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90mm choices for the M8


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If you've generally been happy with the imaging of your older 90 f/2, but want less weight/bulk, I'd look at the 90 Summarit f/2.5. About the size/weight of the converted Zeiss/Contax lens, less new than a used 90 AA, imaging properties about like the compact pre-AA 90 'cron (and also like your stovepipe 90, but with a bit more contrast), only a partial f/stop slower.

 

Personally I use the 90 Tele-Elmarit-M, but I know that is not everyone's cup of tea. When I first switched from Contax G to Leica, I got a 90 f/2 pre-AA and used it for several months, but was really uncomfortable with the size and weight after the Contax 90 - it just didn't fit with the "small/compact" ethos that drew me away from SLRs to RFs in the first place. Then I ran across a 90 TE - and it is the one Leica lens that's been in my hands the longest. Also one of the first I got coded by Leica (not that it needs it, just for the EXIF ID). Eight years next August.

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I have the three - the f2, the f2.8 and the f4 and my favourite is the Summicron by some margin. The colour, the luminosity of the images is striking. I don't agree about the focussing - the focus throw is longer than some of the lenses but it's not Noctilux long and you can focus from 2m to infinity without shifting your grip. It's the 1m - 2m range which is a stretch.

 

The Elmarit is a great travel lens and the Elmar has the macro capability but if you're only going to ever buy one 90mm, it's got to be the Summicron.

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...my favourite is the Summicron by some margin. The colour, the luminosity of the images is striking.

 

Mark - given the good price that a used 90 Summicron can be had for at the moment your reasons above make a lot of sense for me. It's still 300 gms lighter than my Canadian Summ + I find that for a lot of the indoor / artificially lit settings I tend to work in, the higher contrast / sharper images that the Summicron seems to give are likely to be more suitable. Sean Reid's excellent review of the Summarit is also giving me food for thought. Buying that one would be a question of aesthetics rather than budget as I'm currently looking at a price range from £1300 for the used Summicron down to £700 for a used Elmarit. A new Summarit would fall in between the two.

 

Looking forward to testing them this morning and then working with one ... I've got some more documentary work coming up, so will report back on field experience.

 

Thanks again for taking the time ...

 

and even my accountant might counsel against the Elcan (:D)

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Chris,

I have been very disappointed with the back focus of my 90mm Summicron APO on the M8.

I have had the lens to the Leica distributor and was told it would have to go to Solms - a visit to Germany of a minimum of several weeks and a cost of perhaps $200 - 300 to fix.

That made me think perhaps the best course of action would be to sell the lens as others have done.

This didn't feel right to me so I canvassed the local Leica lovers for a local repair shop and was sent by Ray T. (thank you Ray!) to Mr. Lo at Professional Camera Repair in Kowloon.

 

In two days and for HK$500 (US$64) Mr. Lo adjusted the 'Cron to focus exactly on my M8. I picked the lens up today and it is a Happy Day!

 

L9995688MrLocsBWw

L9995688MrLocsBWw

 

This is the first picture taken with the adjusted lens on my M8. It is of the impressive Mr. Lo.

 

And here a couple of wind blown hours later is a picture of me taken with the 90mm by Wendy, the manager of

Miramar Camera, my favourite camera shop in Hong Kong.

 

HCBWw

HCBWw

 

So, if the 90 Cron focuses correctly on your M8 and the price is right I would go for it.

Check the pictures.

Cheers

Howard

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The Summicron, along with the 75mm Summilux and Noctilux are the most difficult lenses to focus and a magnifier is a good idea; I'd be tempted by the new 1.4x for the 90mm lens. They are such a price though...

I finally bit the bullet and bought the new 1.4x primarily to aid focusing my 75mm Summarit. It will also help with my 90TE. I found I was missing focus too often without it.

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I'd suggest the Cron pre-ASPH: f/2, good used copies can be found for less than 1,000 USD and better for wide-open portraits IMHO (if you're after a more "classic" look - but that's a matter of taste) than the latest version.

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Choice made - went for the 90 Cron AA - It was hugely helpful to have had the input from all on the list - thanks. The decision in the shop went as follows:

 

1/ the 90 cron aa is significantly smaller and lighter than my old Candian 90 Cron

2/ the size / weight difference between the Cron and the Summarit was not that significant

3/ the Cron that I've bought is coded and is likely to still have some passport left (Ivor's checking this)

 

The other parts of the decision related to my preference for sharp, contrasty lenses + the kinds of use I envisage.

 

Immediate experience is that the lens is tough to focus fully open - much easier at 3.4 ... BUT it does focus well. A couple of examples from the London kitchen (once again). 90 fully open compared with 135 apo-telyt fully open. NB - the jpeg artifacts on the text don't do justice to how the image looks on a good monitor. Prints I look forward to.

 

Thanks for the very interesting and helpful contributions. :)

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Choice made - went for the 90 Cron AA - It was hugely helpful to have had the input from all on the list - thanks. The decision in the shop went as follows:

 

1/ the 90 cron aa is significantly smaller and lighter than my old Candian 90 Cron

2/ the size / weight difference between the Cron and the Summarit was not that significant

3/ the Cron that I've bought is coded and is likely to still have some passport left (Ivor's checking this)

 

[...]

 

Hello Chris,

 

congratulations for choosing the 90 AA. It isn't really much larger and heavier than the Elmarit 90. The extra stop is a nice add-on and the image quality leaves nothing to demand from my side. Have fun with it.

 

Regards

Ivo

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Great choice, Chris, just wish I had an accountant with the same enlightened approach...

 

You seem to be on the safe side - as your's allow taking apart things which cost a fortune :D

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Hi to all,

 

I had the occasion to borrow for a day cron 90 non asph and did few tests with it.

Great lens sharp as a razor but heavy and not so easy to focus with.

I posted few shots with it recently; (ei; black bird).

 

Due to good advice from LUF users, I finally chose an Elmarit and I am very very happy with this choice. Much lighter wich helps to go lower in speed, smaller etc..

 

Here is a pic taken this afternoon at 2.8, 160 iso.

 

Comments welcome

 

All the best

Jean-Luc

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Chris, I know some of your works, and I see that quite often I had to shoot in the same conditions (theatre/gigs for example).

I had the 90AA and the 90Elmarit-m (telescopic hood). The 90AA is simply superb but I used it quite exclusively wide open, I found it somehow "harsh" when stoppin down from F4 and on.

BTW the focus ring of the 90AA is (IMHO) the biggest issue, the thread is way too long, and even with my eagle eye:rolleyes:, and 1,25x magnifier, I lost too many pictures because of its focus "speed".

The 90 elmarit-M is another superb lens, but under this respect, it suffers of the same long thread focus issue.

For these reasons, and adding the weight issue as well, I consider the 90summarit to be the best of the group.

It's just 1/2 stop slower than the 90cron, but the focus ring is extremely fast and effective.

It's really small, light, and it's bokeh and "way of drawing" pictures reminds of the glorious Leica lenses, while being extremely corrected for what that concerns flare and CA.

Think about it. :)

 

I agree 100% with this, I have a 90 Cron the weight doesn't bother me much

but the focusing is Way to Slow and long. I can only go from 1 meter to 3 or 4 meters

on the lens in one bite. Its way to stiff to use with my finger like i can on my 50 Cron

 

If the quality wasn't so damn good I would have changed it up quite a while ago.

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Took the 90 for a walk along the Regent's Canal - just around the corner from where we live in London - not a lot happening photographically, but there were some rapidly moving ducklings - and focusing was no problem fully open + lots of flowers and trees - and I love the way the lens deals with colour and OOF areas. NOT fine art images - but it gives an idea. I wouldn't have wanted the weight and bulk of the old Cron - but the 90AA really didn't feel particularly heavy or slow to work with. It looks as if it was a good choice for me. :)

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