LEICA ELMAR M 90mm F4 (Triplet)

A simple three-glass medium telephoto lens

A review and Photo example of the LEICA ELMAR M 90mm F4 (Triplet).

Gallery

The sample photo were taken with the LEICA M9

Review

The Triplet Elmer 90mm is an M-mount 90mm telephoto lens that was produced only for three years from 1962 to 1965.

Using 90mm with a rangefinder camera is difficult. Therefore, I removed the lens from the M-mount Helicoid and attached the lens body to the VISO Helicoid and then to the VISOFLEX III via OUAGO for single-lens reflex camera use. Just to clarify, the Visoflex mentioned here is not an EVF for Leica M typ240, M10, M11, but a mirror box system for converting Leica rangefinder cameras into single-lens reflex cameras.

To attach the Elmar 90mm lens to the Visoflex 2 or 3, you will need an OUAGO helicoid, and OUAGO should be compatible with both the regular Elmar 90mm and this triplet Elmar 90mm.
However, when I bought the Triplet Elmer at Camera City, I was also looking for an OUAGO, and when I checked the installation at several stores, there were some OUAGOs that could be fitted with the Triplet Elmer, and others that were not. Therefore, I remember going around the stores in Camera City looking for an OUAGO that was easy to install and had a smooth helicoid.
If I bought it online and couldn’t install it, it would have been difficult to explain how to get it replaced or returned, so I’m really glad I was able to find it in so many physical stores.

The experience with the VISOFLEX 3(III) and Leica M9 was excellent, and focusing at 90mm was also very easy.
It has a smaller number of lenses than regular Elmer lenses, so it is said to have better clarity. However, no matter which manufacturer makes a 90mm lens, it probably won’t be that far off. I didn’t see much of a difference in depiction from the CONTAX G 90mm that I had been using, so I used this lens for a while and then sold it.

This lens has a simple configuration of 3 elements in 3 groups. This change is thought to be because the initial Elmar 90mm had four elements in three groups, but advances in glass materials and lens coatings made it unnecessary to use a bonded lens in the rear group.

There are nearly 10,000 pieces produced, but perhaps because the production period is short (3 years), they are sold at a premium price 3 to 4 times the price of regular Elmer M 90mm. As long as I use it, I doubt whether it’s worth it.

Specification

Items	Elamar(Triplet)	Elmar	Elmarit	Summicron
Focal length(mm)	90	←	←	←
Max aperture	4	←	2.8	2
Min aperture	32	←	22	16
Leaf blade	–	–	–	–
Lens Construction	3elements in 3groups	4elements in 3groups	5elements in 3groups	6elements in 5groups
Min distance(m)	1.0	←	←	←
Lens length(mm)	–	–	–	–
Max diameter(mm)	–	–	–	–
Filter Size	E39	←	←	E49
Hood	IUFOO	←	←	Build in hood
Mount	M	←	←	←
Weight(g)	300	–	330	685
Production numbers	9,400-	79,605-	43,290	5,430
Release date	1962	1954	1958	1963

参考文献・参考リンク

Leica Wiki ELMAR 90mm F4
It describes the specifications and the differences between the specifications, and there is no mention of lens description.
A lens configuration diagram is included in the appendix.
Leica lenses around the world Part 1 (Shashin Kogyosha)
- Triplet Elmer has a review by Jiro Nozaki on page 86

Update history

2024.05.02

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