Contemplating selling my film gear and Mandler Lenses

[Rob L]

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I have way too much film gear that sees no use! I seriously doubt that I will ever shoot film again since getting M10s, but I love this stuff nonetheless. I had 2 M6s, a 50 Summicron ver. V, 35 Summicron ver IV, and an Elmar M 50 through most of the 90s. I sold that kit in 2004 after getting a digital Olympus E1 and some zooms. Always regretted it! So in 2010 I got back into film Leica. I'm a chronic "curator"  and went through an M3, an M2, tons of period correct accessories, many many 60s era lenses, paid for countless CLAs. But eventually I settled on a mint M4 CLAed by Sherry Krauter, an absolutely mint perfect Summicron 50 Rigid with no haze (very hard to find a DR or Rigid that is truly haze free) and an equally nice Summaron 35 2.8. I also re-bought an M6 Classic .85 boxed and virtually unused and had it CLAed and the MP viewfinder upgrade by Don Goldberg (DAG). I found a 35 Summicron ver. IV just as nice as the M6 (perfect, boxed, no dust or haze), a newer 50 Summicron ver. V, and a new old stock 6bit Elmar M 50 and an Elmirit M 90. All four lenses are boxed and mint. This gear is probably worth close to $10,000.

The gear I am planning to keep is two M10s and two sets of lenses, one set is smaller, lighter, slower, cheaper and the other set is faster and much more expensive. I have a 21 Super Elmar that floats with both kits.  The "A" team is Summicron 28 (new model), Summilux 35 and 50, and Summicron 75 APO ASPH. The B team is 28 Elmarit ASPH (new model), 35,50 and 75 Summarit 2.4s. I really like the Summarits better than the Mandler 50 ver V and 35 ver IV. The Summicron 50 flairs badly and the 35 Summicron is ergonomically not to my liking. Too small and I hate the way the clip on hood gets in the way of the aperture ring. I dislike the clip on hoods with all of these older lenses (except the 50). The Summarits with the 28 Elmarit for me are a pleasure to use. They are all very similar in size and weight, they are small, but not too small, the aperture and focus rings are similarly placed feel alike, less flair prone and the hoods are small and they work!

So am I crazy to keep 8 modern lenses and sell the 6 vintage lenses that I worked so hard to find? The 90s era lenses (designed in 1979-80) are really pretty modern in their rendering, but many consider the 50 Rigid and the Summaron pretty special.

 

 

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[Mark T]

Hmm, well if it were me I'd probably sell everything that wasn't 46 mm filter size - but that's just my preference for organisation. Do you need a 75 mm Summicron and Summarit, or a 28 mm Summicron and a 28 mm Elmarit? You'd have to use them both all the time to justify it in my mind. I also don't like too much choice. I personally would not have use in so many lenses but I acknowledge that others do for one reason or another. Plus the money has already been spent and so on. But really, they are your needs and wants. Keep what you absolutely enjoy using and sell what you don't. 

I almost forgot to mention that I'd keep one film body. Your M10s will be replaced by an M11/12 etc but you can always use the film body as long as film is available. You might want to use it again one day. I also don't think you especially need to use old lenses on it. I.e. I wouldn't keep a set of old lenses just because you want to use them with film alone. Just share the same lenses for film and digital?

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Edited February 6, 2019 by Mark T

[luigi bertolotti]

3 hours ago, Rob L said:

 

So am I crazy to keep 8 modern lenses and sell the 6 vintage lenses that I worked so hard to find?

 

 

Imho, YES : for a lover of lenses (you are, clearly, an me too…) my methodology is :

- keep ONE set of modern lenses for normal use : large as you like… but with few or no double-focals : i use 21 f2,8 asph 28 f2,8 35 f2 asph 50 f2 (+f1,4) , 75 f2,5 90 f4 (+ f2) 135 f3,4 (choosing a certain subset of 3-4 depending on day's situation.. the long teles are a world apart…  for specific tasks...)

- and collect tons of vintage for the pleasure of, and occasional use (and so was that I have around 75 lenses… 15 90s, just to make an example... )

But we are clearly on an irrational mood… so, any choice is PERFECT if you LIKE TO DO SO.

 

Edited February 6, 2019 by luigi bertolotti

[pgk]

4 hours ago, Rob L said:

I really like the Summarits better than the Mandler 50 ver V and 35 ver IV. 

So am I crazy to keep 8 modern lenses and sell the 6 vintage lenses that I worked so hard to find? 

If you are talking about retaining gear to use, as opposed to keeping it together as a collection, I think that you have answered the question yourself. Personally I have a mix of Mandler and newer lenses. All see use and I'm always enjoy using the older lenses but I too didn't care for some of the ergonomics and especially the hood fittings. The problem is that you will probably regret selling stuff so unless you need the money it may still be worth retaining.

[Rob L]

Thanks for the replies above. All good points. Yes it makes no sense to have two modern 28s and 75s. The 28 Elmarit ASPH II is no smaller than the Summicron, just a bit lighter. A smart solution would be to keep the "A" team along with the Summarit 35 & 50. And probably keep the M4 and 50 Rigid and 35 Summaron.

[Ko.Fe.]

You will do three good things.

I know it for sure.

I was hording on film M and then realized no need to. One M and couple of other film cameras as backup, then M needs service.

I was hording on digital M as well, but then I realized here is no need for it with another digital cameras in possession.

 

First of all you will sell two not abused M cameras. Where are still many who still using film and need working M.

Then you will sell your two M10 for less, because M11 will come. Some one will look for slightly used M10s, for sure.

And third, you will buy (obviously) film M again and helping someone to sell it and get money to buy slightly used M10.

 

As for lenses, hording on them is common as well. I did it and then realized what if I'm into photography I need just a three maximum. Just like HCB. Or GW. 

 

[DickieT]

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I am not sure I understand your A & B team methodology. I simply choose from the various lenses that I have depending on what I am shooting and my mood. As for selling - what makes you think you won't regret selling again in a few years? What do you think will be different ?

I agree with some of the film comments above - you will trade your digital bodies, but not your film ones. I am reverting more and more back to film, something I would not have expected 5 years ago. I am glad that I have kept my old stuff. I you buy 'good' there is no need to sell

[jdlaing]

Never sell a lens.

[Stein K S]

Listen to jdlaing! ,-)

 

I basically own the same ¨A team¨ and ¨B team¨ as you own. And I truly would be anxious selling of any of these lenses... being very convinced that I would regret it. That said, it seems that GAS luckily has ¨stabelized¨ recognizing that I really have what I need incl classic & modern looks.

A good place to be 😉

 

Good luck!

[Rob L]

Yes, I really have no desire for more Leica lenses. 28 Summilux is too big, 50 and 75 Noctiluxes are too big and too expensive. That's a big plus for me with Leica. I have a Sony A7RIII and every 6 months some great new lens comes out for that system. I may sell off the sony stuff!

[rrdiaz30]

8 hours ago, jdlaing said:

Never sell a lens.

Truth!  You just end up buying them back later on.

[jdlaing]

3 hours ago, rrdiaz30 said:

Truth!  You just end up buying them back later on.

If yo

 

3 hours ago, rrdiaz30 said:

Truth!  You just end up buying them back later on.

 

11 hours ago, Stein K S said:

Listen to jdlaing! ,-)

 

I basically own the same ¨A team¨ and ¨B team¨ as you own. And I truly would be anxious selling of any of these lenses... being very convinced that I would regret it. That said, it seems that GAS luckily has ¨stabelized¨ recognizing that I really have what I need incl classic & modern looks.

A good place to be 😉

 

Good luck!

If you don’t buy them back you will surely regret selling them. If they are true duplicates sell only the worst one.

[bocaburger]

Been down this road.  At one time i owned a full set of ASPHs, found the hype was exaggerated, sold all of them and kept the older ones.  My only regret is not waiting a few more years before selling, as I could’ve tripled my money.  

[Mute-on]

Keep the lenses that are not being produced any more.  They will be much, much harder to replace than current production lenses. 

Of course replacing any of them in the future will almost inevitably cost you more than whatever you received when you sold them.

Lastly, never sell a Leica lens

Edited February 7, 2019 by Mute-on

[Peter Zapp]

I joined in the mid 1990s with a demo M6, demo or second-hand lenses from those who were upgrading inventories to aspherical or apochromatic. There were plenty of Summilux, Summicron, Elmarit and Telyt in the shops, many in pristine condition, no need to go for new, but budget Voigtländer or budget Summarit. R3, M4-2, M2 and M3 with contemporary lenses followed. My mid-size city had a brick-and-mortar shop with regular Leica offerings. All gone today.

Only the M6, R3 and 180/3.4 lost in value. Bread-and-butter R-glass at least kept its value, because I bought at minimum prices, before adapting to mirrorless became popular. Todays pricing in particular of the Mandler-lenses make me scratch my head. In retrospect it was better to use E-mount lenses on E-mount bodies rather than to wear or to sell my Leica glass.

We will loose the ability to make bodies for film. On the other hand sensor/processor technology will trickle down and further miniaturise. One day I expect a third-party, full-frame digital M body. Collectors will still need contemporary film bodies to complement their lenses. A small community of enthusiasts for black & white film will survive. Eventually we get a digital pack that replaces the film door and fits into the film compartment. This will drive prices of vintage M, lenses and to a lesser extend film bodies.