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Archive 2017 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question

  
 
Alpha_Geist
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


I recently acquired an unusually clean used 90mm Elmarit-R lens off the 'bay for a song. The lens clearly has the old telescopic hood, so a 3 cam Version I. Or so it seems...

Curious of this lens, I did a little google search and came across a Leica Wiki page that lists the serial numbers for both the Ver I & II lenses. I was mainly interested in the year of its manufacture because the lens was too clean for an old used "model". The serial no. 2930303 doesn't show under the Version I page, but does show under the Version II page with 1978 being the year of its manufacture.

The Ver I page serials stops after 2807401 - 2809400.

My 90 elmarit-r shows that it was manufactured in Germany (engraved on the backside near the mount), and has the following inscription: LEITZ WETZLAR 2930303 ELMARIT-R 1:2.8/90. Mine has a 55mm thread mount as it came with an E55 UVa 13373 filter installed. On the Ver II Leica Wiki page, it shows the following inscriptions:

ELMARIT-R 1:2.8/90 LEITZ CANADA 2XXXXXX
LEICA ELMARIT-R 1:2.8/90 E 55 3XXXXXX
LEITZ ELMARIT-R 1:2.8/90 3XXXXXX

Mine falls under the 2XXXXXX serial, but the inscription doesn't match.

Is mine really a Ver II? Is there an optical difference between these Ver I & II 90mm elmarits? I also checked out the old Erwin Puts Lens Compendium and that didn't provide any answers. Since mine has the old school telescoping hood and not the newer pull out hood, I was assuming that mine was the older Ver I with an inferior optical formula compared to the new Ver II (with pull out hood).

Edit: Fixed number of cams. Originally listed as 2, but the small little black stair-like steps near one of the cams is a separate cam. This lens has 3 cams.

Edited on Feb 26, 2017 at 12:55 AM · View previous versions



Feb 25, 2017 at 11:02 PM
bluloo
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


I'm looking at mine (V1) with the telescoping hood, SN 2109105, Inscription is "Elmarit-R 1:2.8/90 Leitz Wetzlar".

Also made in Germany.

The lens versions look very different, so there should be no mistaking one for the other.

From this page, on the different optical formulas for the Elmarit-R 90s:
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/leica-r-90mm-lens.88664/


"there were two optical versions of the 90mm Elmarit-R. The first version is a Gauss-type design which is larger and heavier that the 2nd version. The first version was available in one- two- and 3-cam configurations; filter sizes were iniitally Series VII but this was changed to E55 some time in the 1970s.
The first version of the Elmarit-R is quite a good lens, and its performance holds up well with extension tubes or bellows. The 2nd version is optically identical to the Elmarit-M and is an outstanding lens, as well as being light and compact. The 2nd version was only made with E55 filter threads, and as far as I know only in 3-cam configuration."


Can you post a few photos?



Feb 25, 2017 at 11:25 PM
Alpha_Geist
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


bluloo wrote:
Can you post a few photos?


Sure thing! I'll post a few tomorrow.



Feb 25, 2017 at 11:51 PM
Alpha_Geist
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


Couldn't wait. Here are a few quick snaps from my phone.

Also, double checked the cams. It is a 3 cam and not a 2 cam. I've corrected my original post.


by Alpha Geist, on Flickr


by Alpha Geist, on Flickr


by Alpha Geist, on Flickr

Edited on Feb 26, 2017 at 12:27 AM · View previous versions



Feb 26, 2017 at 12:14 AM
bluloo
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


Except for the "90" next to the DOF scale, it looks just like mine.

Serial number is odd, indeed.


Edit for late night oops.

Edited on Feb 26, 2017 at 08:54 AM · View previous versions



Feb 26, 2017 at 12:24 AM
Steve Spencer
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


I had version II of this lens and briefly a version I of this lens (KEH sent me a VI when it was described and picture as a VII; to their credit they took back the VI and sent me a VII at no cost to me). It has been awhile, but I am pretty sure this is a VI. As I recall, the version II had a single piece hood not a multi piece hood like this lens. The version II looks like the lens in this link:

http://vahonen.com/photo/equipment/lenses/Leica90F2.8/

The information on the Leica Wiki is often wrong and I suspect it is wrong in this instance as well.



Feb 26, 2017 at 12:57 AM
telyt
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


Alpha_Geist wrote:
Couldn't wait. Here are a few quick snaps from my phone.


The 2-piece hood shows that this is a version 1 lens. My notes suggest that version 2 starts at s/n 3260100.



Feb 26, 2017 at 04:28 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


bluloo wrote:
Except for the "90" next to the focus scale, it looks just like mine.


Same here. Mine also does not have the label "90" next to the DOFscale. The lens name ring says,

ELMARIT - R 1 : 2.8 / 90 LEITZ WETZLAR 280nnnn



Feb 26, 2017 at 07:26 AM
Alpha_Geist
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


Thank you everyone! My original assumption was correct that this was a Ver I lens. The serial number threw me off based on the Leica Wiki page. I just Leitaxed the lens yesterday and look forward to giving the lens a tryout in the sunny weather today.


Feb 26, 2017 at 11:16 AM
JonPB
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


I might be the only one, but I find a slight sense of satisfaction in learning details about the basics of Leica lenses that aren't covered by Puts' Chronicle. The change in body type is covered by his note that "This 1976 version has a slightly different new style mount," but he does not note the change in filters. Looking at lenses available on eBay, it appears that the new body style -- my understanding was that, under Wild Heerbrugg's ownership, Leica moved to unify as many parts as possible between lens types -- moved to an E55 filter. Ah, the joys of continuous improvement.

As to the difference in optics, I can only extrapolate from overall trends. If I were testing the two, I'd look for higher resolution at the expense of contrast in the first version. The beauty of Mandler lenses comes from the realization that they were out-resolving photographic film, so the designs emphasized contrast, which presumably led toward that characteristic gentleness that we see today with higher resolution digital sensors.

I just wish the Leica Wiki was more open and accepted edits and corrections from geeks like myself. :-)

Anyhow, thanks for helping me learn something.

Cheers,
Jon



Feb 26, 2017 at 04:49 PM
telyt
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · A Mandler Favorite - 90mm Elmarit-R question


bluloo wrote:
Except for the "90" next to the DOF scale, it looks just like mine.


The '90' means the lens was originally made for E55 filter vs. the earlier Series VII filters. This change was made to several lenses beginning in 1976 coincident with the introduction of the R3. In the 50 'cron it meant a new optical formula as well but for several others the optical formula was unchanged.


JonPB wrote:
I just wish the Leica Wiki was more open and accepted edits and corrections from geeks like myself. :-)


When in doubt about R lenses ask me.



Feb 27, 2017 at 10:51 AM





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