I recently added the Leica Elmarit-M 90mm f/2.8 (11807) to my kit after buying it online from the Leica Classic Store in Vienna. I’ve been missing a longer focal length on film, previously only having 35mm and 50mm covered. This lens struck a nice balance between price, image quality, and the fact it was Leica (I did also consider a Voigtlander 90mm f.28 APO-Skopar).

This is my early impression of the lens, with plans to use it both on my Leica M6 and Nikon Zf, two very different cameras, but both great platforms for manual focus lenses.

Why the 90mm Focal Length?

Since taking up film photography, I’ve stuck to more traditional focal lengths — 35mm and 50mm, and I’ve recently sold the 35mm. There’s something appealing about the compression and tighter framing of a 90mm, having shot 35mm and 75mm equivalent on Fujifilm for a few years I was starting to miss that extra bit of reach. It’s a focal length that invites you to isolate and simplify the subject.

On the Leica M6, it gives me a way to shoot more considered landscapes and really focus in on the subject of the image. On the Nikon Zf, it serves as a more deliberate manual-focus companion to my autofocus lenses — great for slowing down and framing with intent.

Affordable 90mm Options for Leica M Mount

While Leica’s 90mm lenses can get expensive quickly, there are a few more affordable options out there. The Elmarit-M 90mm f/2.8 (11807) sits somewhere in the middle: more refined and modern than older screw-mount or early M lenses, but far more affordable than the APO-Summicron.

Here are a few of the main alternatives I considered:

Leica Elmar-C 90mm f/4 – Tiny, lightweight, and very cheap. But also very slow, and not quite as sharp as I’d like.
Leica Tele-Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 (thin version) – Incredibly light, but some copies suffer from haze, and build quality can be a bit hit-or-miss.
Voigtländer 90mm f/2.8 APO-Skopar – Modern design with excellent optics and build. Very tempting, but a touch more clinical.
Minolta M-Rokkor 90mm f/4 – A sleeper lens, great price and size, but hard to find in clean condition.

The Elmarit-M 11807 struck the right balance for me — solid build, known for sharpness and rendering, and still reasonably compact for an M lens.

Handling and Ergonomics

On the M6, it’s well balanced and surprisingly portable. It doesn’t have the bulk of some longer lenses and feels like a natural companion for travel or landscape work. The build is typical Leica — dense, smooth, all-metal construction with a beautifully damped focus ring.

That said, I can understand why people say it’s difficult to focus. On a rangefinder, 90mm lenses come with a much narrower depth of field, and the limited size of the rangefinder patch can make precise focusing a bit tricky — especially wide open or with moving subjects. It’s not impossible, but it does demand a slower, more methodical approach.

On the Nikon Zf, things are a little easier. Focus magnification and peaking help a lot, and adapting M-mount lenses is simple. It’s become a nice secondary manual lens for me — not one I use all the time, but one I enjoy when I want to slow down.

Image Quality

This lens really surprised me in terms of sharpness. Even wide open at f/2.8, it performs well ( when I nail focus), not clinically sharp, but more than usable. Stop it down to f/4 or f/5.6 and the sharpness across the frame becomes excellent. For landscapes, this is ideal.

Colour and contrast are quite neutral — not overly punchy, but clean and natural.
Bokeh is smooth and unobtrusive, though with some slight outlining in busy backgrounds.
Flare resistance is decent but not perfect — the hood helps, and it’s worth being a bit careful when shooting into strong light.
Film vs Digital: On the M6, it renders with a slightly softer, more nostalgic look — great for portraits or gentle light. On the Zf, it’s sharper and more contrasty, but still has a bit of that Leica “glow” when shot wide open.

Using It on the Nikon Zf

One of the things I love about the Nikon Z system is how easy it is to adapt lenses. The Elmarit-M fits beautifully with an M to Z adapter (I’m using a Shoten, Close Focus adapter), and the Zf’s manual focus tools make it much more practical than using it on a rangefinder, especially when depth of field gets shallow.

I plan on using this with my other Leica lens on the Zf to force me to think more about framing, spacing, and light. It’s also sharp enough to hold its own on a 24MP full-frame sensor, which isn’t always the case with older lenses.

Ferns in the garden, 16:9 Crop, shot using the close focus function, plenty sharp.

Use Cases: Landscapes, Tighter Compositions & Portraits

While many think of 90mm as a portrait lens, I plan to use it primarily for landscapes and scenes where I want to compress space or isolate a subject. It's perfect for tighter framing — picking out details from a wider scene, or composing through layers.

That said, I have taken a few portraits with it already, and the results are lovely. There’s enough sharpness and subject separation to work well, but not so much contrast that it feels harsh. On film, especially, it has a softness that flatters skin tones nicely.

Who Is This Lens For?

If you're a Leica M user looking for a longer lens that doesn’t break the bank, the Elmarit-M 90mm f/2.8 (11807) is worth serious consideration. It's not the fastest or most exotic lens in Leica’s line-up, but it offers excellent performance for the price, especially if you buy used.

It’s also a great fit for digital mirrorless shooters who want to explore classic lenses. Adapted on a modern body like the Nikon Zf, it still holds up beautifully.

Final Thoughts

I’ve only had the Elmarit-M for a short while, but it’s already earned a spot in my bag. It’s not a lens I’ll use every day, and it does require a bit of patience to focus, but that’s all part of the course. It’s a quiet, unassuming lens that rewards a slower pace and careful attention.

There’s a certain joy in using gear that makes you work and think a little and this lens, while not perfect, fits that mould in the best possible way.

Affordable Classic The Leica Elmarit-M 90mm f/2.8 (11807)