Portrait / short tele prime · Full frame

Leica Elmarit-M 1:2.8/90

The Leica Elmarit-M 1:2.8/90 is a full frame prime lens (90 mm, f/2.8) for Leica M. It belongs to the portrait / short tele prime class — ideal for head-and-shoulders portraits with flattering perspective and creamy backgrounds.

90 mmf/2.8Leica M
90 mm
Focal length
f/2.8
Maximum aperture
27°
Diagonal angle of view (Full frame)
Full frame
Designed for

Specifications#

Brand
Leica
Model
Elmarit-M 1:2.8/90
Lens type
Portrait / short tele prime
Focal length
90 mm
Maximum aperture
f/2.8
Image circle
Full frame (36×24 mm)
Mount(s)
Leica M
Projection
Rectilinear
Lensfun correction profile
Yes — distortion/vignetting/TCA

Equivalent focal length on different cameras#

Field of view and depth-of-field equivalence when this lens is used on bodies with different sensor sizes (natively or via an adapter).

Camera formatAt 90 mmEquiv. aperture (DoF)
Full frame90 mm · 27°f/2.8
APS-C135 mm · 18°f/4.2
APS-C (Canon)144 mm · 17°f/4.5
Micro Four Thirds180 mm · 14°f/5.6

Depth of field & background blur#

Computed on its native Full frame format (CoC 30 µm). “Blur @2 m” is the size of an out-of-focus point at infinity, as a percentage of frame width, with the subject at 2 m — a simple bokeh index. Full table: 85 mm f/2.8 on full frame.

FocalApertureat 1 mat 2 mat 5 mat 10 mHyperfocalBlur @2 m
90 mmf/2.81.9 cm7.9 cm51.1 cm2.08 m96.5 m4.2%
90 mmf/42.7 cm11.3 cm73.1 cm3.00 m67.6 m2.9%
90 mmf/85.4 cm22.7 cm1.49 m6.43 m33.8 m1.5%

Handheld & night-sky limits#

NPF assumes typical 20–24 MP sensors (≈6 µm pixels on full frame, ≈3.9 µm on APS-C, ≈3.3 µm on Micro Four Thirds).

BodyMin. handheld shutter (longest focal)500 rule at 90 mmNPF at 90 mm, f/2.8
Full frame1/100 s6 s3 s
APS-C1/125 s4 s2 s
APS-C (Canon)1/160 s3 s2 s
Micro Four Thirds1/200 s3 s2 s

Compatible cameras#

Bodies in our database with a native Leica M mount.

Adapt it to other systems#

Sony E-mountCanon RFNikon ZFujifilm X-mountMicro Four ThirdsL-MountCanon EF-MFujifilm G-mountHasselblad XCDNikon 1 (CX)Pentax QSamsung NXCanon EFNikon F

Similar lenses#

Frequently asked questions#

Is the Leica Elmarit-M 1:2.8/90 full frame?

Yes — it covers the full 36 × 24 mm frame.

What is the Leica Elmarit-M 1:2.8/90 equivalent to on APS-C?

On a 1.5× APS-C body it frames like 135 mm, and like 144 mm on Canon APS-C.

What is the Leica Elmarit-M 1:2.8/90 good for?

As a portrait / short tele prime it suits head-and-shoulders portraits with flattering perspective and creamy backgrounds.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources