Leica Elmar-R 4/180 @ "Brücker Mühle"

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Today we went to "Brücke Mühle" a bio store located in an old mill.
(See http://www.brueckermuehle.de/)

They sell great products for affordable prices and it's such a nice location that you should always take your cam when you go there.
We did not have much time, so I only could try one lens.
I have put the Leica Elmar-R 4/180 on my EOS 350D and took some shots.

Here you are:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

I have missed the focus in some shots a little (and in #8 completely Wink

) and in order to prevent camera shake I took all photos wide open (f4) and with minus 0.6 EV correction which I had to readjust in PP later.
Otherwise no PP, no sharpening applied!!

I have to say that I am overwhelmed by this lens! The best tele lens I had so far!! Very Happy

Gurdie · Expire: 2013-02-20

Excellent shots! Numbers one and seven are my favourites -nice composition and wonderful colours.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Thanks!

Here are two comparisons, first with three 135mm lenses and then with the Jupiter-21 and my Soligor 70-220 zoom.
These pics show how compact the Elmar is.

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Sehr schön Carsten und eine super Optik (na ja nicht Zeiss.. Wink

)!

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Looks a damn good lens ! Almost good as Zeiss Laughing

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Danke, Klaus! Thanks, Attila!

Zeiss? What is "Zeiss"? I have heard it somewhere, but I can't remember. Laughing

All jokes aside, I really think that Zeiss and Leitz are the top class, everything else is behind, sometimes not far behind but not on the same level. Nikkors, Zuikos, Takumars, Voigtländers and some others can come close, though.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

I think some Zuikos, Nikkors , Voigtlander lenses are same level and some Leica not reach that. I had 90mm f2.8 Leica-R that lens is not reach top level. I think Zeiss has more stable quality than Leica have. Voigtlander simple amaze me all time.

Ah this 180mm f4 Leica I think same than Contax Sonnar or Voigtlander 180 and better than Zuiko or Nikkor 180 ED.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Well, Leica is also well known for a constant quality. It is always difficult to judge on that based on the small number of copies we can own. If your Elmarit 90 did not perform on the typical Leica level, I guess that this was a problem of your copy, because esp. this Elmarit 90 is considered to be an excellent lens, "better" than the Summicron 2.0/90 by many Leica enthusiasts I have met in Solms.

I have got three Vivitar lenses (2.0/28, 2.5/28 and 2.8/28 ) and each of these lenses is really good (the 2.0/28 being the best of the bunch), but I cannot conclude from this that all Vivitar lenses are excellent!

During decades a certain brand establishes a certain reputation, positive or negative. And even if myths and legend building play an important role in the genesis of such a reputation, a top standing can only be reached if the lenses are excellent and constantly excellent!

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Well, I cannot agree more. Constant qualitxy over a span of decades proves usually outstanding quality. Zeiss + Leitz (+ Wild in CH) are outstanding examples of that principle. Zeiss with its "every lens" tested Q-approach and not just randomly sampled testing for me was always the level all others had to be compared with.