90 mm lens for general use

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

I can purchase one of the three following lens:

1- Summicron R 90/2 made in 1982

2- Summicron M 90/2 made in 1995

3- Tokina ATX 90/2,5 (end of 80's?)

It will be for general use. From 1/2 m to 5/6 m distance in the 90% of the images.

No matter which is the cheaper.

Puts have said that the R was designed for short distances, has more distortion and is less sharp wide open than the M version. But I dont know if it's true- This mean that the M is not good in portraits only for landscapes?

I am very undecided, Like the three, but to choose only one have sense to me.

Your opinion will be greatly appreciated

Gardener · Joined: 22 Sep 2013 Posts: 950 Location: USA

Keep in mind that Tokina has about 1cm between 3m mark and infinity on the focusing scale.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

That Tokina 90mm macro is widely considered to be one of the best macro lenses ever. The Tamron 90mm macro is only a shade behind. I don't know enough about Leitz lenses to comment.

I don't own the Tokina, but I do own the Tamron. It's an incredibly sharp lens. And, like the Tokina, it has only about a centimeter of focus throw between 5m and infinity. I've never found this to be a problem though when using it for general photography.

If that is a problem for you, then I recommend you consider lenses in the 85mm range. Lots to choose from, many of which are excellent optics.

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 3221 Location: The Netherlands

The Tokina is very impressive, also for portraits. Contrast, bokeh and sharpness are excellent.

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

Ultrapix · Joined: 06 Jan 2012 Posts: 575 Location: Italy

For general use, I'd go for the M Summicron with no concern at all

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

I would go with the Tokina 90mm Wink

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

[quote="kds315*"I would go with the Tokina 90mm Wink

[/quote]

Thanks kds315*.

IT's the one of the three I never had.

I had the M version in film times with an M4. I don't know how can be it rendering with digital sony ff sensor.

The R I used with Nex 5N, don't know corners in ff.

I know that the 90 leica to go for is the apo aspherical, but it's too expensive to me for a 90 mm lens.

Almost all speack very well about the Tokina.........

DConvert · Joined: 12 Jun 2010 Posts: 921 Location: Essex UK

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 4077 Location: Switzerland

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

Steve, I think that, if you search here on the forum, you'll find quite a few threads on the Tokina 90mm. There's also always flickr.com.

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

Well.

The summicron M was sold, so I purchased the Tokina.

Will come the next wednesday.

Thanks for all, for your words and time

cbass · Joined: 27 Jul 2019 Posts: 450

I have experience with none of those lenses. However, I have the Tamron 90 f/2.5 macro that the Tokina is supposedly better than. The Tamron is an optically excellent lens and probably one of the best general lenses around. It's super sharp. Does excellent in landscape shooting. Has excellent bokeh. Then it can close focus which is a bonus. I would lean toward the Tokina.

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2536

I don't know about the Tokina but the Tamron has excellent sharpness across the range. It is also super sharp at infinity. The Tokina will set you back more while you can find the Tamron cheap especially with a less popular or no mount attached because people don't understand what adaptall means. The is also a 52BB version of it with a more modern body design (looking more plasticky with a focussing scale window as was the trend back then).

Ultrapix · Joined: 06 Jan 2012 Posts: 575 Location: Italy

I used to have a plethora of macro lenses in my life; randomly:

Micro Nikkor 1:2,8 55 mm
Micro Nikkor 1:2,8 60 mm
Micro Nikkor 1:4 105 mm
Micro Nikkor 1:4 200 mm
Macro Kilar 1:3,5 40 mm
Macro Kilar 1:2,8 90 mm
Tamron 1:2,5 90 mm (I still own this one)
Canon 1:2,5 50 mm (I still own this one too)
Leica 1:2,8 60 mm
Leica 1:3,5 65mm
Leica 1:2,8 100mm
Leica 1:4 100mm

and others probably have been deleted by my memory. Well, that said, among all those lenses, only the Leica 65mm had a focus ring that could be called comfortable for mid - long distances; then, I'd never would label a macro lens as a "general purpose" lens; in the manual focus realm, at least.

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

hasenbein · Joined: 15 May 2020 Posts: 93

I have the Tokina. While there are indeed lenses which are more comfortable to use at longer distances, I never really had a problem using it.
Focusing a manual 200mm lens on infinity is MUCH more demanding, regardless of the focus throw.

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1662

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3666 Location: Calgary

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the lenses you listed, they all should perform quite well, the Tokina may be a bit slower, but it gains more focus range, the M is more compact for travel, and the R is in between.

I too have a sizeable Macro collection, I love them for general use, they're not as fast, but you gain more flexibility with the closer focusing that provides more options for composition of whatever you come across when you're out exploring.

My Leica R 60/2.8 & 100/2.8 APO are a great combo, they are sharp corner to corner from MFD to infinity, the approximately 700 degrees of focus ring rotation on the 100 gives you oodles of focus control at all focus distances.