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R Lens Prices


Sandokan

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Hi, 

 

This is a question about why is the R 35mm Summilux priced quite high on the second hand markets? 

 

The second hand prices for R lenses is of course regulated by supply and demand and tend to be lower than their M counterparts. 

 

There are the rare lenses of which few were made (I think 35-70/2.8) so these go for many thousands above original price. 

 

Others have a unique character or performance (80 and ROM 50 Summiluxes) and were always high in price. 

 

The 35mm Summilux, when I bought it as my first lens to replace my hated 28-70 was cheap and was in the hundreds of pounds (certainly far less in relation to the ROM 50 Summilux). Although the reviews were that it was a mediocre lens, I loved it. Even more on the DMR where it was more equivalent to my favourite 50mm view. 

 

I see these now on sale for very high prices equivalent to the ROM 50mm, why is that? I am not interested in selling mine though. From whom is the demand for this lens? 

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I sold my 35/1.4R  a while ago, for more than I paid for it (new in 2003) and prices seem to have gone up since then. With this particular lens, I don't know why. I didn't dislike it - wide open I found it a bit soft except at the centre, and wide open it certainly vignetted, but this wasn't really a problem in its envisaged role as a reportage lens. It's also a bit of a big brute. But with an M digital with Visoflex and R-M adapter, I don't really need such an R lens, and bought a new little Summarit 35/2.4 M, with which I'm delighted.

 

There are some very desirable R lenses, such as 28-90 zoom, 180/2.8 Apo, 280/4 Apo, latest 50/1.4, 80/1.4, and so on, which I can perhaps understand, but I have to say I too find the demand for the 35/1.4R a bit puzzling.

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Funny how trends change. After Leica dropped the DMR and said there was no 'R10' I remember going to Aperture in London who had a 35-70 zoom going for a very low price and I wondered if they'd do a swap with my 35 Summicron. They had reduced the price of the zoom 'to get rid of it' and absolutely wouldn't be buying in any more Leica R cameras or lenses! 

 

That was the time to buy up R stock! 

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m4/3????

 

If you can use them fullframe on Sony A7/9!? Who does voluntarily throw away half of the picture angle?

 

I use normal to telephoto lenses on my m4/3, but not wideangles. My M 35 Summicron does get used but not this Summilux as the handling is completely off. 

 

There are not enough SL users to up the demand for R 35 Summilux. 

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Summilux-R 35 was not a mediocre lens... more modern, aspherical design have greatly improved wide-open corner performance by flattening focus plane (ie. less field curvature), but in the center (or within the thirds if focused "on the spot", without recomposing the frame) is as sharp as today's fast 35s, not a bad result for a non-asperical wide design developed in 1984, so it was (and still is, even if today there are smaller and more practical alternatives) a good choice for reportage/street use.

Corners are good by f/5.6, distortion and LCA/LoCAs are quite well corrected too (again, not so common in a design of his era, when strong purple fringing everywhere was typical at fast apertures, together with "glowing" from poor corrected spherical aberration and low overall contrast... not the case with this lens), and so is flare resistance (similar to the Summicron-R 35 v2, a lens well known for its good flare control)

The (relatively) high price is probably reflecting that, and the fact it's not a very common lens.

Edited by Steve McGarrett
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Interesting, even if I disagree with some items... for example I think that 1500/2500 for the 15/2.8 is way too low, and so is 650/1000 for the Summilux 50 v2 and 1500/2200 for the APO 180/2.8. On the other side, for example 700/1200 for the APO 180/3.4 or 1200/2000 for the 100/2.8 or 400/800 for the Apo-extender 2x seems to me a bit pricey...

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I suspect the European prices look high to us because of the sharp increase in the €-£ rate over the last year. I have just bought a very nice 28/2.8 R v2 from a European seller only then to find one advertised by a London dealer for 75% of the price I paid. That one went in the blink of an eye but the experience does indicate two things to me. Firstly, for a UK buyer it is worth avoiding offerings from the continent while the exchange rate is so poor. Secondly, the market is very inefficient.

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Indeed I was referring to european prices... 1000€ for a mint Summilux-R 50/1.4 v2 (the E60, 1998 one)? I'll buy it right now at that price tag... :D

Oh dear. I missed that. I was going to buy the UK version at £2500

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Interesting, even if I disagree with some items... for example I think that 1500/2500 for the 15/2.8 is way too low, and so is 650/1000 for the Summilux 50 v2 and 1500/2200 for the APO 180/2.8. On the other side, for example 700/1200 for the APO 180/3.4 or 1200/2000 for the 100/2.8 or 400/800 for the Apo-extender 2x seems to me a bit pricey...

 

Steve,

 

I think the APO 180/3.4 in mint condition can be as high as $1,500 in the US and if it is in good conditions rarely goes below $1k. The 100/2.8 goes as high as $2,350/2,400 in the US and Asia if in mint conditions. I bought my 100/2.8 in B+/A- conditions in Europe in 2014 for Euro 900 or 950 and I could likely sell it now in the US for $1,800. the Market has moved since then but there is also a greater appreciation for this lens on this side of the pond. Exchange rate also play a role in these things. 

 

cheers, 

lorenzo 

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The last years I bought:

Summicron R for 200 Euro.

APO Extender for 350 Euro

Apo Telyt 180/3.4 for around 550 Euro

Telyt 280/2.8 with filter for 3200 Euro

There was an Elmarit 15mm for 5800 Euro in Mailand , but I let it go. I regret now.

Jan

Edited by jankap
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