summarit-M (f/2.5). Both are excellent. Personally I think that ergonomics are relevant in this sort of lens. I still think that the Elmarit-M handles best of the two but its close. The Summarit handles flare slightly better. If you can it would be well worth handling the lenses before buying.

One last thing is that I've had a few Elmarit-Ms and there can be variation which is probably understandable given that some are now over 30 yers old. I had one which whilst not bad was not wondrous wide-open which unfortunately could not be improved.

[Photon42]

Got the Summicron 90 APO and the Summarit 90/2.5. The latter gets more use. Super easy and fast to focus, very small and light, pretty flare resistant. In my eyes the better choice over the Elmarit-M.

[lct]

2 hours ago, un-342 said:

Does anybody know a comparison, review or something like it, between the LEICA 90mm 2.8 ELMARIT M and the Voigtländer 90MM 2.9 APO SKOPAR VM ?
I wonder if the Voigtländer is optically that much better, since I tend to prefer the build of the leica 90 elmarit.

I don't know if reviews like this have been published anywhere. The Elmarit (i suppose you refer to the v2 of it) is well known as one of the best if not the best 90/2.8 M lens ever made. Its only cons are its 1m MFD and relatively big size and weight. The Apo Skopar 90/2.8 escapes these criticisms and is a very good lens indeed. Its only con (to me) is color fringing. It is not the worse 90 from this viewpoint but i'd expected better performance from an apo lens.

Edited May 20, 2023 by lct

[un-342]

First of all, thank you for your informative an quick replies. 
it seems the 90mm Elmarit is a well liked lens. Especially considering the price difference to the 90 summicron apo.

[Ouroboros]

I had the last version 90mm elmarit -m f2.8 and used it happily for 15 years or so, it’s a great lens.  I bought a 90mm apo-summicron a couple of years ago to round out my set of three safari edition summicrons.  I never used the elmarit-m again and sold it 18 months after I bought the apo-summicron.

The 90mm apo-summicron has become one of my favourite M lenses, yes, it’s slightly bigger and heavier than the elmarit-m but to me feels better balanced on the camera. It’s sharp at f2 with a beautiful transition to oof  and you know you are using the best 90mm Leica lens under £10k.  Images have that apo sparkle that is lacking in the elmarit-m.

 At smaller apertures the differences narrow, the best thing to do, if you can, is try both before you decide.

As for 90mm Voigtlander lenses, I had the original CV  90mm f3.5 apo-lanthar ltm that I used when backpacking.  It was a really nice lens, one of CV’s best at the time, but I preferred using the elmarit-m.
 

 

 

[otto.f]

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45 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

I had the last version 90mm elmarit -m f2.8 and used it happily for 15 years or so, it’s a great lens.  I bought a 90mm apo-summicron a couple of years ago to round out my set of three safari edition summicrons.  I never used the elmarit-m again and sold it 18 months after I bought the apo-summicron.

The 90mm apo-summicron has become one of my favourite M lenses, yes, it’s slightly bigger and heavier than the elmarit-m but to me feels better balanced on the camera. It’s sharp at f2 with a beautiful transition to oof  and you know you are using the best 90mm Leica lens under £10k.  Images have that apo sparkle that is lacking in the elmarit-m.

 At smaller apertures the differences narrow, the best thing to do, if you can, is try both before you decide.

As for 90mm Voigtlander lenses, I had the original CV  90mm f3.5 apo-lanthar ltm that I used when backpacking.  It was a really nice lens, one of CV’s best at the time, but I preferred using the elmarit-m.
 

 

 

I fully agree with this. I loved the Elmarit because of it’s contrast which was unique at that time compared to the rather soft 90’s M thus far. I sometimes regretted that I sold it, but I don’t know the Summarit and maybe I’d like it as a more handy alternative for the APO when circumstances ask. I have the APO now and I just don’t compare it with other 90’s. It is so special to me, and as such, because of the IQ at full aperture. I don’t know any Leica lens which stands out so much at full aperture as the APO 90 compared to what follows when stopping down. I don’t use it very often, but who does with any 90 on an M? And when I use it it’s always bingo. 

I made this one with my M9 in the train from Beijing to Lhasa 

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Edited May 21, 2023 by otto.f

[lct]

1 hour ago, un-342 said:

First of all, thank you for your informative an quick replies. 
it seems the 90mm Elmarit is a well liked lens. Especially considering the price difference to the 90 summicron apo.

I'm not good at comparing lenses of different apertures but only you can know if you want an f/2 lens instead of f/2.8 or f/2.4-2.5. The Summicron apo is the best f/2 performer but has a modern rendering to which i prefer the Summicron v2 and v3 for gentle portraits. V3 has the same size as apo but suffers from color fringing whereas v2 is (to me) a flawless lens but is even more bulky. 

[lct]

1 hour ago, otto.f said:

I don’t use it very often, but who does with any 90 on an M?

I do and always did for 30+ years. My favorite focal length for portraiture and for macro on M cameras. BTW the OP did not ask about f/4 lenses but Leica used to make and still makes superb lenses there. Especially the current macro-Elmar 90/4 or its previous version and their respective macro adapters with or without goggles.

Edited May 21, 2023 by lct

[sdk]

The Voigtlander Apo Skopar 90mm/2.8 is a fantastic little lens. Very sharp, very well corrected, and all in a nice compact package. Easily kept in a pocket to be ready if you want to close in on subject. I shot this tetraptych with 4 frames with my M11 and 90mm/2.8 Apo. https://www.flickr.com/photos/steven_keirstead/52917435685/in/dateposted/

My previous favorite 90mm was the Voigtlander 90mm/3.5 Apo Lanthar which was also nice, but I sold it when I got the smaller newer lens. 

[lct]

18 minutes ago, sdk said:

The Voigtlander Apo Skopar 90mm/2.8 is a fantastic little lens. Very sharp, very well corrected, and all in a nice compact package. Easily kept in a pocket to be ready if you want to close in on subject. I shot this tetraptych with 4 frames with my M11 and 90mm/2.8 Apo. https://www.flickr.com/photos/steven_keirstead/52917435685/in/dateposted/

Great little lens indeed. Couple of snaps at f/2.8 on the M11 here. Only con is color fringing to me. See below. 

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[sometimesmaybe]

6 hours ago, lct said:

Only con is color fringing to me

wild CA 😮

[lct]

9 hours ago, sometimesmaybe said:

wild CA 😮

Just to relativise, the Summicron 90/2 v3 can do worse than that and even the Summicron 90/2 apo is not free from CA TBH.