Leica 90mm F/2.8 Tele-Elmarit M-Mount Lens, Canada, Black/Slim {E39} 11800

[kivis]

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I like slim. Anyone with experience with this lens?

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[AndreasG]

I bought a used one around 35 years ago, it still works fine with film and digital Ms, a solid working horse. Small and light and available at low cost, but sometimes prone to flare in counter light.

[Mike S]

Working well for me on film, as above reports of flare, I always use a hood and don't often have a problem.

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[pgk]

Be aware that there can be haze in the rear section which can be difficult (and sometimes is reported as impossible) to clean. So you need to get one without haze (I think that not all suffer). Flare can be a problem and it really need to be used with a hood. Mine certainly flared easily with a light source just outside the frame. Nice small lens though.

[luigi bertolotti]

I have one of the last built (3.453.005 - Wetzlar) : it's an excellent 90 to carry with you : only the Macro Elmar is so compact, but not do light : in terms of sharpness, I find that the last Elmarit M is probably unbeatable, but when I have to choose which one ... size&weight often win (my only issue : the hood.. I have not the rubber one, and the 12575 is uneasy to carry)

Edited November 7, 2023 by luigi bertolotti

[a.noctilux]

I have my third "same" lens.

It's so light and compact but very flarey even with clear glasses.

The three units have the same behavior and the flare is always there even with long hood,  I use 12575 reversed when not in use.

This almost double the lens length when mounted and flare is still there.

Otherwise good lens to be used carefully.

[adan]

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1) I love this little guy - it got me through withdrawal from the small (and very light-weight) Contax G 90mm Sonnar when I swapped to Leica M 22 years ago. At 225g, the 90TE v2 weighs less than many 50mm Summicrons. The only truly "M-sized" and pocketable 90 with an aperture of at least f/2.8.

2) But....Damn!  Does it ever show mechanical (barrel, not glass) flare tendencies, if there is a bright light just outside the image area. A function of the compact size (long but narrow empty lens barrel behind the rear element). I used its design as the "poster child" in the diagram at the bottom. A tragic flaw.

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I have tried every possible lens hood that fits, and none really cure it completely. The "best" was home-made - I got a rubber slip-on lens cap that fit the front of the 12575 hood - and cut out a rectangular opening in the rubber, to crop incoming light exactly to the shape/size of the sensor/film opening. But that combo adds 50% to the length of the lens, and thus spoils the compactness.

3) There is also the problem of the "Tele-Elmarit disease" pgk mentions.

Early batches of this lens developed actual etching of the glass/coatings in the factory-sealed rear element group, not just common haze. Only repair is replacement of that entire sealed unit - and there have not been replacement parts for decades. The good news is that it was only in some early production units (pre-1978) - and at this point, has either already shown up, or likely never will.

4) Leaving aside flare and haze, there is quite a lot of sample variation in optical performance (I've tried maybe 8-10 over 22 years). Some are sharp everywhere across the frame at any aperture, and some are quite fuzzy or streaky towards the corners until stopped down to f/5.6 or so.

5) But because of its reputation - it is often quite inexpensive for a Leica-brand lens. IF one shops carefully, and can test the particular unit under consideration before purchase (or with return privileges), and can live with its known tendencies (always keep the sun, or spotlights, behind you), it can be a great little companion.

[pippy]

Same as everyone else has said, really, except as I shoot against the sun very rarely the flare issue wasn't a problem for me......until I went looking for it!

As a 'Travel Lens' it's superb. I use the 'correct' rubber hood with it and it has always been a wonderful 90mm to take when size / weight are a factor. It also uses the 'standard' E39mm filters which, for me, is a huge plus-point.

Philip.

[spydrxx]

Used to have one but it rarely got used, except on an old style Visoflex. Finally sold it and switched to an Elmar to use on my Barnacks.

[dpitt]

It was my favorite 90 mm until I got the Macro Elmar 90 which is even more compact. I used it mostly without the hood and could live with the occasional flare. Maybe I am old school and keep the sun behind me more than others do.

I think the rubber hood for the 90mm Elmar C is better than the metal one and it does not destroy the compactness. So if I would use it today, I would take the rubber hood with me.

[kivis]

I had the Macro Elmar but I think I'll take the 2.8 aperture over the slight gain in size as it is still pretty small.

[Kwesi]

4 hours ago, kivis said:

I like slim. Anyone with experience with this lens?

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Owned one for many decades. Nice looking lens for all the right reasons BUT as others have said, it flares like a bahstid  - even indoors.

Go for the "fat" 90 tele elmarit. Great lens, great price, not that much bigger than a 50/1.4 v2 - gorgeous in sliver chrome if you can find it.

Sample image shown here on the M11 at f5.6

 

 

 

 

[grahamc]

I thought this lens was the answer too all my small kit dreams but didn’t really like it.  I’d go for the fat version as mentioned or if so3 is a big consideration the excellent (and cheap)  minolta CLE f4 - it’s the same as elmar f4 but takes more common 41mm filters 

[TomB_tx]

The "FAT" TE was my first Leica lens in 1968 - after shooting sports with a borrowed M2 with one. Still one of my favorite lenses.

[Gregm61]

As far as flare-resistance goes, honestly, if I was truly flare-averse, every 35mm focal length image I capture would be shot using a 35mm f1.7 Voigtlander Ultron that is virtually 100% flare resistant. The 35mm f1.4 FLE isn’t a lens you want to be shooting into the sun, similar to just about any Leica lens you could name.

The best two Leica lenses I own in terms of being able to shoot directly into the sun are the two super-wide, Super Elmars, the 21mm f3.4 and 18mm f3.8. 75mm f2 APO, 35/1.4 FLE, 50mm f2 (versions 4 and 5), 135mm f3.4 APO, etc, none of them do well shot into the sun. Any comment regarding flare and the 90mm f2.8 Tele Elmarit can/should be applied to all of the above. Leica lenses generally do not do well shot into the sun.

Cosina/Voigtlander lenses, generally are excellent/in another league compared to Leica equivalents, shot into the sun.

[tsleica]

I just started using mine again as it works well on the M240 MP.

I bought it new in 1989. About 15 years later..the haze started.

I cant see much of a difference though.

Still takes nice pics.

Mine does not flare easily. Unlike a lot of em.

Pros..

Small & lightweight

Nice hood

Easy to use.

 

Cons...

Haze

And on film I noticed it is not great resolution in the close up range, at least compared to other lenses.

Here is a recent pic..f4 w/SF Filter

 

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Edited November 8, 2023 by tsleica
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[Robert Blanko]

I can confirm the haze issue. Depending on the situation, the photos will be soft. Using a lens hood helps. I bought mine used some years ago and it was sold with a lens hood similar to that of the 90/4 Makro-Elmar.

My plan at that time was to have a slim and light (as it should be for a true Leica lens) and cheaper 90mm lens for traveling abroad. But admittedly, I did not use it much after the initial phase.

Edited November 8, 2023 by Robert Blanko

[la1402]

I had one and sold it because it was flaring extremely. I am very happy with my late Elmarit-M which plan to keep forever.

[la1402]

I had one and sold it because it was flaring extremely. I am very happy with my late Elmarit-M which plan to keep forever.

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[Gregm61]

I recently purchased an extremely clean, late made in Germany (SN 3452822) copy, fitted a virtually like-new 11250 Leitz hood and set out during mid-day today to take a series of shots before I send it to DAG in the next several days to 6-bit code it and do any cleaning of the optics as he see's fit.

Very, very impressed with the handling and the way it worked on the MP240. Focus was dead-on accurate.

Took this only to see how it handled the very bright reflection off the glass here. Passed the test for me.

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by Gregm61