hepcat Posted January 1, 2013 Share #81  Posted January 1, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Remember this - buying Leica lenses is far better than leaving your money in the bank. You have an appreciating asset that will always be worth more than what you paid for it and will give you years of great pictures - lenses are a great way of saving money, it's a win win no brainer!! About 12 years ago I bought a Mark 1 rigid 50mm Summicron in near mint condition for £80. The lens is still near mint and today worth about £800 - lenses are a great investment.  A little OT, so please forgive me, but this is a perspective that frosts me.  Wow... that's a pretty good return. In general, though, I have to say I think that the whole "camera as investment" thing that's evolved around Leitz products is... well... silly for lack of a better term. I view cameras as tools, no different than the tools of any other endeavor. One of the things the puts people off from using Leica products is the outrageous cost. I understand why they're expensive new... Even the flagship offerings from Canon and Nikon are at $7k new. I get that, but I'm not willing to spend that kind of money and go out into the world to beat it up, even if I can take the tax writeoffs.  Fortunately, there are bargains to be had that are perfectly amazing image-makers. The M8 was introduced almost seven years ago, and I was just finally able to buy one for the kind of money I'm willing to spend. My lens kit consists of two late '60s vintage Leitz offerings I was able to pick up for under $500 each (in really quite nice condition I might add that, if in Contax or M42 or even R mount, would have been $250 each) and a couple of CV lenses with which I'm ecstatic... and I got both of them for less than $800 total. They comprise an excellent working kit.  So... for those with disposable income who buy and sell Leitz gear as a hobby or keep them as toys, I guess the fact that they're willing to spend ever more to swap that gear among themelves is ok. For folks who use their gear to derive their income, every dollar (or GBP or Euro) you spend on gear is a dollar (etc.) that doesn't go into your pocket as income. I've always found it ironic that some of the best equipment available to make images with is apparently made of unobtanium and unavailable to most of the folks who would use it best. Most of the cars I've driven in the past ten years cost only a little more than a new M9P. I buy my gear to make images with. I buy the best gear I can afford. Until recently, that has not included Leica gear. Even the rebadged Panasonic cameras that Leica sold were and are outrageously priced with their nearly-identical Panasonic twin selling for 1/3 of what the Leicas sell for.  Don't get me wrong... I appreciate folks who are willing to spend $7k for new bodies and $4k for a single lens.. those are the bodies and lenses I can afford ten or twenty years down the road, but in terms of comparative value as instruments of making images, Leica equipment is significantly overvalued... typically by a factor of three or four times.  I "grew up" in photography shooting Leicas in the early '70s and I've shot them off and on ever since. I've bought and sold several Leica kits over the years, and I haven't lost anything on them, but reacquiring my kit today and spending merely reasonable sums took a LOT of hard work and I spent countless hours scouring the web for good buys on equipment that will do the job.  Thanks for letting me vent. *sigh* Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 1, 2013 Posted January 1, 2013 Hi hepcat, Take a look here Lenses and numbers of...... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
MarkP Posted January 1, 2013 Share #82 Â Posted January 1, 2013 My present thinking is: one lens kit: 35/1.4 FLE 2 lens kit 28/2Asph and 50/1.4Asph (FLE) Â Exactly my thinking:) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
egrossman Posted January 2, 2013 Share #83  Posted January 2, 2013 I currently own:  21mm SEM (hardly ever use it) 28mm Summicron ASPH (hardly ever use it) 35mm Summilux FLE (30% of the time) 50mm Summilux ASPH (40% of the time) 75mm Summilux (25% of the time) 90mm Elmarit (5% of the time)  Having said that I picked up the 28mm Summicron today (not a focal length I use a lot) for some indoor shots of the kids and remember now why I bought it  I think I'm done on the lens front. The only lens I might be tempted by in future might be a Noctilux.  Erik Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted January 2, 2013 Share #84  Posted January 2, 2013 I currently own: 21mm SEM (hardly ever use it) 28mm Summicron ASPH (hardly ever use it) 35mm Summilux FLE (30% of the time) 50mm Summilux ASPH (40% of the time) 75mm Summilux (25% of the time) 90mm Elmarit (5% of the time)  Having said that I picked up the 28mm Summicron today (not a focal length I use a lot) for some indoor shots of the kids and remember now why I bought it  I think I'm done on the lens front. The only lens I might be tempted by in future might be a Noctilux.  Erik  So how do you find that 75/1.4? Happy to see you use it one out of 4 shots. Bravo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatlux Posted January 2, 2013 Share #85  Posted January 2, 2013 I found this thread interesting as I am building a rangefinder kit. The following are my desired bodies and lenses including several pending acquisitions. This is a reduction, as I sold 6 Nikon mount prime lenses to help fund the rangefinder kit. Hopefully this 3 lens rangefinder kit will cover the majority of my needs. D800E | 24-120/4 | 70-200/4 M240 | 21/3.4 | 35/1.4 | 50/2 RX100  I wished I was as wise as you are. 5 lenses only across two systems...  I tend to always end up with a trio of 28/50/90 equivalent primes, so my current travel set on my M8 is made of a CV21/4, ZM35 2.8 and CV75/2.5. I have also a fast CV 35 1.2 II which I bring at night or use indoors. I also have a trio of Leica 28/2, 50/2 and 90 2.8 waiting for an eventual M9 or M240.  And that's without counting 10+ lenses in Nikon mount  But I often just use a 35mm on my M8 or 50mm on my D700, so I probably could just live with a single 50mm equivalent prime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted January 2, 2013 Share #86 Â Posted January 2, 2013 i have never counted... but I certainly couldn't do it even on four limbs... I have every standard length and non standards (40mm, 65mm, 200mm, 280mm) as well and multiples of many lengths. Â being a lens collector almost costs nothing if you buy (and sell) right. My lenses are my (current) superannuation and doing better than the stock markets on average... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share #87  Posted January 2, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) i have never counted... but I certainly couldn't do it even on four limbs... I have every standard length and non standards (40mm, 65mm, 200mm, 280mm) as well and multiples of many lengths. being a lens collector almost costs nothing if you buy (and sell) right. My lenses are my (current) superannuation and doing better than the stock markets on average...  You'll be happy to part with them at some point Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share #88 Â Posted January 2, 2013 A few statistics for you..... Â I have grouped 48 respondants in 1-3, 4-5, 6-9, 10+ Â Of the 48 respondants so far nearly half (23) have over 10 lenses and the highest recorded is 96 :eek:, also most in this group have been too shy to count up the exact total The next most popular group is 4-5 lenses 21%(10), followed by 6-9 17%(8) and finally only 15%(7) of respondents have less than 3 lenses. Â The average number of lenses (part estimate) is 12.......I am really surprised that nearly half are 10+. Makes me feel much better and positively conservative Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk1 Posted January 2, 2013 Share #89 Â Posted January 2, 2013 A few statistics for you..... Â Hmm - interesting. I did not expect that either - seems like Leica massively activates the collector's instinct of early humans. Certainly, some of those posts suggest so to me, when focal lengths appear multiple times in a single portfolio... Â I also have four lenses (24/3.8, 35/1.4, 50/2.0, 90/2.0) and look forward to finish off my collection with a 135/4.0 sometime. I consider this more than reasonable, while generally I attempt to take out max. 3 at a time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarcRF Posted January 2, 2013 Share #90 Â Posted January 2, 2013 interesting statistics. but since that forum reaches mostly collectors and people interested in gear and lenses i'm not surprised. Â what did surprise and shock me was the number of 96 lenses Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Gunst Lund Posted January 2, 2013 Share #91  Posted January 2, 2013 I'm a Semi Pro so I also don't fit the statistics so well I guess :-) Since I have to deliver my images at work to an editor with high standards, I like lenses with: no/very low distortion, flat field, good bokeh, good sharpness, smooth color transition, low flare...  BTW Work is; Portraits, events, commercial, technical documentation and product shots including a lot of close ups.  Leica M Mount kit is mostly for bringing everywhere, travel and fun.  21mm f/4 Voigtlander SM 6-bit 28mm f/2.8 Asph 6-bit 50mm f/2 Summicron Latest 6-bit seems the coating is much better than the first version I used... Bokeh is being studied and evaluated... 90mm f/3.5 APO Lanthar Voigtlander SM 6-bit 135mm f/4 Elmar 1966  Sold again due to not meeting my expectations or kit size - as I got to know my Leica M8, especially the upgraded framelines changed a few things, might have kept the 75mm had i had the new framelines back then:  15mm 4.5 Voigtlander 24mm 2.8 Asph 6-bit 35mm 1.4 Asph 50mm 2 focus tap version 50mm 1.5 Asph Voigtlander 75mm 2 Asph  Nikon F mount kit for work  16mm 2.8 AF 20mm 3.5 Ais close up modified 20-35mm 2.8 AF 24mm 1.4 AFS 28mm 4 Ais Tilt and Shift modified 28-70 2.8 AFS 35mm 1.4 Ais 50mm 1.4 AFS 60mm 2.8 AFS 85mm 1.4 AFS 70-200mm 2.8 AFS II 300mm 2.8 AFS and Latest TC's 125mm 2.5 APO Lanthar 55mm 3.5 Ais 65mm 4.5 Macro-Nikkor  Nikon sold due to very good deal and exhausting my lust for ulta wide and ultra slim DOF, they really did not make 'money' images, only one image was ever printed from the Noct with slim DOF... They where fun for artistic images though:  8mm 2.8 Ais and 58mm 1.2 Ai Noct Nikkor  Sold again due to not meeting my expectations or usage:  14-24mm 2.8 AFS 24-70mm 2.8 AFS 70-200mm 2.8 AFS I 105 2.8 AFS Micro 180mm 2.8 AF 500mm 4 Ais ...and about 60 more Nikkors and a Pentax 6x7 kit including the fantastic 400mm 4 ED IF... Life got too short to sit by the Coolscan waiting for the big slides to go through, sadly... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted January 2, 2013 Share #92  Posted January 2, 2013 I'm a Semi Pro so I also don't fit the statistics so well I guess :-)Since I have to deliver my images at work to an editor with high standards, I like lenses with: no/very low distortion, good bokeh, good sharpness, smooth color transition, low flare...  BTW Work is; Portraits, events, commercial, technical documentation and product shots including a lot of close ups.  Leica M Mount kit is mostly for bringing everywhere, travel and fun.  21mm f/4 Voigtlander SM 6-bit 28mm f/2.8 Asph 6-bit 50mm f/2 Summicron Latest 6-bit seems the coating is much better than the first version I used... Bokeh is being studied and evaluated... 90mm f/3.5 APO Lanthar Voigtlander SM 6-bit 135mm f/4 Elmar 1966  Sold again due to not meeting my expectations or kit size - as I got to know my Leica M8, especially the upgraded framelines changed a few things, might have kept the 75mm had i had the new framelines back then:  15mm 4.5 Voigtlander 24mm 2.8 Asph 6-bit 35mm 1.4 Asph 50mm 2 focus tap version 50mm 1.5 Asph Voigtlander 75mm 2 Asph  Nikon F mount kit for work  16mm 2.8 AF 20mm 3.5 Ais close up modified 20-35mm 2.8 AF 24mm 1.4 AFS 28mm 4 Ais Tilt and Shift modified 28-70 2.8 AFS 35mm 1.4 Ais 50mm 1.4 AFS 60mm 2.8 AFS 85mm 1.4 AFS 70-200mm 2.8 AFS II 300mm 2.8 AFS and Latest TC's 125mm 2.5 APO Lanthar 55mm 3.5 Ais 65mm 4.5 Macro-Nikkor  Nikon sold due to very good deal and exhausting my lust for ulta wide and ultra slim DOF, they really did not make 'money' images, only one image was ever printed from the Noct with slim DOF... They where fun for artistic images though:  8mm 2.8 Ais and 58mm 1.2 Ai Noct Nikkor  Sold again due to not meeting my expectations or usage:  14-24mm 2.8 AFS 24-70mm 2.8 AFS 70-200mm 2.8 AFS I 105 2.8 AFS Micro 180mm 2.8 AF 500mm 4 Ais ...and about 60 more Nikkors and a Pentax 6x7 kit including the fantastic 400mm 4 ED IF... Life got too short to sit by the Coolscan waiting for the big slides to go through, sadly...  I'm exhausted just reading it;). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
egrossman Posted January 3, 2013 Share #93 Â Posted January 3, 2013 Hello Mark. I love my 75mm Summilux! It's my favorite lens (and use it almost exclusively for portraits). I mostly shoot it wide open or stop it down to f/2. With a 1.4x magnifier I don't have a particularly hard time nailing focus. Â Erik Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted January 3, 2013 Share #94 Â Posted January 3, 2013 A little OT, so please forgive me, but this is a perspective that frosts me. Â Wow... that's a pretty good return. In general, though, I have to say I think that the whole "camera as investment" thing that's evolved around Leitz products is... well... silly for lack of a better term. I view cameras as tools, no different than the tools of any other endeavor. One of the things the puts people off from using Leica products is the outrageous cost. I understand why they're expensive new... Even the flagship offerings from Canon and Nikon are at $7k new. I get that, but I'm not willing to spend that kind of money and go out into the world to beat it up, even if I can take the tax writeoffs. Â Fortunately, there are bargains to be had that are perfectly amazing image-makers. The M8 was introduced almost seven years ago, and I was just finally able to buy one for the kind of money I'm willing to spend. My lens kit consists of two late '60s vintage Leitz offerings I was able to pick up for under $500 each (in really quite nice condition I might add that, if in Contax or M42 or even R mount, would have been $250 each) and a couple of CV lenses with which I'm ecstatic... and I got both of them for less than $800 total. They comprise an excellent working kit. Â So... for those with disposable income who buy and sell Leitz gear as a hobby or keep them as toys, I guess the fact that they're willing to spend ever more to swap that gear among themelves is ok. For folks who use their gear to derive their income, every dollar (or GBP or Euro) you spend on gear is a dollar (etc.) that doesn't go into your pocket as income. I've always found it ironic that some of the best equipment available to make images with is apparently made of unobtanium and unavailable to most of the folks who would use it best. Most of the cars I've driven in the past ten years cost only a little more than a new M9P. I buy my gear to make images with. I buy the best gear I can afford. Until recently, that has not included Leica gear. Even the rebadged Panasonic cameras that Leica sold were and are outrageously priced with their nearly-identical Panasonic twin selling for 1/3 of what the Leicas sell for. Â Don't get me wrong... I appreciate folks who are willing to spend $7k for new bodies and $4k for a single lens.. those are the bodies and lenses I can afford ten or twenty years down the road, but in terms of comparative value as instruments of making images, Leica equipment is significantly overvalued... typically by a factor of three or four times. Â I "grew up" in photography shooting Leicas in the early '70s and I've shot them off and on ever since. I've bought and sold several Leica kits over the years, and I haven't lost anything on them, but reacquiring my kit today and spending merely reasonable sums took a LOT of hard work and I spent countless hours scouring the web for good buys on equipment that will do the job. Â Thanks for letting me vent. *sigh* Â you missed the point: this thread is about lenses. You are absolutely correct that Leica digital bodies are not good financial investments- but the same is not true for vintage Leica lenses. I could sell just about every lens I currently own for more than I paid for it- and in many cases considerably more. Â And I use almost all of them as well ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesk8752 Posted January 3, 2013 Share #95  Posted January 3, 2013 interesting statistics. but since that forum reaches mostly collectors and people interested in gear and lenses i'm not surprised. what did surprise and shock me was the number of 96 lenses  Put it down to collector's mania -and please don't tell my wife!  Regards, Jim  Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted January 3, 2013 Share #96 Â Posted January 3, 2013 Put it down to collector's mania -and please don't tell my wife! Â That's impressive, Jim. I suddenly feel like my form of GAS is a very mild one. Btw, would be interested to know where you store all that gear so that your wife doesn't see it... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarcRF Posted January 3, 2013 Share #97  Posted January 3, 2013 Put it down to collector's mania -and please don't tell my wife! Regards, Jim  Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner  come on, let's be serious. I bet your form of investment is far better than all the usual choices. dont see a reason your wife should be angry at you (my girl is sometimes too though )  you might call it collector's mania but if you have the funds to have them it's a lot better than having stocks or the money just sitting around in a time like that  after all you cant turn the aperture ring on a gold bar if you're bored can you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted January 3, 2013 Share #98 Â Posted January 3, 2013 I have 4 lenses so am clearly letting the side down. My sincere apologies to everyone. I must rectify this at once and buy 6 more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted January 3, 2013 Share #99 Â Posted January 3, 2013 Apology accepted;) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesk8752 Posted January 4, 2013 Share #100 Â Posted January 4, 2013 That's impressive, Jim. I suddenly feel like my form of GAS is a very mild one.Btw, would be interested to know where you store all that gear so that your wife doesn't see it... Â Actually, I hide it in plain sight. I've convinced my wife that it is an investment and display it in curio cabinets throughout the house. The "good stuff" is interspersed with the more prosaic gear. Fortunately she doesn't inquire about how much I paid for it. Â I have given her the name of a reliable consignment broker. When I depart this vale of tears she is in for a surprise when she has it valued! Â Regards, Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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