R Lens Prices

[jmahto]

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I bought 180APO3.4 for $900 this year in USA.

[dkCambridgeshire]

Recently bought a single cam 135/2.8R for £99 from Ffordes … super lens in super condition and performs admirably on a Leica T. 

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/276596-leica-t-budget-macro/

 

dunk 

Edited September 12, 2017 by dkCambridgeshire

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[Tante Ilse]

Some weeks ago I bought a 28-90 in new condition for 2400 euro. Happy.

[mmx_2]

Prices seems to be dropping, at least on lenses where there is an "overlap" with SL lenses. I just bought at 280 f4 APO ROM in great condition for 3000€. I think the recent (siginificant drop) of the 280 f4 apo is because of the new SL Vario-elmarit 90-280. For almost the same money people could get AF, IBIS and a zoom in "same package". I haven't compared them head to head since I don't own a SL, but I except that IQ wise they are close. Anyway if you're in the market for a 280 apo I think there are bargains to be made .

[ganzosrevenge]

Bought a 90 2.8 mk1 for 250. Absolutely love it!!!

[wagner]

My last lens buy:

 

Telyt 4/250mm S1 (3 cam) for 183Euros; quite good condtion.

 

Enjoy taking pics with the lens. Got very nice slides with it.

 

regards,

 

Torsten

 

 

[Steve McGarrett]

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Here in my opinion prices of R gear are rising, not dropping... I think (the Sony FF first, and then) the SL has bring some interest towards the system.

[ganzosrevenge]

I haven't seen - at least for the lenses that I look for - a great amount of change in the price of Leica R lenses.  Granted, much of what I look at are lenses from the 1960s - 1970s instead of the APOs and the ASPH lenses, When I was in B&H, they had a 35mm Summilux going for $3,500 that the salesman admitted would most likely become a Cine lens.  Perhaps the price spikes are for more exotic / high-speed lenses.  I stick with the basic lenses as they're in my price range, and they really have not moved much.  My 90mm Elmarit Mark-I 207xxxx was $250, and barring a hairline coating scratch (no effect on pix), is just about mint.  I love it, and it gives my L-Flex Std Mk2 better balance than the 50 'Cron Mk1 does.

 

That being said, seeing cameras and lenses recover in price is nice as well..  I don't care if my Leicaflexes and lenses are stuck in "collectible prison" while other similary maligned Leicas such as the M5 enjoy a sort of collectors renaissance.  I'm not entirely happy though that lenses are being repurposed for Sony FF and even the SL (although that has a converter if I recall).  The FF Sony and the SL have the benefits of upwards of 50 years of advancements compared to the R-line (depending on where in the R-line one's lens is from), and for those of us who want to shoot R glass on our R-class cameras, it just makes it that much harder since the only 3rd Party i can think of that made R-mount glass was Angenieux (which is $$$) out the yin-yang.  I'm trying to save up for a R9 and even if i get a basic ROM lens, I don't want outside company users further exacerbating the scarcity of the later R-lenses by appropriating them to non-native uses.  That just makes it harder for those of us who want to keep everything "Leica" to be able to within reasonable budget constraints.

 

Jason

[TheBestSLIsALeicaflex]

Leica lenses really dipped in price when they discontinued the line in circa 2009.  Given their optics, some great deals were available if one could use the R mount.  Then slowly over time the digital crowd started adapting them to their cameras and the prices when up with the deans.  

 

For the later developed lenses, there's also little in supply because the R line just wasn't selling in the late 90's and early 2000.  Heck, even the M line wasn't selling in the first half of the last decade.  I got some screaming deals back in those days.  

 

So, supply and demand.  

[alan.y]

Some people are buying them to convert for use as cine lenses - hence the hike in price 

 

And some are being bought by companies rehousing them as cine lenses. I know this because one of these companies (this one in China) bought two Summilux-R lenses from me, a 35 and an 80. I can only hope they keep the parts so someday the lenses can be reversed.

 

Still, the R35 is a bit unusual I think. In 2014-6 I bought and sold three copies of the R35 for $2000-2300. In the past year I don't think I've seen one sold on eBay for less than $3000. The R35 is relatively rare, certainly rarer than the R50 e48 and e55 and the R80. But the even rarer lenses (R50 e60, not to mention the 180/2 and 35-70/2.8 etc.) I don't think have done this--maybe because their prices were already inflated. Then of course the R28-90 and to an extent the 21-35 zooms have dropped in price because of the SL zooms.

 

I have many fond memories of the R35 and often think about owning a copy again.

[Andrew Gough]

The R 28-90mm is going back up in price.

[JCR33]

Glad that I bought the R35 1.4 years ago and kept it since...

 

[sblitz]

Any lens that Erwin Puts anointed with blessing trades at a hefty premium to the rest.

[Keith (M)]

Any lens that Erwin Puts anointed with blessing trades at a hefty premium to the rest.

 

I shall bear that in mind should I ever decide to put my Vario Elmar-R 21-35mm ASPH on the market!  

[sblitz]

I shall bear that in mind should I ever decide to put my Vario Elmar-R 21-35mm ASPH on the market!  

 

yes it is 2200 euro  at leicashop in vienna, no vat ..... happy to take if off your hands at a discount :-)

[wlaidlaw]

There is an Australian company which markets a follow focus kit for the 35/1.4 Summilux-R, which optimises it for movie use. The smaller sensor area used by most digital movie cameras would cure most of the edge softness of this lens and apparently they are popular with professional movie makers. It would certainly be a cheap buy compared with the $39,200 a Summilux-C 35mm/t1.4 would cost. I quite fancied a 35 Summilux-R until I saw the prices folks were asking. 

Wilson

[LucisPictor]

Leica R lenses have had a rollercoaster ride in price development. Going down when the line was discontinued, going up when more and more people realised that they can be used on Canon EOS cams or leitaxed to others brands, going down again, but just a bit, and going up again when the fullframe mirrorless cameras hit the market. I guess they have now reached some kind of plateau that only allows some slight ups and dows. (Just like the price of an M8.)

I have used several R-lenses on my EOS camsm my Fuji cams and then on my Sony cams, the latest owned incarnation being the A7II. Excellent results. )But I have sold almost all of them, since Nikkor is my main SLR line, love the vintage Nikkors. And some Canon FD and M42 lenses complement the set. Leica is M for me. Just kept two universally usable R-lenses (28-70 & 180) which I gave to my son who got an R7 from his godfather. (Why didn't I have a godfather like that?))

 

 

[dkCambridgeshire]

If I'm considering buying an R lens, one purchase consideration is:

"Now then … How much would that lens cost nowadays if it was NEW?"  

There are some R lenses which are likely still unmatched by other manufacturers e.g.: 28/2.8 R Mk II (just missed one last week … he who hesitates … ),  280/4 APO R, 50/1.4 R Mk II (60mm filter thread), APO Summicron R 90/2 (60mm filter thread) … and others. 

Instead of moaning about the prices and saying , "Oh I'd never pay that much!!", consider the fact that they are manual focus and likely to continue working well for many years  … assuming well cared for.

No AF motors to fail, no firmware updates required, likely relatively low depreciation, and, being less complex to repair - potentially easier repairs 10 to 15 years hence (assuming there are technicians who continue to take an interest in them and offer R servicing). 

If you enjoy using quality glass please do not hesitate … just buy the bloody lens … without haggling and counting the pennies. 

I'll even buy an R lens if I need it but can't really afford it … and live on sardines and porridge for a couple of months to justify the purchase. 

What do you do with the couple of hundred ££ you potentially save by haggling but failing to buy?

The dealer knows he can sell it for more. 

And chances are, he/she will sell it for a higher price next year  … in which case my 'sardines and porridge' is justified  

However, foregoing does not apply to every R lens … potential buyers need to study the R market and realise that some are not worth buying at the inflated prices some dealers charge for older models. 

Which R lenses have I bought relatively recently because they are (IMO) unmatched for both price and performance? 19mm Elmarit R Mk II and PC Super Angulon 28/2.8 R … and I have absolutely no regrets about buying them … even though the PC Super Angulon is a Schneider design. They are used regularly and I enjoy using them. Friends who borrow them are also very impressed … I organise a regular local architectural photography group.  

Which R lenses do I regret selling / PX-ing?    21-35R and 28-90R … but I was brainwashed by SL-itis and bought the monstrous SL 24-90 … which needs a bloody wheelbarrow  

Which R lens is next on my list?  28/2.8 R Mk II  … I'd even PX the 80-200/4 to buy same.

Which R lens do I regret buying?  35-70/4 R … designed by Leica and made by Kyocera … it's hopeless for city night photography due to its ineffective lens hood . 

Which R lens is next for the chopping bock? Macro Elmar R 100/4 in normal focusing mount … Why?  See next paragraph.

Which R lens would I never sell?  Macro Elmar R 100/4 BELLOWS lens … The build quality is absolutely superb. Examine one and marvel at the light baffling … totally over-engineered but a work of art. Unfortunately very few Leica enthusiasts appreciate them or are aware of them … but that is their loss. 

dunk 

Edited February 24, 2019 by dkCambridgeshire
typo

[SteveYork]

51 minutes ago, dkCambridgeshire said:

Which R lens would I never sell?  Macro Elmar R 100/4 BELLOWS lens … The build quality is absolutely superb. Examine one and marvel at the light baffling … totally over-engineered but a work of art. Unfortunately very few Leica enthusiasts appreciate them or are aware of them … but that is their loss. 

dunk 

 

Interesting.  Do you use it much?  That's strictly macro, right?  

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[dkCambridgeshire]

29 minutes ago, SteveYork said:

 

Interesting.  Do you use it much?  That's strictly macro, right?  

Of course it;s a macro lens … and a very good lens too … But it's the 'great unloved' R lens and sticks on dealers' shelves for months and sometimes years. However, examine it and be amazed by its design ... a beautiful piece of engineering … and it gives a good account of itself when used. Ignore the full aperture MTF chart … few use it wide open … it's a macro lens. James Lager used the lens for many (if not the majority) of the hundreds of illustrations in his "Leica An Illustrated History …" trilogy.  I do not use it so often but prefer it to the 100/2.8 APO Macro R lens because it requires a more measured approach … and for studio work it's so versatile.  Its not a 'grab and go' lens … but it's a very satisfying lens … a bit like driving a classic car requiring double de-clutch gear changes … separates the auto-everything brigade from the enthusiasts.  Whoever designed the 100/4 R bellows lens knew his onions and understood lens' light baffling.  

dunk 

Edited February 25, 2019 by dkCambridgeshire