Guide to buying used M lenses

[elephant]

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Hi

 

Is there a website that describes thea above?

 

Thanks

[earleygallery]

This one?

[MarkP]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

A quick look looking the search box above will bring up a number of threads on this.

Do you have any questions in particular?

[elephant]

I tried the search box above but it yielded no results. I entered "used M lens guide". Perhaps I'm using it wrong?

 

I'm a newbie to Leica and I'm planning to purchase a used M lens but I don't know what to check for aside from fungus, haze and scratches. Thanks in advance for your advice!

[MarkP]

Try entering 'used lens advice' for starters

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/99792-what-to-look-for-when-buying-used-lenses/

to get you going.

[earleygallery]

I tried the search box above but it yielded no results. I entered "used M lens guide". Perhaps I'm using it wrong?

 

I'm a newbie to Leica and I'm planning to purchase a used M lens but I don't know what to check for aside from fungus, haze and scratches. Thanks in advance for your advice!

There's not much else to check, being manual mechanical lenses.

 

There are no bad lenses so don't worry - your choice is really down to which focal length you want and budget.

 

Search more specifically for the lenses you're interested in - as with my advice on the camera, buy from a dealer so that you won't get sold a dud.

[Mornnb]

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Hi

 

Is there a website that describes thea above?

 

Thanks

Arrange a pick up. Check the lens out in person. Do a basic focus accuracy check with a digital body before you accept it.

[spydrxx]

In my 47 years of using Leicas, I've only bought 2 lenses new, all the rest have been used. There is no guide, other than what the others said and using good sense. Know what you want, so you don't get sucked into buying something you won't use. Set a reasonable budget so you don't overspend. There are books out there (yes they are expensive) detailing the various lenses Leitz has manufactured, and well worth acquiring once you become more familiar with the Leicas. If you're using the lenses on digital rangefinder bodies, understand that they may need recalibration and factor those potential costs into what you offer the seller. Lastly, in the beginnings of your quest, you are probably better off buying from reliable dealers than individuals.

[farnz]

I tried the search box above but it yielded no results. I entered "used M lens guide". Perhaps I'm using it wrong?

 

I'm a newbie to Leica and I'm planning to purchase a used M lens but I don't know what to check for aside from fungus, haze and scratches. Thanks in advance for your advice!

Welcome to the forum, elephant!

 

In addition to fungus, scratches, and haze it's a good idea to look for element separation in older lenses that shows up as silvery, reflective smears around the edges of a lens.  Older lens elements were cemented together using Canada Balsam, a natural resin from the Balsam fir tree, that degrades over time and re-cementing could cost s bit.

 

Shine a bright light through one end of the lens at look at it from the other and that should show up fungus as small trails or scratches on the element surfaces.  Don't be put off by seeing dust or particles in the lens or by little, dark spots in the elements, which are likely to be bubbles in the glass and normally indicate an expensive glass formula.  Also check whether there's oil on the aperture blades because that indicates the lens needs a CLA (clean, lubricate, and adjust), which will add to your cost.  Check the smoothness of the focussing ring's operation and the aperture ring's.  If the aperture ring's clicks are sloppy it might cost a bit to have them repaired but as long as the diaphragm opens and closes smoothly then that not be a problem to you.  If you're buying online you won't be able to do these checks before you buy of course so there's added risk there.

 

To gauge whether an asking price is reasonable check out completed listings on the auction site and compare against prices offered by reputable dealers who offer second hand lenses, such as Red Dot Cameras.  As said earlier you will risk less if you buy from a 'bricks and mortar' shop because they're likely to offer some guarantee and you'll be able to return a lens if it has a problem, although their prices are likely to be slightly higher than those offered through private sales.

 

Pete.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Erwin Putts has written a few. Can be hard to find though as he never seems to print enough. He doesn't sell the eBook I bought two years ago for some reason. But if you can find a copy of the Leica Compendium then you'll have a great reference of vintage Leica M.

 

Gordon

[Herr Barnack]

 

...Shine a bright light through one end of the lens at look at it from the other and that should show up fungus as small trails or scratches on the element surfaces.  Don't be put off by seeing dust or particles in the lens or by little, dark spots in the elements, which are likely to be bubbles in the glass and normally indicate an expensive glass formula...

Sound advice from Pete (post #9).  Some people get way too obsessed with dust in a used lens; this should be last on your list of issues to look for.  Dust in a lens is inevitable and does not affect image quality except perhaps in the most extreme cases.  I got my f/1.0 Noctilux new seven years ago; if I shine a flashlight through it and check for dust today, it looks like it's snowing inside my lens.  There is no image quality degradation that I can see from this; not to blow my own horn, but I have a very demanding eye compared to most of my photographer friends, I'm told.  

 

When buying a used lens, there are defects that are best avoided and defects that are of no or next to no consequence; it pays to know the difference.  The biggest "defect" to watch out for is probably an unrealistically high price tag. 

[Mijo]

Erwin Putts has written a few. Can be hard to find though as he never seems to print enough. He doesn't sell the eBook I bought two years ago for some reason. But if you can find a copy of the Leica Compendium then you'll have a great reference of vintage Leica M.

 

Gordon

 

You purchase an e-version of the Leica Compendium using the LFI app.  It's listed in the same section as the LFI magazines.

[sml_photo]

This is interesting to me....
New or used, I've always bought from a dealer (though today, I only have new lenses).  I'm wondering "where" one buys used lenses nowadays.  eBay?  This forum (as mentioned above)?  And, I realize it costs more to buy used from a store, but isn't that a good source nonetheless since it usually has some sort of guarantee and confidence level? 

And, I'm also wondering where one sells used lenses.  To a store?  On eBay?  Etc.  It's obviously a common practice for one to sell a used lens...I just don't know where.

[iphoenix]

Greetings Stephen,

 

Try the local camera clubs. The one I'm a member of (in Australia) has 3 to 4 auctions each year.

The prices realized on the items I've sold through the club are realistic.

 

David

[spydrxx]

I've bought and sold Leica lenses on Ebay for over 10 years, with generally good experience. The buyer advantages are a wide selection which you may not encounter locally, a lower price than may be offered locally, and the depth of offerings, allowing you to access pricing differentials. The disadvantages are principally that you can't physically inspect the lenses before purchase. Having said that, I've only gotten two which didn't meet my expectations...one I returned, the other I had CLA'd; and I've only had one which I sold, which the buyer wasn't pleased with...as I believe it was affected by bitterly cold weather in transit freezing the diaphragm blades - in spite of offering a refund, he liked the price, kept it and had it CLA'd at his own expense. BUT it is always buyer beware...there are sellers who don't have a clue about how to gauge condition and then those who often misrepresent the condition.

[Dougg]

This is interesting to me....

New or used, I've always bought from a dealer (though today, I only have new lenses).  I'm wondering "where" one buys used lenses nowadays.  eBay?  This forum (as mentioned above)?  And, I realize it costs more to buy used from a store, but isn't that a good source nonetheless since it usually has some sort of guarantee and confidence level? 

And, I'm also wondering where one sells used lenses.  To a store?  On eBay?  Etc.  It's obviously a common practice for one to sell a used lens...I just don't know where.

Here, in this forum's classifieds section, and the classifieds at Rangefinderforum too.

[jpk]

https://www.cameraquest.com/mlenses.htm

[farnz]

https://www.cameraquest.com/mlenses.htm

A very useful resource but regrettably it hasn't been updated since 1999.

 

Pete.