M9 with older lenses

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I have a 35 Lux, 50 Cron and 90 Elmarit from the early 1970’s that I used successfully in my M3 and M4 days. Work kept me very busy in recent years and I have only recently returned to photography in a committed way– Nikon D700 with 24 – 70 and 70 – 200 2.8s. My subjects are mainly landscapes and candids of active grandchildren.

 

I would value comments about the quality of A3+ prints I may achieve from my old lenses on the M9. My thinking is that the M9 FF sensor will use near full coverage of the old lenses and that they may be too soft to yield comparable quality to the very recently designed Nikons or, if the budget allows, one or two new asph lenses.

 

Kind regards. Ron

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[ModernMan]

As I understand it, the current 50mm Summincron is the same formula as yours from the 70's, although the mount has of course changed. Same with the 90 f2.8 Elmarit which was produced until a couple of years ago when the Summarit 90mm f2.5 was introduced. Neither the 50 'Cron or 90 Elmarit has been updated with an ASPH model.

 

If those lenses met your standards for A3+ prints (with something like, say K64) back in the day, then its reasonable to expect that an M9 with those lenses will be similarly satisfying.

 

The 35 Lux is another story, as the current ASPH formula provides improved optical performance particularly at large apertures. No doubt you'll fund plenty of discussion on the qualities of the new 35 Lux ASPH in search results.

 

I think you'll find that your older Leica primes (particularly the 50 and 90) absolutely rock in terms of sharpness and "look" compared to the current Nikkor zooms which you mention (or comparable Canon ones).

[luigi bertolotti]

Of the 3 lenses you have, I think that the only that can bring some problem with M9 is the Summilux 35, if used at high apertures : it is a lens that in many lighting situations can show a typical flare and a certain loss of detail towards the corners: anyway fairly usable if you understand its limits. The other two, if in good conditions, I expect to be at all satisfactory : I have both, and onto M8 I use them happily :they aren't lenses with critical behavior at the edges, so I think the situation wouldn't be so different with M9. Of course, lenses of new generations can bring some more : for instance, I got a Summarit 75 for my M8, and it is a step ahead of the Elmarit 90, and even more the Summicron 35 asph in respect to my old Summilux 35.

[luigi bertolotti]

As I understand it, the current 50mm Summincron is the same formula as yours from the 70's, although the mount has of course changed. Same with the 90 f2.8 Elmarit which was produced until a couple of years ago when the Summarit 90mm f2.5 was introduced. Neither the 50 'Cron or 90 Elmarit has been updated with an ASPH model. ....

 

Ron said that his lenses are from early '70s ...indeed both Summicron 50 and Elmarit 90 were redesigned since that time : Summicron in 1979 adopted a 6 elements / 4 group design whilst the previous was 6 elem./5 groups, and Ron's Elmarit 90 is probably this :

 

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Made from 1959 to 1974, while the "almost current" Elmarit-M 90 dates to 1990 (in between, there had been the Tele-Elmarit 90).

 

This is just for the record... anyway I agree that both of Ron's lenses can be absolutely up to A3 prints from M9.

[Overgaard]

Very good question. The older lenses on the M9 first appear a bit "milky" in the details when blown up to full size on a screen. And you think wow! and check for fungus or if there's something in between or on the lenses.

 

But after some use you realize how big the full-size image on the screen actually is and how minor those details you blew up to fill the screen actually is in print - and even smaller on the web.

 

My first thought using lenses from the 70ies (50/2.0, 21/3.4, 90/2.8, 35/2.0) was that I had to get ASPH lenses immediately.

 

But having the 80/1.4 in the R system, that behave the same fully open on the DMR but is a fantastic lens. Doesn't at all look as clean to the minor detail as the ASPH lenses, but man does it have atmosphere and detail richness in 3D. But it was made for film and not for freaks blowing up the image to full size on a computer screen.

 

So you got to give it some time to realize the potential of the older lenses and find out which look you're aiming for. I know my 50/2 and 21/3.4 are keepers. The 90/2.8 is great too but I don't like f/2.8 lenses and I don't like the design. So I will probably get a 75/2 ASPH and then a 50/1.4 ASPH (or non-ASPH) and finally a 35/2 ASPH onless a new 35/1.4 ASPH comes about.

 

But bottom line is: Take your time on this before you go out and change all lenses.

[ModernMan]

Ron said that his lenses are from early '70s ...indeed both Summicron 50 and Elmarit 90 were redesigned since that time : Summicron in 1979 adopted a 6 elements / 4 group design whilst the previous was 6 elem./5 groups, and Ron's Elmarit 90 is probably this :

 

[ATTACH]167056[/ATTACH]

 

Made from 1959 to 1974, while the "almost current" Elmarit-M 90 dates to 1990 (in between, there had been the Tele-Elmarit 90).

 

This is just for the record... anyway I agree that both of Ron's lenses can be absolutely up to A3 prints from M9.

 

Yes, a quick look at Lager Vol II confirms you are indeed correct!

[UliWer]

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Of course you should exspect older lenses - be it Leica or any other producer - "weaker" than their modern equivalents. Otherwise the producer wouldn't have brought out the new versions.

 

On the other hand many lenses much older and "worse" than those mentioned above have been used successfully either for large screen projection of slides or analogue printing at the times when they were just the best you could get.

 

For me it's one of the most attractive features of a Leica M that you can use so many different lenses from different periods. The M8 could not show the whole range of differences between older and modern lenses, as the crop cut off the edges where the old glass showed it's special character. Perhaps the M8 made those lenses "better" as they were, but I am sure the M9 will make the old glass more interesting.

 

Of course modern lenses are more apt to everyday situations. But as we sometimes enjoy an old film from the 50s or even the 30s at the pictures, we should not completely put aside those old optical fellows.

[winmore]

Many thanks for your valued comments.

 

I have decided to go ahead with ordering an M9 in the confidence that my A3's will be very satisfying.

 

Maybe the M9 will replace the D700 once I am able to put together a portfolio. Certainly some of the M9 print posts have a great lighting atmosphere that I always regarded as the "Leica look". At the very least it will return me to the great tactile sense that only M's can bring.

 

Best wishes to all.

[luigi bertolotti]

Many thanks for your valued comments.

 

I have decided to go ahead with ordering an M9 in the confidence that my A3's will be very satisfying.

 

Maybe the M9 will replace the D700 once I am able to put together a portfolio. Certainly some of the M9 print posts have a great lighting atmosphere that I always regarded as the "Leica look". At the very least it will return me to the great tactile sense that only M's can bring.

 

Best wishes to all.

 

Good choice: "old" lenses can really bring beautiful prints, and their value, nowadays, is rather stable... you'll have no loss if you then would decide to switch to some modern (but, anyway... DO NOT throw away the Lux 35... it's a too gracious device )