I am thinking of getting a 90mm Elmar-C, or Rokkor (with the steep cam) for use on my CL instead of the current Elmarit-M 90 which is nice but too big and difficult to focus on the CL. Will the steep cam help me to focus on the CL? This is the kind of thing that only a CL user can know. In theory, the steep cam will help as the focus on the 90mm is more critical than on the 40mm where the conventionally cammed Rokkor I have already works just fine. Can anyone using the Elmar-C/Rokkor lens also tell me anything about how it performs relative to, say, the Tele-Elmarit or older 90mm Elmar? I suspect it is a good lens but not up to current Elmarit-M standards. I marginally prefer to get the 90mm Leica-made Rokkor lens over the Elmar-C as this has, I think, the 40.5mm filter thread and then will match my current 40mm Rokkor.

I am not wanting to get the 90mm Rokkor lens for the CLE as this has a conventional cam.

Thanks for any advice from you experts out there!

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), June 06, 2001

Answers

I've used the CLE 90 and also the C version. They are nice lenses but noticeably lower optical quality than the current Elmarit. I had no trouble focusing the current Elmarit on the CL by the way. I think the steep cam thing is over stated. I'd also consider the new Voigtlander lens if I wanted a compact 90 right now. Cost about the same as a 90C, is multicoated, 1/2 stop faster and about the same size and likely sharper. Yes, I know, I wish it was made in an M mount directly so you don't have to deal with the adapter ring.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 06, 2001.

Robin:

I'm no expert, but a freind of mine with a CLE recently got rid of his Elmar C because he felt the optical quality was not up to normal Leica standards. He went with the 90 APO asph, and I have not heard that he has had any focus problems, although it is probably iffy at f2.0... Perhaps you would be better off keeping your current (and optically superior?) Elmarit, and primarily use f4 and above for the extra DOF, with 2.8 there when you need it -- just a thought.

Regards,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), June 06, 2001.

Thanks for the comments - I didn't know Andrew had a CL - I thought he had a CLE, which of course is not quite the same in this regard. But I take your point. Certainly, if I had a CLE I would keep using the Elmarit, no question.

I have thought of getting the Apo-Lanthar but it seems silly as this is conventionally cammed so I gain no advantage (if there is one to be had) focussing wise - the size of the Elmarit I can live with, it is really the focussing I wonder whether I can improve.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), June 06, 2001.

Once installed, the M mount adapter ring works just like the real thing. The lens with adapter goes on and off just like an M mount lens. You never deal with screwing the adapter on or off after it is first installed. It really is a non-issue.

-- Bob (robljones@home.com), June 06, 2001.

I had a 90mm Rokkor-C which is actually a re-badged Elmar-C. It used a different size filter from the Summicron-C, so I sold it and got a 90mm Tele-Elmarit. There was a one stop difference, but other than that I didn't feel it was any better or worse, just "different."

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), June 06, 2001.

I don't own the CL anymore. I had it a few years back before the "internet information age", and gave up on it after 2 different shops tried 3 times to fix the meter. If I had known, I would have sent it the Sherry Krauter, paid through the nose and waited a long time, but had it fixed right the first time.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 06, 2001.

Andrew

Yes, the CL is a great camera, but it needs a good repair shop. I sent mine to Leica - it took 3 months but it works absolutely fine. The meter is not as good (read fast acting or sensitive), of course, as the M6's but it works fine with slides. Horrid hole in my wallet though...

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), June 08, 2001.

The manager of the local camera store recently took a CL in trade with a bad meter. I think it set him back over 1/2 the value of the camera to have Sherry Krauter replace the meter. At least they can stil be fixed. if my CLE meter/shutter goes dead, I was told I might be able to pirate a working assembly out of one the Minolta G series cameras and swap it over, but that sounds to me like a long shot for achieving success. I also don't know of anyone who actually ever did this for real that could confirm the transplant works. Maybe I'll ask a question about it someday to see if anyone responds who has tried it, as I could pick up a good working XG Minolta for $80.00 on ebay.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 08, 2001.

Andrew, that sounds about right. My CL ended up costing only a little bit less than a secondhand M6. It was annoying - but I had not option. The CL is really quite different and its small size makes it a unique camera even compared to an M6.

I have decided to persevere with the Elmarit for the moment...

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), June 11, 2001.