I was offered a Leica Elmar-C 90mmm f4.o lens for my M3/M2. Want to know does it couple exactly to the Rangefinder.Can I use it for close up(about 3ft) at maximum aperture?It will be used for blow ups..8x12 and larger.I had a Tele-Elmarit,early model.I am not interested in the Other lenses,Summicron,Summilux,Elmarit-M.The price is reasonable for Leica,so is there a problem ?

-- jason gold (jason1155234@webtv.net), October 08, 2000

Answers

Jason,

My Hove pocket book on Leica cameras and lenses says that even thought the Elmar-C was designed for the CL, it can be used on M series cameras. Additionally, Gandy's Leica site says the same thing in a round about way... indicating that he feels the warnings about miss-matched focusing cams might have been a way to sell more lenses...(his opinion). I am including his lens pages, which runs through all possible options... cheap to "the best".

I think in the speed range of that lens, f4.0, it should be pretty good. It was made in the 1970's and is a fairly conservative design, so it was easy to make. As lenses are made faster and faster, the optical problems start to show and must be corrected with various design tricks... but a nice slow f4.0, 90mm lens should be no problem for lens designers.

You can access Gandy's site at:

http://www.cameraquest.com/mlenses.htm

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), October 08, 2000.

I have used the Minolta Rokkor variation (which is the same lens with a different name)and it sure is compact and easy to handle. I didn't notice any incompatibilty with the focusing cam with an M3.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), October 08, 2000.

(Copied from another thread)

Yes, there may be a problem. It is a great lens but was designed for the Leitz/Minolta CL. The CL lenses had a different, steeper lens focusing cam than normal M and CLE lenses. The CL camera, which does not have to focus f1.0 lenses, has a simpler, shorter based rangefinder mechanism. The M and CLE cameras' rangefinder is fine tuned by adjusting the length of the roller arm which means that it can be in a slightly different position horizontally from one camera to another. The short ending to the long story is that quite often the M and CLE camera's rangefinder will not couple to a CL lens correctly. Point the combination at a point at least two miles away and, if everything lines up OK at infinity, it should be fine. If it does couple correctly, bear in mind that it may not work so well with your next body. Do not forget there is a M mount 90/4 that is also not very expensive .

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), October 08, 2000.

Thanks for the imformation. FWIW the 90mm C lens hit infinity perfectly with M2. The M3, my main camera...no way near !Definitely it will not work.Its a nice looking lens but I shall wait for a faster and better focus match.I wonder if the Voigtlander lenses have same problem,being built for thier shorter Rangefinder base,similar to CL/CLE...

-- jason gold (jason1155234@webtv.net), October 10, 2000.

The Cosina/Voigtlander use the same design rangefinder coupling cam as the all the M (including CLE) and LTM cameras. Only the Leitz/Minolta CL lenses have the "steeper" coupling cam design.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), October 11, 2000.

The Cosina/Voigtlander lenses use the same design rangefinder coupling cam as the all the M (including CLE) and LTM lenses. Only the Leitz/Minolta CL lenses have the "steeper" coupling cam design.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), October 11, 2000.

Sorry about the stutter.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), October 11, 2000.