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90 revisit

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rondeb

New member
Sorry to post such a thing, but here goes -
Got a decision to make and id love to hear opinions. I'm looking for a somewhat affordable 90 to be used mainly for portraiture and I can choose a 90mm tele-elmarit, great condition in a direct trade for a 50mm Sonnar c OR sell the Sonnar and buy a pre-asph 'cron for around $975.

Never used either, but need one asap.

Thanks for any help.

Ron
 
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Photojazz

Member
I just bought a pre-ASPH/APO Cron, version 3 though, really looks to be a great lens. I had to pay more than your price, but I hope I get/got more. Mine will have box, and Leica filter, caps, mint- I'd say.

I'm hopeful at least, that I won't regret it, but indications are, it should be very nice. Photo belongs to ebay seller I bought it from, hopefully, he won't mind he sharing it in anticipation of it's arrival next week.



In a perfect world, we'd all have all ASPH/APO lenses, but hey, at 5 grand and up, it gets a little expensive. I Can try this nice piece of glass for we'll say 1K plus,and know my money is well invested. look around the net for photos with 90 cron. Many say what version they are with.
 
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apsheng

Member
I've had the Cron 90 ASPH APO for a few years but never quite got the hang of it. For me it is very difficult to focus due to the razoe sharp dof at f2 or even 2.8 and the percentage of keepers are low even with a 1.33 magnifier. I suspect the pre-APO Cron would behave similarly. This of course depends on how good (or bad) one's eyesight is.

I then bought a fat Tele-elmarit and have been impressed by it. Adequate sharpness, beautiful color, and nice oof redering. For my eyes it is much easier to focus and its light weight is a definite plus for travelling. Although I don't often use a 90mm, the TE has become my lens of choice for that FL. I am hanging on to the Cron just because it is a black paint version and I got it for what would now be considered as a "song".

Alan
 
LCT

LCT

Member
Beware that 90mm lenses are difficult to focus with crop cameras like M8s from f/2 to f/2.8 at least. Better use a magnifier with them. Otherwise the pre-apo 90/2 is difficult to focus at any aperture with some bodies. Calibration costs are to be expected if the lens is not covered by a warranty. Mine did 2 trips to Germany for this purpose and i'm still waiting for it since last December. No problem with the 'thin' Tele-Elmarit from this standpoint but it tends to flare a lot so the use of a good hood is mandatory.
 
shtarka1

shtarka1

Active member
Absolutely Love My 90 Cron APO On The M9! Razor Sharp & Always A High Rate Of Keepers! Doug, You Wont Be Disappointed With The Non APO.
 
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rondeb

New member
Thanks for the replies thus far. I've gone ahead with the tele-elmarit for now. Need it's portability as I'll be on the road quite a bit for the next several months. I previously owned an APO 90mm and got rid of it. When it hit I loved it, but many more missed on focus than any other lens I own including the 1.0 Nocti. I rented a 90mm pre-asph prior and did enjoy it and may eventually go back to it. I'm a sucker for the classic rendering wide open, especially on portraits.
I'll be putting the tele-elmarit through some actor headshot sessions this coming week and I will post results as there are not many sample pics online from this little guy. Prelim testing I've done tonight look very promising. Definitely has the classic glow wide open and sharpens up quickly close down. I'll be shooting with the M9 and MP as usual.
-Ron
 
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