Looking for cheap M 90mm

[MikeRZ67]

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Hi,

Even though I shoot most of my photos at 28mm, every now and then it would be nice to have a 90mm in my photo bag. But I'm a bit lost with all the 90mm options out there, so I was hoping for some recommendations.

I'm planning to use it on an M240. I mostly want to use it for landscape, so I'm more interested in the "compressed" tele look and don't really care about smooth bokeh all that much.

My priorities (in that order) are:

1. cheap (since I expect to be using this for 1% of my photos I want to spend as little as necessary...)
2. 43mm filter thread
3. vignetting
4. CA correction
5. sharp
6. Works well adapter on E-Mount cameras
7. size/weight
8. f-stop

Any recommendations? Thank you in advance!

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[wda]

Leica 90 mm Elmar (early M era, say 1960s ). Find a little used clean copy. I have a 135 mm Elmar from the same era which I wrote about here https://david2008.photium.com/news109519.html

Edited August 21, 2024 by wda

[jgeenen]

Look for the Zeiss ZM 4/85mm. I am not aware on any other short telephoto that has 43mm filter thread and (depending on what you consider as "cheap") matches all other criteria.

[Ralf]

Leica Elmarit M, great lens, second hand readily available and quite affordable, however filter size 46mm.

[pippy]

The 90mm f2.8 Tele Elmarit-M is cheap (in LeicaWorld), a good performer, tiny, light and commonplace. It takes 39mm filters but a step-up ring should be easy to source.

Pretty good review of it here;

https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/90mm-f28-tele.htm

Philip.

[pgk]

10 minutes ago, pippy said:

The 90mm f2.8 Tele Elmarit-M is cheap (in LeicaWorld), a good performer, tiny, light and commonplace.

It can however suffer from haze which can not always be remedied successfully. So needs to be checked carefully.

Cheap is not an easy to define word when used in reference to Leica. The last two 90s (the Elmarit-M and Summarit) both perform very well indeed and are currently good value, for Leica lenses. Both are E46 but in all honesty work very well including on Sony cameras, and I don't see filter thread being such a big deal. You can always buy a step down ring (at the potential risk of vignetting of course).

Edited August 21, 2024 by pgk

[MikeRZ67]

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Thanks for the recommendations so far!

Maybe I should be a bit more precise with what I mean by "cheap": I was hoping to find something for under 500€. It's not set in stone. If going to the slightly more expensive options like the Elmarit-M means a big jump in performance I might consider that. But then there's also the Voigtländer APO-Skopar 90/2.8 in that price range, which seems to be a good option. Sigh...

And the filter thread size probably should have been lower on my priority list. I do like the idea of sharing filters between lenses, but the ZM85 seems to be the only lens checking that box. From my research it seems to be a bit overprized nowadays, having options like the Voigtländer APO-Skopar 90/2.8 available.

[TomB_tx]

Consider the 90 Elmar-C - originally for the film CL Leica. I bought a pristine one for under $200, and performs very well on my M9 & M10. (Leica noted this lens uses a sloped focus cam and "might not" focus accurately on M cameras - but they would rather sell a more expensive new lens. I've not seen a focus problem with it on any M camera.)

This of course is 39mm filter thread, like most older Leitz lenses.

[lct]

I must have a little dozen 90mm M-mount lenses and my only one sporting 43mm filters is the ZM Tele-Tessar 85/4. Sharp lens with almost perfect performances, very little flare & color fringing. Contrary to what i read here or elsewhere, smooth bokeh too. Otherwise, my best "cheap" 90mm lens sports 40.5mm filters. It is the Rokkkor 90/4 for Minolta CLE. Very close to the Elmar-C 90/4 with less flare and no sloped focus cam. Couple of snaps with ZM 85/4 on M11 here.

Edited August 21, 2024 by lct

[spydrxx]

On the "cheap" side while delivering good results, but with lower contrast, is the venerable 90/4 Elmar, which needs an inexpensive LTM->M adapter if desired to use on an M mount body. I've been using one for a couple of years now on M and LTM bodies as well as a Sony A7rii and have been pleased with its overall performance.

[MikeRZ67]

Thanks for all the recommendations!

I ended up ordering a Minolta Rokkor-M 90/4 "CLE" (and a step up ring to 43mm). Along with the early Elmars it seems to be one of the most "bang for the buck" options. That leatherette strip on the Elmar's lens barrel pushed me over to the Minolta in the end...

Also, the fact that almost all 90mm options have been mentioned in this thread tells me that probably I can find happiness with any of them.

[lct]

3 minutes ago, MikeRZ67 said:

ended up ordering a Minolta Rokkor-M 90/4 "CLE" (and a step up ring to 43mm).

Good choice. The step up ring won't fit the rubber hood of the lens which works with 40.5mm filters though.

[chris7273]

7 hours ago, pippy said:

The 90mm f2.8 Tele Elmarit-M is cheap (in LeicaWorld), a good performer, tiny, light and commonplace. It takes 39mm filters but a step-up ring should be easy to source.

Pretty good review of it here;

https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/90mm-f28-tele.htm

Philip.

Nice lens but hard to find at an affordable price for a haze-free lens. I bought one and it seemed clean but the rear lens was hazy and it was only visible if a torchlight. The photos were soft. But it’s a nice tiny lens. I sent it back. 
 

[costa43]

1 hour ago, MikeRZ67 said:

Thanks for all the recommendations!

I ended up ordering a Minolta Rokkor-M 90/4 "CLE" (and a step up ring to 43mm). Along with the early Elmars it seems to be one of the most "bang for the buck" options. That leatherette strip on the Elmar's lens barrel pushed me over to the Minolta in the end...

Also, the fact that almost all 90mm options have been mentioned in this thread tells me that probably I can find happiness with any of them.

A great lens. Punches well above its weight.

[pippy]

1 hour ago, chris7273 said:

Nice lens but hard to find at an affordable price for a haze-free lens. I bought one and it seemed clean but the rear lens was hazy and it was only visible if a torchlight. The photos were soft. But it’s a nice tiny lens. I sent it back. 
 

Is the 90mm f2.8 T E-M particularly prone to haze? If so then that is news to me. Sorry, Chris, to read that you bought a dud.

There are (justified) reports that it can suffer from flare when the sun / light source is just out-of-frame but, for my needs, this is inconsequential. Others' needs will be different.

Mine was picked up in near mint condition for £300 / 350 Euros / $390 and it is a stellar performer. I do have three other Leica 90's in M-mount (two v3 Summicrons and a Summarit) but the T E-M is always my choice when travelling light / heading abroad. Partly due to its tiny size and light weight but also because it shares the same E39 filters as my other 'travel' lenses

In terms of image quality I couldn't find fault with its performance in any way whatsoever.

Philip.

Edited August 21, 2024 by pippy

[pippy]

2 hours ago, MikeRZ67 said:

...I ended up ordering a Minolta Rokkor-M 90/4 "CLE"...

Great lens!

Best of good fortune with it when it arrives.

Philip.

[lct]

4 hours ago, chris7273 said:

[...] the rear lens was hazy and it was only visible if a torchlight [...]

A reported issue of some "thin" T-E 90/2.8 copies, known as "etching" of the rear element.
https://www.cameraquest.com/mlenses.htm
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/157053-fat-tele-elmarit-flare/?do=findComment&comment=1742865

[burchyk]

Voigtlander APO-Skopar 90/2.8 is a splendid lens. I love mine.

HP5+ in HC-110

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[RexGig0]

I see that the OP has made his choice, but, for the benefit of future readers, I will post this, anyway. With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, I often wish that I had bought only one M-mount lens longer than 50mm, that being the Zeiss Tele Tessar f/4 85mm ZM. As much as I like having an APO Summicron-M 75mm ASPH, and a Thambar-M 90mm f/2.2, they are very much niche lenses, of considerable size and weight, so, are seldom used. (The Summilux-M 50mm ASPH very much remains my favored lens for photographing people.)The Zeiss 85 is a delightfully light-in-weight lens, wonderful for landscapes and other ‘scapes.

[BruceRH]

22 hours ago, MikeRZ67 said:

Thanks for all the recommendations!

I ended up ordering a Minolta Rokkor-M 90/4 "CLE" (and a step up ring to 43mm). Along with the early Elmars it seems to be one of the most "bang for the buck" options. That leatherette strip on the Elmar's lens barrel pushed me over to the Minolta in the end...

Also, the fact that almost all 90mm options have been mentioned in this thread tells me that probably I can find happiness with any of them.

Excellent choice! I was going to recommend the Minolta Rokkor until I saw your decision. I have had one for some time and use it both on my M cameras and MFT. I ended up finding a nice used Macro-Elmar 90/4 so the Rokkor doesn't get used as much anymore but I can't part with it, it's a great little lens!