90MM BAYONET MOUNT LENSES

It is important to note that Leica lenses had their focal lengths specified in millimeters from 1925 to 1928, in centimeters from 1928 to 1970, and again in millimeters from 1971 onwards³⁶⁰.

90mm f/4 Elmar

announced in 1954³⁰
supplied with a 42mm front diameter accepting E39 filters and a larger cap³⁰
the f: scale is engraved on the diaphragm actuating ring which turns from right to left in stopping down³⁰
The ring is also wider to accommodate the engravings, and the lens head grooved to accept the IUFOO hood³⁰
length 85mm³⁰
Finished in matte chrome with black leatherette covered base³⁰
90mm f/4 Elmar-M rigid mount was designated by codeword ELANG-M and Catalogue Number 11130 and was sold for 93 USD¹⁷⁹

90mm f/4 Collapsible Elmar

90mm f/4 Elmar-M collapsible was designated by codeword ILNOO and Catalogue Number 11131 and was sold for 150 USD¹⁷⁹

The Lens was announced in 1954 and weighs 336 grams. It features a non-removable lens head with a knurled front rim. An iris diaphragm is located between the front and second components, allowing for parallel focusing with a non-rotating lens head and barrel³⁰

The lens includes an infinity lock with a release button, a safety feature that prevents focusing unless the lens is fully extended and locked with a short turn of the barrel. The distance scale is visible through a cut-out on the top of the mount, positioned next to the depth of focus scale for easy reading from above³⁰

The lens head and focusing mount are finished in matte chrome, while the barrel and lower expanded section have a smooth chrome finish. A black leatherette ring covers the face of the expanded section of the lens barrel, likely for aesthetic purposes and to serve as a buffer³⁰

90mm f/2 Summicron SOOZI-M

Introduced in 1957³¹
Manufactured by Ernst Leitz Canada³¹
First new product made by Ernst Leitz Canada³¹
M LENS 11122 black 90mm f/2 Summicron⁸³
The 90mm f/2 Summicron lenses SOOZI-M were introduced in 1957⁹⁴.
It had six elements and belonged to the double Gauss type. In fact, most high-speed Leica lenses are either double Gauss designs or derivatives of this type. This design is very suitable for high-speed lenses but still has issues such as spherical aberration, chromatic errors, and oblique errors. The lens exhibits low contrast and is highly sensitive to flare, which is still noticeable at f/2 and f/2.8. However, when stopped down, it improves remarkably, especially in terms of resolution. This situation reflects the design compromises that early optical designers had to make while working with limited resources, including types of glass and the computing power of their time, which consisted of basic calculators²²⁸.
Assuming that the 90mm f/2 Summicron would serve as a general-purpose lens, the designers could not correct the aberrations wide open as thoroughly as they would have preferred. Therefore, they opted for a balance, ensuring that the lenses provided high image quality at stopped-down apertures. This first 90mm f/2 Summicron, famously known as the SOOZI-M, is a very heavy lens that was produced in both Wetzlar and Canada and featured a removable lens hood²²⁸.
The lens was designed in Wetzlar by Dr. Mandler, who employed new high-refractive-index Lanthanum glass in a six-element, two-component configuration. It had a non-rotary mount, allowing focus from infinity to one meter, with f-stops ranging from 2 to 16 in clicks. A reversible lens hood (HMOOD) and a special front cap (OQYGO) were supplied with the lens, and it used 48mm screw-in filters¹¹⁹.
A small production run was conducted in Wetzlar, and this batch remains somewhat of an enigma. Factory records show that 97 units in the serial number range 1119001-1119097 were shipped to the dealer Bauer in Düsseldorf under order number 304309 on March 29, 1967. The serial number 1119xxx is typically associated with 1954 production units, and SOOZI was believed to have been discontinued by 1960¹¹⁹.
It is possible that the Wetzlar units represent factory spares left over from earlier production intended for Midland assembly in 1957 and were subsequently assembled and sold in Wetzlar ten years later as a closeout. However, these units differed from the Canadian models in the arrangement of the f-stop ring. In contrast, the Midland model featured a rotating ring engraved with a round indicator dot and a fixed f-stop scale. The Wetzlar lens was supplied with an HMOOD engraved: "Ernst Leitz GmbH Wetzlar; Summicron f = 9cm 1:2."¹¹⁹
The first of two Midland batches appeared at 1477xxx, with a red "R" marking at f/4 for use with infrared film. The second batch at serial number 1580xxx eliminated this marking due to variations in infrared film sensitivity. Both runs included screw and bayonet versions, with the bayonet serial numbers occurring toward the upper end of the range. The bayonet model was essentially a screw model equipped with a factory bayonet adapter, locked in place with heat-sensitive cement. A red plastic dot was cemented into a small, milled recess on the side of the lens for orientation with the camera bayonet. Many "pseudo" screw mount 90 Summicron lenses now in circulation were created by removing the adapter and indicator. The HMOOD supplied with this lens was engraved: "Summicron f = 9cm 1:2" and "Ernst Leitz Canada Ltd. Midland." At least three versions of the hood exist, differentiated by engraving and finish variations¹¹⁹.

90mm f/2 Summicron SEOOF-M

The 90mm f2 Summicron lens with a redesigned mount was introduced at serial number 1651001 and carried the new code designation SEOOF-M (later known as SEOOM). Only the bayonet mount versions, SEOOF-M (later SEOOM) and the bayonet mount rangefinder-coupled version ZOOUK-M (later ZOMUK), were manufactured in black. However, a Leitz Wetzlar leaflet dated July 1960 clearly states that the SEOOF and SEOOM were "available in black anodized finish upon request."⁹⁴
In 1958, an updated version of the 90mm f/2 Summicron SEOOF-M was released. This lens maintained the same basic optical formula as the first version but featured a new, lighter focusing mount and a built-in extendable "drinking cup" lens hood. The initial lenses were available in chrome, and a year later, in 1959, a black anodized version was introduced. All these lenses were manufactured in Canada. The 90mm f/2 Summicron SEOOF-M lenses remained in production until 1979, and shortly thereafter, in 1980, its replacement (Catalog number 11136) was launched²²⁸.
This version featured a collapsible lens hood, a dual feet-meter scale, and a removable lens head. The lens head was removable for use with the Visoflex II, utilizing the short focusing mount ZOOEP or the Bellows II with adapter UOOZK. The early bayonet lenses like 90mm f/2 Summicron SEOOF-M included a cemented factory adapter and a red plastic indicator, similar to SOOZI-M, and are often converted to screw mount. In any case, the total units delivered of both models was less than 502¹¹⁹.
The 90mm f/2 Summicron SEOOF-M was available in a black anodized finish on special order at serial number 1680xxx, and it also had a preset diaphragm (INVOO)¹¹⁹

90mm f/4 Elmar

The lens was announced in 1964 and catalogued until 1968. It is compatible with both screw mount and bayonet mount cameras. The lens features a completely redesigned structure and weighs 188 grams. It is sometimes referred to as "the parallel 90." The f-stop scale is engraved on the diaphragm actuating ring, while the distance scale is marked in both feet and meters. According to a brief note from Leitz literature, the use of newly developed optical glasses and a new triplet design make the 90mm Elmar better than ever³⁰.

90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit (version 1)

In early 1965, the first version of the 90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit was introduced as a more compact alternative to the 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit. This new lens featured a telephoto design, which meant that it was physically shorter than a typically constructed lens of the same focal length. The Tele-Elmarit measured only 62mm in length, with the front flange positioned less than 90mm from the film plane²³³.

The 90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit was a very convenient lens, similar to the collapsible f/4 Elmar, as it could fit inside the camera's ever-ready case. It was also a full stop faster, making it an excellent travel companion. However, its performance did not quite match that of the 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit. The Tele-Elmarit exhibited slightly more flare when used wide open compared to the 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit, and its telephoto design affected image quality in the corners of the frame. To achieve uniform sharpness, some stopping down of the lens was often necessary²³³.

90mm f/1

Ernst Leitz Canada has shown a 90mm f/1 lens in 1968¹¹
There was a possibility that 90mm f/1 lens would be available on special order if Leitz received enough requests¹¹
1994-1995 statistics data from the Christie’s auction indicates that price of 20900 British Pounds was paid for Leica KE-7A with a 90mm f/1 ELCAN lens¹⁹⁷

90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit (version 2)

The lens was introduced in 1973 and underwent a complete redesign before being discontinued in 1989. Serial numbers reportedly began at 2585501. Unlike the previous version, the 90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit with five elements, the new lens featured only four air-spaced elements, incorporating new types of glass²³³.

While the mount maintained the same length of 62mm, it was significantly slimmer and considerably lighter, weighing just 225g compared to the 325g of the earlier 90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit. The best part was that it offered improved performance, particularly at larger apertures. This lens was produced exclusively in a bayonet mount, available only in black, and included a ribbed focusing ring that matched the new M lenses of that period² ³³.

In 1975, a special screw-in collapsible rubber hood was introduced, which was quite practical as it could be left attached to the lens during transport. However, the deep metal hood, catalog number 12575 (formerly IUFOO), has proven to be more durable, significantly more effective in side lighting, and very compact when reversed for storage. The reversed hood could be covered by a clip-on plastic cap, catalog number 14033²³³.

The filter size for this lens was E39, and similar to the earlier Tele-Elmarit, the lens head was not removable for use with the Visoflex²³³.

90mm f/2 Summicron-M

New formula⁹⁵
Shorter and lighter than its predecessor 90mm f/2 Summicron SEOOF-M⁹⁵
Catalog number 11136⁹⁵
Angle of view 27 degrees⁹⁵
5 elements in 4 group⁹⁵
Filter size E49⁹⁵
Smallest aperture f/16⁹⁵
Full and half click stop aperture⁹⁵
Smallest field covered – approx. 9” x 13”⁹⁵
Black finish⁹⁵
Built-in collapsible lenshood⁹⁵
79mm length⁹⁵
63.7mm diameter⁹⁵
0.410 kg weight⁹⁵
2 variations ¹²⁴
1. Early models use E49 filters and are equipped with a lens hood which obscures the aperture scale when collapsed¹²⁴.
2. Later lenses take E55 filters and are fitted with a "non-obscuring" lens hood¹²⁴.
for rangefinder use only, it is not designed for the Visoflex¹²⁴.
The development of this lens version was completed several years ago, highlighting the lengthy and laborious process of transforming a blueprint into a production model. This also reflects Leica's commitment to ensuring that the originally calculated image quality is preserved in every lens produced. The 1980 model exemplifies a particular kind of design compromise. The M line of lenses is especially challenging for optical designers, as they must balance two critical aspects: optical performance and physical compactness²²⁸.
The challenge for M-lens designers is to achieve the seemingly impossible task of delivering high image quality while maintaining small dimensions. One solution to this dilemma is the incorporation of aspherical surfaces. The 90mm f/2 Summicron-M illustrates this challenge well. The image quality of its predecessor, the 90mm f/2 Summicron SEOOF-M with six elements, was no longer competitive at full aperture when compared to the best available options²²⁸.

90mm Elmarit-M f/ 2.8

Introduced in 1989¹⁴⁷
Angle of view: 29 degrees¹⁴⁷
Optic construction: 4 elements in 4 components¹⁴⁷
Filter size: E46¹⁴⁷
Smallest aperture: f/22¹⁴⁷
Focusing range: infinity to 1m¹⁴⁷
Smallest object field: 220x330 mm (approx. 1:9)¹⁴⁷
Front lens diameter: 54mm¹⁴⁷
Length from bayonet mount: 76mm¹⁴⁷
Largest front diameter: 56.6mm¹⁴⁷
Weight: 380g¹⁴⁷
Extendable lens hood¹⁴⁷
Click stops including half values¹⁴⁷
Combined meter / feet scale¹⁴⁷
Non-rotating focusing mount¹⁴⁷
Black anodized lens mount¹⁴⁷

90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

The 90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH is the first-ever aspheric Leica M lens with apochromatic correction. It's an ideal choice for photojournalism and portrait photography, offering a lightweight and easy-to-handle design that is more optically advanced than its predecessor, 90mm f/2 Summicron-M (catalog number 11136)²¹⁵
This lens features five elements arranged in five groups, including two made from high-refractive glass and two with high partial anomalous dispersion. This sophisticated optical design ensures excellent contrast and ultra-sharp definition while maintaining the same weight of 18 ounces as the previous model, 90mm f/2 Summicron-M (catalog number 11136)²¹⁵
Image quality remains consistently high across the entire subject area with this fast f/2 lens. Photographs exhibit extremely fine details without color fringing, and distortion is virtually nonexistent, even at full aperture. Photographers will appreciate that maximum optical performance is achieved in mid-range and continues to be excellent throughout the close-focus range²¹⁵
The 90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH will be available in February 1998, with a suggested retail price of 1995 USD²¹⁵
The 90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH lens in a black paint finish was introduced in 2003, following numerous customer requests to match the finish of the LHSA Black Paint camera and the new Leica MP camera. Production of this lens will be limited to 1,000 units worldwide. Owners of these black paint finish cameras can now create a three-lens outfit comprising 35mm, 50mm, and 90mm lenses, all in the same black paint finish. Deliveries are set to begin in October 2003, with a price of 2295.00 USD²⁵⁴.
Special kinds of glass enabled the apochromatic correction of the lenses, and new machines improved the polishing of aspheres. Additionally, metrological advancements in precision manufacturing and interferometry provided further benefits³⁵⁷.

90mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M Titanium

Available in a titanium finish since 1998, along with the black-anodized and silver-chrome versions already on the market. Priced at 1495 USD²¹⁵

90mm f/4 Macro-Elmar M with Macro-Adapter

The lens will be available from 1st October, 2003 in black anodized or silver chrome finish²⁵⁷.
The Macro-Adapter is in black finish only²⁵⁷.
MAP prices, lens 1295 USD, Macro-Adapter 845 USD²⁵⁷.
Table from²⁵⁷

FOCUSING RANGE	0.76m to infinity (0.77m to 0.5m with Macro-Adapter-M)
SMALLEST OBJECT FIELD	161X241mm (72 X 108mm with Macro-Adapter-M)
LARGEST REPRODUCTION RATIO	Approx. 1 :6.7 (approx 1 :3 with Macro-Adapter-M)
APERTURE	Preset with click-stops (including half f-stops)
SMALLEST APERTURE	f22
LENS MOUNT	Leica M quick change bayonet
LENS HOOD	Separate metal lens hood, reversed for storage
FILTER MOUNT	Internal thread for screw-in E39, non-rotating
LENGTH	59mm (41 mm retracted)
LARGEST DIAMETER	52mm
WEIGHT	Approx. 195gm (black version) 320gm (silver chrome version)

90mm f/2.5 Summarit-M

Introduced in 2007²⁸⁵

90mm f/2.4 Summarit-M

redesigned and reintroduced in 2014³⁰²
more importantly the minimum focus distance has been reduced to 0.9m respectively³⁰²

90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M

In the latest version of the Thambar, the Leica Thambar-M 90mm f/2.2 was released on October 17, 2017³¹⁵.
Like its predecessor, 90mm f/2.2 Thambar (LTM), the new Thambar-M 90 f/2.2 is a soft-focus lens that creates beautifully romantic images with a unique bokeh effect, achieved through undercorrected spherical aberrations. Shooting wide open at f/2.2 or f/2.4 enhances this soft-focus effect. Additionally, the included center spot filter intensifies the soft-focus glow even further³¹⁵.
So, what are the differences between the 90mm f/2.2 Thambar (LTM) and new 90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M? Fortunately, not much has changed in terms of performance, as both lenses yield similar results. However, the new version offers several advantages over the original. Firstly, the old 90mm f/2.2 Thambar (LTM) is regarded as a collector’s item, making good, clean examples quite rare. Secondly, the new 90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M features lens coatings absent in the original model, resulting in deeper contrast and sharper photos. It also offers better handling and calibration with rangefinder cameras, along with 6-bit coding³¹⁵.
The new 90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M arrives in a luxurious presentation box. It features a shiny black paint finish, complemented by a matching lens cap and hood, a center spot filter, and an elegant leather lens pouch. Unfortunately, the new center spot filter and hood are not compatible with the old 90mm f/2.2 Thambar (LTM) lens³¹⁵.