Sophies Choice

[elwyn]

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Can the group help with advice re which Lenses I should keep/sell.

I'v got way too much cash tied up and need to reduce the number of my Lenses from 4 to 2.

I've got the Asph/fle 35 lux, the asph/apo 50 cron, the Asph/Apo 75 cron, and the 24-90 Elmarit.

My feeling is I should keep the 50 and the 24-90, or the 35 and 50

Its like Sophies Choice.

 

[R3D-D0T]

Sell whichever one you use less.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Knowing that you'll miss what ever you sell and most likely buy them back eventually I would keep the zoom for versatility plus the prime you use the most.

 

Or you could sell all the primes and get the Zeiss alternatives for the cost of one of your M lenses.

 

Gordon

[zlatkob]

The answer to every such question:  it depends on what you shoot and how you shoot it.

[su25]

Sell those lenses which give you enough cash, and you don't feel anymore that you have too much cash tided up    

[steppenw0lf]

The cash is just virtual, the lenses are real.

If you really need money now, then sell whatever can be sold and gives the amount you need. If there is no need, then why cling to cash ?

Your description is maybe misleading. You want to optimize your cash ?  Simply never buy anything and cling to the money. Buying/selling as a private person always makes you lose money.

[wlaidlaw]

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I think your Leica lens count is very modest. I think when I last totted up, I had about 20.    I keep meaning to sell my 400 and 560 Telyts with the Televit, pistol grip, shoulder stock and Visoflex 3, because I just never use them nowadays. The problem is they are so large, that with the pistol grip and shoulder stock, they look rather like a rocket launcher. 

 

Wilson

[steppenw0lf]

Wilson be careful. You might be arrested when using them, if you do not warn the police/security that you are only taking pictures.

[Joshua Lowe]

If it were me I would keep the 35 and the 24-90 or switch to a 28 and keep the 24-90.

[Guest VVJ]

Very hard as we don't know what you shoot.  I would also keep the zoom and the most used prime.

 

In my case that would be the 35mm but your mileage may vary.

 

It might also not make sense to keep the 50mm if you are planning on getting the upcoming L-mount 50mm.

[Steve Spencer]

I think the first question is whether you like the zoom with AF and is it useful for your shooting. If it is, then I think it makes sense to keep it. If you don't really like the zoom either because of it size, its slower aperture, or the process of taking pictures, then I think that is the first one to get rid of. The zoom lens is very different from the primes. 

If you keep the zoom, then the question is which of the primes do you keep. The 50AA is a very good, but very expensive, lens. It really is worth what the other two primes are together. If you love that lens, then I would keep it, but if you don't love it, then I would say that would be the one that goes first. You might even be able to keep the other two. Or you could sell the 50 cron AA and the 35 lux FLE and get the Zeiss ZM 35 f/1.4. Personally I like the Zeiss 35 f/1.4 a bit better than the 35 lux FLE and you would net about $1,500 in the exchange. So, if you keep the zoom and the 75 cron AA, and sell the 50AA and exchange the 35 lux FLE for the Zeiss ZM 35 f/1.4, you would still put about $7,500 in your pocket.  I think that could be a pretty compelling option.

 

If you sell the zoom, I think the question of which of the primes you keep really comes down to what you shoot. Personally, I would want a 4 or 5 lens kit if I was only shooting primes (which is what I do). I think 21, 28, 50, and 90 makes a great set. As does 18, 24, 35, and 75. You could certainly sell your 50AA and get the 18 SEM, the 24 Elmar ASPH, and keep your 35 lux FLE and 75 AA and still put over $6,000 in your pocket or about $7,500 in your pocket if you exchange the 35 lux FLE for the Zeiss ZM 35 f/1.4. If you sell the zoom, the 35 lux FLE, and the 75 cron AA. Then you could add the 21 SEM, the 28 elmarit ASPH, and the 90 cron AA and have a fabulous kit. The downside, however is that would only put about $4,000 in your pocket. If you exchange the 50 cron AA for the 50 lux ASPH, however, you could put another $3,000 or so in your pocket for a total of $7,000. If it was me, that is the way I would go. The 21 SEM, 28 elmarit ASPH (the latest one that came out just this year and works well on the SL), the 50 lux ASPH, and the 90 cron AA. But that is just me and that would be for the things I shoot, YMMV, and likely does.

[wattsy]

 

Its like Sophies Choice.

 

 

Yes, because selling a lens is just like choosing which of your children should be gassed at Auschwitz.

(I appreciate that you were presumably joking but it still seems a rather twattish thing to have written.)

[elwyn]

Yes, because selling a lens is just like choosing which of your children should be gassed at Auschwitz.

(I appreciate that you were presumably joking but it still seems a rather twattish thing to have written.)

 

I unreservedly apologise if this comment caused offence - I've never been called that before.

[elwyn]

Many thanks to all the above respondents for their time in sharing their experiences with me - its much appreciated.

After much thought, I'm taking Steve's advice and sticking with primes (which was my original intention when I bought the SL) as an ex M240 owner, it's just that the seller offered me such a good price if I took it with the zoom.

I've decided to hold onto the 35 Lux asph/fle, the 50 cron A/A, sell the Zoom, and the cron 75 A/A, and buy a 90 cron A/A.

 

I'm aware that in theory I should exchange to 35mm for a 28mm - but I really like the 35, and switching to the 90 will give me the extra reach I'll now be missing without the Zoom.

 

The extra cash I need will come from the sale of an Anderson Guitar that I can't play as well as I'd like anymore due to arthritis in my fingers. 

 

Once again many thanks for all your help and advice - including Wattsy.

[tobey bilek]

Pick two and put them away for 6 months.  See what happens. Myself, I would put the zoom on the camera and leave it there.

 

A 24/90 zoom is great for most people.   

 

Figure out if you need fat 35 or 50 or 75. 

[rriley]

I unreservedly apologise if this comment caused offence - I've never been called that before.

 

Nor should you be called that now.  

 

Noun[edit]

Sophie's choice ‎(plural Sophie's choices)

A choice between two or more alternatives, all of which have significant negative consequences.

[gvaliquette]

NEVER SELL A LEICA LENS!!!

 

I even convinced my wife of that.  She has agreed to NOT sell, or ask me to sell, any of my Leica M or R lenses before my death!

 

Guy

[Joshua Lowe]

NEVER SELL A LEICA LENS!!!

 

I even convinced my wife of that.  She has agreed to NOT sell, or ask me to sell, any of my Leica M or R lenses before my death!

 

Guy

 

Watch out for falling anvils around the house

[Suteetat]

Wow... tough choice. If it was me,

I would keep the 24-90 and 50/2 apo . I think 50/2 apo is just about the best lens that I have. As much as I like 35/1.4 fle, I agreed with other people that it make more sense to sell it and get Zeiss 35/1.4 zm. Not only that you save money but I also think that ZM is the better lens. Since I got my ZM, my fle stayed in the cabinet most of the time. If you are selling 24-90 and get 90/2 apo, consider most recent version of 90/2 R also. It is bigger but I actually like it a bit better than 90/2 apo M, a bit more pop and better contrast and is actually cheaper.

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