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Noctilux Demand


Guest Essemmlee

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Guest Essemmlee

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It's been said many times on this forum what a desirable and high quality lens the Noctilux f1.0 is and how difficult it is to find one these days.

 

I have one for sale (or swap for WATE) on Leica classsifieds. It is a superb lens in first class condition providing continuously excellent results.

 

There have been about 270 views but only two half hearted enquiries. There can not be the demand that is constantly described here or it would have sold in 5 minutes.

 

It's a strange one!

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Guest Essemmlee

It's my psychology that's at fault.

 

I never thought that a price would be required and that potential buyers would try to bid a low price which I might have accepted.

 

I really wanted a swap with a WATE owner who'd had enough of the so called difficulties of that lens's use, but I would accept £1750 - about 50% of the new UK price.

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That amounts to about €2500, which is more or less the going price for absolutely mint current copies on eBay. You may have to do some more waiting at that price, especially with the older packaging. If you want it to move faster, €2200-2300 would be more in the right ballpark. Note that I am not trying to drive the price down. I am getting a Noctilux as my 30% off lens.

 

You should probably add a price to the ad.

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Guest Essemmlee

Thanks for the advice Carsten.

 

I accept that the price is the same as the Ebay price (if you can find one). But this lens isn't in the slightest bit dodgy and is in 'as new' condition. I think the difficulty is that this is the value it has for me. If I can't sell it at that price I may as well keep it.

 

I'd really like to trade it though.

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The WATE is so new that supply has not caught up with demand yet. The people who are disappointed will in general not need a Noctilux :) Those who do get rid of their WATE will probably get better prices than €2500. You could try offering a small amount on top, or at least mention that it is a possibility.

 

It might be helpful to do some focus testing, including stopping down, and if there are no problems, then to back that up in the ad. I would never buy a 35 Lux Asph, 50 Lux Asph or Noctilux without this issue explicitly mentioned in the ad, after all the threads around here.

 

Good luck.

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Guest Essemmlee

It's likely that all of your answers are correct and I thank you for them. I will alter the ad accordingly but any potential buyer could negotiate anyway. That would be perectly normal procedure. I negotiate with the retail stores when buying anything new - even Leica equipment.

 

Equally, If someone had a WATE that potentially was a direct trade deal I would be happy to add cash if required. It's all a question of negotiation.

 

Still, there doesn't seem to be much interest in asking questions relating to the price or any other trade deal. There's been more response in this forum.

 

Is the Noctilux the dream ticket?

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The Noctilux may be a dream ticket but you might not like it when you get to your destination. My Nocti focussing mount is getting worse and worse and it's about to get its own dream ticket, via DHL, for a (probably extended) vacation and respite care in Solms.

 

An in-depth assessment of the cheap plastic Nocti hood: Pants - you only have to look at it for it to show scuff marks. Personally, I prefer the 75/1.4, which has a beautifully made pull out hood.

 

As for exchanging a WATE for a Nocti, I doubt there are many people who think "I don't like the WATE, maybe the Nocti is what I need". They are more likely to go for alternative wide-angle solutions, maybe a CV 15mm and 24mm Elmarit.

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I will alter the ad accordingly but any potential buyer could negotiate anyway. That would be perectly normal procedure. I negotiate with the retail stores when buying anything new - even Leica equipment.

 

I think you have to pitch the sale differently when you're selling to an individual. People like to know a starting point - even if they try to get you to sell it for less than you're asking.

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Guest Essemmlee

These are all fair comments and I thank you for them. Interestingly I have had a few enquiries since this post was upped.

 

It is right that trying to trade for a WATE was going to be difficult for all the reasons you mention but if you don't ask you don't get.

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It's been said many times on this forum what a desirable and high quality lens the Noctilux f1.0 is ........It's a strange one!

 

May I beg to differ?

 

I have said repeatedly on this forum that as far as the M8 is concerned the Noctilux is no longer the desirable lens it once was and as for being high quality – that requires a very particular view of what constitutes quality.

 

It is a 30+year old design whose inherent limitations have been ruthlessly exposed by the M8. The Noctilux’s advantages at the time of its launch, i.e. speed and very low flare, are now either unnecessary or have actually been surpassed.

 

I’ve sold mine and would caution anyone contemplating buying one for use on an M8 to think long and hard. It might just be what someone needs – but it will probably be a disappointment.

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May I beg to differ?

 

I’ve sold mine and would caution anyone contemplating buying one for use on an M8 to think long and hard. It might just be what someone needs – but it will probably be a disappointment.

 

Man....talk about pissing on the guy's fire! if u were not happy with yr noctilux, then perhaps a separate thread would have sufficed. The problem with the nocti and the M8 is not restricted to that lens, it also applies to the 50mm summilux and the 75mm lux...both of which r brand new lens! :confused:

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I think the opposite could equally well be said, ie. the M8 has fixed the Noctilux's worst flaws. The corners are gone, and the focal length is even better now for portraits, its true strength. It is clearly a question of taste, not of fact, and my taste tells me that this is my 30% lens.

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Guest Essemmlee

So..........it's a rubbish lens. No.........it's a great lens.

 

It certainly invites controversy not least because of it's heavy pricing - which no doubt will be increased shortly.

 

There was a recent (large) thread that portrayed some of the finest images I've seen in this forum and they were all taken with a Noctilux. That says it all for me.

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The Noctilux is unique, irrespective of its antecedents and I thought it was updated a bit more recently than 30 years ago. I don't think any Nocti owner would say it is the lens for everyone but the way it takes images cannot be reproduced by any other lens. Taken at slow speed trying to get lantern tracks but not quite slow enough.

 

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Its not a rubbish lens,but just not designed for the M8,thats why i sold my noctilux and brought a 50 f1.4 asph which is smaller and better suited for my needs than a noctilux.

 

As someone said earlier the noctilux was designed over 30 years ago with film in mind,

 

Cheers

Matthew.

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I really wanted a swap with a WATE owner who'd had enough of the so called difficulties of that lens's use, but I would accept £1750 - about 50% of the new UK price.

 

Maybe the problem of selling it here is that some people still remember that you bought it only 3 weeks ago for £1000, after a lot of advice from this forum:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/30009-noctilux-f1-0-located.html

 

Nothing wrong with making a profit but please don't make it look as if it is your most precious item you're parting with.

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Maybe the problem of selling it here is that some people still remember that you bought it only 3 weeks ago for £1000, after a lot of advice from this forum:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/30009-noctilux-f1-0-located.html

Nothing wrong with making a profit but please don't make it look as if it is your most precious item you're parting with.

 

Thanks for bringing that up, Guido. I was wondering about that myself.

In fact, it was just a few hours ago that Guido pointed out that thread to me as an example of how another member had been advised by the forum in purchasing a classic Leica lens.

So why sell it again so soon? It just wasn't what you had expected? Difficult to use? This is not intended to be denigratory in any way ... just curious. :)

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