[Leica] 2.8/90 M Lenses, the Porkers and the Waifs

[Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>]

At 05:18 PM 5/20/98, David NLN wrote:
>It is my understanding that
>optically the new one is better and the only possible reason I can think of
>is that the new one is a tad bulkier.  I do not care too much. 

Let us keep this in perspective.  The original 2.8/90 Elmarit weighed in at
350g (12.3 oz, 3/4 of a pound).  The original 2/90 Summicron was 680g (24
oz, 1 1/2 pounds), the second 410g (14.5 oz, around 9/10 of a pound).  The
first ("fat") skinny Tele-Elmarit weighed in at 325g (11.5 oz, slightly
less than 3/4 of a pound), the second, "skinny", version was a relatively
svelte 220g (a tad under 8 oz, or less than half a pound).  The current
2.8/90 porks out at 380g (13.4 oz, 5/6 of a pound), making it the heaviest
of the f/2.8 designs.  In other words, the current 2.8/90 weighs one and
three-quarter times the weight of that cute little "skinny" Tele-Elmarit.
Sure, the new lens is capable of taking pictures beyond our capacities as a
photographer -- but, at that weight, I might as well heft a Summicron
around to get the extra stop.

(Collector note:  the 2.2/90 Thambar was a weight-lifter's dream at 520g
(18 oz, 1 1/6 pounds), making it the fourth-heaviest, I believe, of Leica's
normal lens range throughout the history of the breed!)

Marc


msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
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