Is Leica Summarit-M 90mm f/2.5 worth to buy?

[Alvin Greis]

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I've got the suspiciously sweet offer for a new one, but I can't find any information about this 90mm lens. It costs four times cheaper than APO, but should I have some doubts about IQ of this lens? I'm not a bokeh-fun, but overall sharpness, color rendering and so on... Share your thoughts if you use it, pls.

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[UliWer]

When you use the search function of this forum you‘ll find tons of comments about this lens:

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/search/?q=Summarit 90&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=130&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=and

I havn‘t got it though all i have seen tells me that it is a very reliable lens, lighter and easier to focus than an Apo-Summicron, perhaps a little bit better than an Elmarit-M - so after all a lens which will not disappoint any one. 

[Alvin Greis]

51 minutes ago, UliWer said:

When you use the search function of this forum you‘ll find tons of comments about this lens:

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/search/?q=Summarit 90&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=130&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=and

I havn‘t got it though all i have seen tells me that it is a very reliable lens, lighter and easier to focus than an Apo-Summicron, perhaps a little bit better than an Elmarit-M - so after all a lens which will not disappoint any one. 

Shame on my head 🙂 Thanks for the link!

[TomB_tx]

I bought a used 90 Summarit (2.5) some years back and find it basically the equal of my other 90s, with a shorter focus throw, which I like. My 1968 Tele Elmarit (fat model) is significantly shorter (which I prefer) and equal performance. I tend to use the TE more.

[pgk]

I have one. Its as good/better than the Elmarit-M and is in all ways a great all around performer. The only thing you need to make sure about is the hood which can be tricky to find at a reasonable price if not supplied with the lens.

[pippy]

2 hours ago, Alvin Greis said:

...should I have some doubts about IQ of this lens? I'm not a bokeh-fun, but overall sharpness, color rendering and so on...

No; you should have no doubts whatsoever about the performance of the 90mm f2.5 Summarit. It is a SUPERB performer in every respect.

FWIW I have four 90mm M-mount lenses; an f2.8 Tele-Elmarit-M; an f2.5 Summarit and a pair of v3 Summicrons (Black-Chrome and Silver-Chrome). If I had to choose just one my heart would say the S-Chr Summicron but in terms of the best combination of size, weight and IQ the Summarit would win hands-down.

Being a more modern optical lens-design it has rendering to match. If you aren't overly hell-bent on trying to force a 'vintage-vibe' from your lenses; don't require to be shooting at f2.0 and if - as you say - you are more interested in overall sharpness and colour-rendering then the Summarit is pretty much hard to beat in any way.

Philip.

[lct]

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I have nothing to say against my 90mm Summarit (mine is the f/2.4 version) but when i read here and there that it is easier to focus than faster lenses like Summicron 90 or 70, i guess people thinking this way are somewhat comparing apples to oranges i.e. lenses at different apertures. If lenses are well calibrated i can't seem to see any significant difference in focusing accuracy between the Summarit and other 90mm lenses at the same apertures like Summicrons apo or non-apo or closer competitors like Elmarit 90/2.8, Tele-Elmarit "thin" 90/2.8 or Apo-Skopar 90/2.8. My only reservation would be general about f/2.5 Summarit lenses as three of mine (35/2.5, 50/2.5, 75/2.5) have had quality issues so i would check that the aperture ring does not wobble and the focus ring is not too loose or too stiff compared to the said competitors.

Edited June 5, 2024 by lct

[3D-Kraft.com]

Theoretically, the chance to get a hit when focusing a f/1.4 lens set to f/2.8 should be the same as when using a lens that starts at f/2.8 due to the same DoF (assuming, both lenses and the camera are well calibrated, have no wobble etc.).

Practically, when the f/1.4 lens is calibrated at f/1.4 and has some focus shift while stopping down or has a different field curvature (with the OVF and on older cameras like the M240 even in live view you can only focus in the center and not in a midfield or border area), you can easily get a shot missing the focus on the desired point. I think, these are the effects, which lead to statements like "is easier / more difficult to focus".

[lct]

3 hours ago, 3D-Kraft.com said:

[...] Practically, when the f/1.4 lens is calibrated at f/1.4 and has some focus shift while stopping down or has a different field curvature (with the OVF and on older cameras like the M240 even in live view you can only focus in the center and not in a midfield or border area), you can easily get a shot missing the focus on the desired point. I think, these are the effects, which lead to statements like "is easier / more difficult to focus".

I have no experience with 90/1.4 (or 90/1.5) lenses but i have seen this when doing focus recompose in RF mode on the Summilux 75/1.4 at f/4 as far as telephotos are concerned.  Never so on any of my 90/2, 90/2.4, 90/2.8 or 90/4 lenses so far. I suspect none of them suffers from significant focus shift and neither does the Summarit 90/2.5 but i may be wrong.

Edited June 5, 2024 by lct

[UliWer]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb 3D-Kraft.com:

Theoretically, the chance to get a hit when focusing a f/1.4 lens set to f/2.8 should be the same as when using a lens that starts at f/2.8 due to the same DoF (assuming, both lenses and the camera are well calibrated, have no wobble etc.).

That‘s right. Though if you buy an 90mm Apo-Summicron you‘ll like to use it with f/2 (at least occasionally) and then it becomes more difficult. 

[3D-Kraft.com]

That's right as well, but a different point. Ict's point was about comparing apples with pears. Anyhow, I think everyone know's how it's meant.

[lct]

1 hour ago, 3D-Kraft.com said:

That's right as well, but a different point. Ict's point was about comparing apples with pears [...]

Oranges more exactly 😉 but people comparing different fruits are those who compare, say, a Summicron 90 at f/2 to a Summarit 90 at f/2.4 where there is no focus shift. When shooting both at f/2.4, neither lens should be more difficult to focus.

Edited June 5, 2024 by lct