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Leica Elmar 9cm/4
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PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2012 7:37 pm    Post subject: Leica Elmar 9cm/4 Reply with quote

I just bought this lens on ebay, it's an m39 version, serial nr.: 1286059
Can someone tell me when was this lens build and its actual price Wink
I found some samples on the net so I know it's a great lens
when I get the lens I'll post some samples in this thread


PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2012 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cheap always max 100 USD, look forward your results, if a Leica affordable that is maximum average lens , I am afraid this is fit on this lens too.


PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 90mm F 4.0 Elmar is a nice, very lightweight lens. I shot with 3 different varisties of it in my film days, the classic M39 model, the M mount collapsable model, and the three element mid 1960's model. For technical performance, I would reach for my 2.8 elmarits or 2.0 Summicrons instead. If you are looking for absolutely pinpoint sharpness and high contrast, you will not find it here. But, for a pleasant to use, lightweight lens that produces pleasing pictures, I think you will like it just fine.

I would recommend avoiding the uncoated ones from the 1930's though, fortunately, the coated ones are generally easier to find anyway.

edit-just noticed you have already bought it-my apologies:(


PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

According to "The Leica Pocket Book" it was made in 1955. When it was new it cost around £60 in Britain (I think), equal to around £1200 today. It is a lovely lens, and you can unscrew the optical unit and use it on a bellows.


PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know how to tell the 3 element version?


PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The rare 3-element one is in M mounting. Unlike all the other rigid 90 Elmars it has click stops. There's a pic at https://tamarkin.auctionserver.net/view-auctions/catalog/id/3/lot/640/.


PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scsambrook wrote:
According to "The Leica Pocket Book" it was made in 1955. When it was new it cost around £60 in Britain (I think), equal to around £1200 today. It is a lovely lens, and you can unscrew the optical unit and use it on a bellows.


In the 1951 edition of 'The Leica Manual' by Morgan & Lester it simply says this:

The 90mm Elmar f/4: An all-round, semi-long-focus lens, the 90mm Elmar f/4 is suitable for both outdoor long-distance photographs and indoor portraiture. Because of it's focal length, it has naturally less depth of field than the shorter-focus Leica lenses; however, at the greater subject distances common in outdoor photography, this is of little consequence. Its speed is high considering its compactness and it's focal length. Its angle of view is 15 degrees vertically and 22 degrees horizontally.

Interesting how much it cost back then, any idea how much the Sonnar 2/85 was?


PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scsambrook wrote:
According to "The Leica Pocket Book" it was made in 1955.

I confirm.


PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
scsambrook wrote:
According to "The Leica Pocket Book" it was made in 1955. When it was new it cost around £60 in Britain (I think), equal to around £1200 today. It is a lovely lens, and you can unscrew the optical unit and use it on a bellows.


Interesting how much it cost back then, any idea how much the Sonnar 2/85 was?


East German gear hardly ever came into the UK in the 1950s, apart from a bit of Exakta stuff which was imported under special licences for medical and scientific laboratory use. Very few post-war West German Zeiss lenses were sold in UK in the same period because of import restrictions on high value photo (and other) goods. When the restrictions were lifted around 1959 the Contax range was already discontinued, but the Leitz 85mm f1.5 Summarex was advertised at £125 in 1960 - about £2,250 in today's values. Import duties and purchase tax were even higher then than now so that all photo gear was, relative to earnings, very, very costly. When I went to train as a librarian in 1960, my starting salary was £256 per annum - Very Happy

If any Forum member has USA mags from the 50s, they might give you a wider spectrum of relative prices . . .


PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2012 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cheers Stephen.


PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2012 2:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are also better and more epensive Leitz Elmars 90/4, for example the Elmar-C 90/4. Sells around 250€ or something like that.
Not as good as a Contax G 90/2.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* but also sharp and contrasty.

Does anyone here has old catalogs with Leica-, Zeiss- or other stuff with prices?


PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Forenseil - I have some 1960s Leitz material, including two English language dealer sets covering all the photographic and binocular products (hundred pages plus), and a full set of customer brochures circa 1963/4. And I have number of the general retail catalogues (known as the "Blue Book") published by the then-famous London retailer Wallace Heaton. They cover still and movie gear, binoculars, enlargers and darkroom equipment.

If people are interested I could get some of the Leica stuff scanned. I doubt Leica Camera would have any objections. The Blue books are too fragile to do on a flat-bed scanner though - they will break apart. but they could be photographed.


PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scsambrook wrote:
Forenseil - I have some 1960s Leitz material, including two English language dealer sets covering all the photographic and binocular products (hundred pages plus), and a full set of customer brochures circa 1963/4. And I have number of the general retail catalogues (known as the "Blue Book") published by the then-famous London retailer Wallace Heaton. They cover still and movie gear, binoculars, enlargers and darkroom equipment.

If people are interested I could get some of the Leica stuff scanned. I doubt Leica Camera would have any objections. The Blue books are too fragile to do on a flat-bed scanner though - they will break apart. but they could be photographed.


Oh some photographs of old catalog would be very nice! Smile


PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2012 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

received it at last... and here it is... and its small and sharp... and I like it Smile





two photos, first wide open, second at f8