Preparations for the Unit | Body with Lens Attached | Some Technical Data | Sample Images | Conclusions | Links

After Ricoh's official announcement of the M-mount expansion unit, I decided to buy one, although I had not intended to do so originally. Here are my first personal experiences with the lenses that I bought (or tried to buy). This page is devoted to the Leitz Elmar C f4/90mm lens.

 

Preparations for the M-Mount Unit

In preparation of the M-mount expansion unit, I bought one lens and auctioned a second one in August 2011, a Voigtländer Super Wide Heliar f4.5/15mm, and a Leitz Elmar-C f4/90mm. Both were meant to extend the range of my two A12 units at the wide and tele ends.

The Elmar-C, which I auctioned at ebay for a little more than 170 EUR (2642706 > built in 1973; source: Olypedia: Leica CL) was originally dedicated to the Leica CL and corresponds to a 135mm tele lens at the GXR. The Leica CL was manufactured for Leitz by Minolta in the 1980s. Minolta also sold an own version of this camera (Minolta CLE), even after Leitz had discontinued it. I read that the Elmar was the only Japanese lens that was manufactured in Germany...

    
     
 

Figures: Leitz Elmar-C f4/90mm lens (135mm equiv.)

 

Body with Lens Attached

    
     
 

Photos: Body with A12 M-mount expansion unit attached and Leitz Elmar C f4/90mm lens

 

Some Technical Data

Focal length 90mm (135mm equiv.)
Angle of view (35mm film) 27° diagonal
Maximum aperture 4
f-stop range 4-22
Number of iris blades ?
Number of lenses/groups 4/4
Shortest distance 1.0m
Weight 246g
Length 60mm
Maximum diameter 51mm
Filter thread 5.5 type; do not use 39mm filters - may cause damage!
Lens hood folding rubber hood

 

Sample Images

Here are a first few samples taken with the Leitz Elmar-C f4/90mm lens:

 

Conclusions

Disclaimer: I am not a lens expert who sees marked differences between various Leica and/or other lenses. I can check for soft corners, find differences in color rendition, and, in rare cases, may discover a "3D look", but that's all. Please regard therefore my conclusions as the verdict of a "layman".

It is far too early for me to draw any conclusions. Manual focusing is difficult, particularly with the Leica tele lens. My results are still inconsistent with this lens. The focusing aids that Ricoh provides with the unit (and the new function enhancing firmware update) are useful but not as useful as expected. I looks as if a lot of training (and checking after a photo has been taken) is required. Otherwise, the results that my new Leica Elmar C lens produces with the M-mount unit are very pleasing.

 

Links

 

An den Anfang   Homepage  
made by walodesign on a mac!
06.04.2013