lens for M7 leica

[bernardofeio]

hi

I’m looking for a 90 mm or 85 mm lens for a M7 leica.

I still don’t understand much about leica lens...

I looking for a non leica lens. for know they are a bit expensive... which jupiter lens can I use?

b regards

 

[Denis P.]

The only Jupiter in that focal length usable on Leica is Jupiter 9 (82/2) in LTM (i.e. Leica thread mount, not to be confused with Kiev/Contax mount).
To use it, you will also need a 90mm LTM-M bayonet adapter - you screw the lens into adapter, and then the whole shebang onto your Leica.

Beware: many Jupiter 9 lenses have been unprofessionally disassembled, and will not focus properly - I've heard that the ration on ebay is about 4:1 or 3:1 in favour of junkers - which means you have less than 30% chance of getting a Jupiter which will work without problems with your Leica.

My advice: buy from a camera store or from a VERY reputable seller, and ask for their return policy. The best thing to do is try before you buy.

Denis

 

[Lee Shively]

A couple of alternatives would be the Cosina Voigtlander 90mm (an f/3.5, I think) and the Leitz Elmar-C 90/4, available on the used market. The CV lens has a good reputation--I've not used one. The Elmar-C, originally made for the Leica CL, is very sharp and very well-made--I do have one of these. Both are relatively inexpensive. Leica said the "C" lenses may not focus properly on M-series Leicas but mine focuses perfectly on two M6's and I've never heard of anyone having any problems with "C" lenses on "M" bodies.

 

[Lee L]

I've also heard good things about the Cosina Voigtlander 90mm f:3.5, which carries an 'apo' designation. It is also a screw mount, and would need the adapter to mount on the M7. The Cosina Voigtlander lenses are available from cameraquest.com and photovillage.com. I don't use a CV 90mm because I've got a Leitz-made Rokkor-M 90mm f:4 and a Minolta M-Rokkor 90mm f:4 (inherited the second one). Most practicing photographers think the Leica warning about using the lenses for the CL on the M series was a ploy not to have the CL take away market share from the much more expensive M5. A lot of people do it, and I've never seen anyone report problems. Last time I looked the Minolta and Leica lenses for the CL/CLE were going used from US$250 to US$300 for a good sample.

Another lens I do have, and would highly recommend if you could use something just a little shorter and a little faster, is the Cosina Voigtlander 75mm f:2.5 Color Heliar. I personally like the focal length a lot, and have used it for shooting indoor soccer, wide-field astrophotos, candid portraits, and scenery. The astrophotos show pinpoint stars to the corners at f:2.5, and I'm very impressed. If you're worried about boke (bokeh), the out of focus highlights are smooth and not at all distracting. Contrast is excellent (but not to current Leica standards), and I can see a little flare when shooting directly into the sun. The price is about US$300, and you'd need the thread mount to M adapter for this lens as well. I don't know a European vendor, but I suspect prices would be a good bit higher there.

I have also seen the warnings about the Jupiter 9 focusing and other problems on the M cameras that Denis P. mentions.

Best of luck,
Lee

 

[John Koehrer]

I don't understand the logic of dropping a wad of $$$ for an M7 to put a second rate lens on it. Back in the 70's I had a cusomer buy a Leicaflex & a Vivitar lens combo. Just made no sense at all.
Cosina body & Leitz lens I understand.
The new voigtlander lenses are very good. But again, why buy the M7?

 

[rbarker]

I think the first thing you need to consider, Bernard, is how you'll be using the lens and under what typical circumstances. If you want the "reach" of a 90mm-ish lens in low light, for example, you'll be nudged toward faster lenses - a 2.8 or 3.5 might not work well for you. Conversely, if most of what you'll be using it for is in bright light, a smaller 2.8 or slower lens might be fine.

I use a 75mm/1.4 for low light stuff, and a small and convenient 90/2.8 with my M6-TTL, for example. Both are Leica lenses, however. The 75mm Summilux has a "signature" all its own.

With a limited budget, though, I'd recommend sticking to Voigtlander lenses, or an older Leica lens, and avoid the Jupiters and such. While I've never used a Jupiter lens, my impression is that they are in the YMMV arena, where one might be OK and the next virtually useless.