I found a 90/4 Elmar SM in very good condition, except that the aperture ring turns smoothly from end to end. There are no click stops. Is this normal? My only Leica lens experience is with a 40/2 Elmar C.

-- John Sonewald (jsonewald@aol.com), January 31, 2002

Answers

Sounds a little peculiar, but I remember that the old 50mm Elmar f/3.5 had a continuously variable aperture control--just a little tab on the front of the lens. I wonder if your 90 is equally old. Does it have the currently standard apertures of 4, 5.6, 8 . . . or the old series of 4.5, 6.3, 9, 12.5 . . . If it's the older one, maybe this is normal for the lens at that time.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 31, 2002.

My black barrel 90/4 Elmar SM is the same way. No click stops.

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), January 31, 2002.

To my knowledge, none of the prewar Leica lenses had click stops. There was no 40/2 Elmar C. (there was a short-lived 40/2.8 Elmarit-C that was never offered for sale to the public). Are you talking about the Summicron?

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), February 01, 2002.

No doubt the lens stays put at whatever you set it at. They ought to go back to that system. Don't need no click stops!

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), February 01, 2002.

Frank, A technician can actually remove the clicks if you want.

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), February 01, 2002.

Ray- Probably would cost $150 to have that done. It is my belief that it is cheaper to manufacture a lens with click stops; that is why the make them that way these days. The 90 Elmar SM that John has was made to fine tolerances, so the aperature settings would stay put. If we take the click stop ball out of a modern lens, my guess is that I'd have trouble keeping a setting, due to the loose fit that would result. It would be interesting to hear from someone who has had the click stop ball removed. How did this work out? How much did it cost?

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), February 01, 2002.

None of the 90/4 have click stops, neither pre nor post war. Nice compact lens, specially on a screwmount Leica. Looks silly on a M3, the Elmarit 90/2.8 fits better there!

Thomas

-- Thomas Krantz (tkrantz@kpmg.com), February 22, 2002.