To sell or not to sell (TL lenses)?

[Vel]

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I have the 35mm, 11-23mm and 55-135mm TL lenses which I bought for my T assuming that I could use them for decades with new Leica bodies. Given the seeming abandonment of the line by Leica, and the lack of other APS-C L mount cameras, I'd love to get your opinions on what the future is for these lenses? Assuming Leica doesn't surprise us with a CL2 or TL3, are these lenses going to be worthless? Or will they still be useable with adapters, and if so, how well?

 

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[wda]

Vel, to the contrary. Your lenses belong to a wider family, known as the L-mount group of manufacturers. Even if Leica chose to close their production of TL and CL cameras, with care they should last for a decade or more. They will also fit SL bodies, albeit slightly cropped, and the constant promotion of that line by Leica, suggests an even longer future for those models.

But wait a while. Times are difficult. Electronic components are suffering global shortages. Production plans have suffered. I suggest you continue to enjoy what you have, and stop worrying about the future. There might be surprises in store. 

One last thought. Take R-mount lenses. At one time they lay unsold on shelves. Now many are finding they perform well, with adapters, on modern digital bodies. Take heart!

[IkarusJohn]

With my TL 35 Summilux and 11-23 Vario-Elmarit, and my 24-90 for the SL, on my SL I then have 16-90mm covered in the 2 zooms and 50mm with the prime in full frame format.  I would then only be looking for a nice f/2.8 tele prime in SL mount …

[Louis]

Vei, this is a the problem we all have and Leica is not helping us much to make a decision about our gear!... This is the reason why we are so disappointed of Leica's attitude toward us, its users. I wish I could tell you to wait and see; but I have no idea how long a "wait" could last!

[Le Chef]

My question is not about selling the lenses, but whether I should buy a second CL body, assuming at this point there’s no CL2, or buy a Q2 as an alternative take on Leica.

[cpclee]

If I was a 

9 hours ago, Vel said:

I have the 35mm, 11-23mm and 55-135mm TL lenses which I bought for my T assuming that I could use them for decades with new Leica bodies. Given the seeming abandonment of the line by Leica, and the lack of other APS-C L mount cameras, I'd love to get your opinions on what the future is for these lenses? Assuming Leica doesn't surprise us with a CL2 or TL3, are these lenses going to be worthless? Or will they still be useable with adapters, and if so, how well?

 

If I were selfish I'd recommend you to sell as I'll be looking to scoop up some of those lenses for a song!.  But the chances of Leica never again producing some kind of L mount line compact camera is about nil.  

[Michael Markey]

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9 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

With my TL 35 Summilux and 11-23 Vario-Elmarit, and my 24-90 for the SL, on my SL I then have 16-90mm covered in the 2 zooms and 50mm with the prime in full frame format.  I would then only be looking for a nice f/2.8 tele prime in SL mount …

That`s how I`m looking at it (indeed how I`m tending to use them at the moment) and they are light .

[wda]

5 hours ago, Le Chef said:

My question is not about selling the lenses, but whether I should buy a second CL body, assuming at this point there’s no CL2, or buy a Q2 as an alternative take on Leica.

Not a bad idea, if you can find a new CL. Or, in the UK this week, Leica are promoting a very good value bundle of three silver lenses with a silver TL2, for under £4,000. What do you make of that?

Edited November 22, 2021 by wda

[M9reno]

1 hour ago, wda said:

Not a bad idea, if you can find a new CL. Or, in the UK this week, Leica are promoting a very good value bundle of three silver lenses with a silver TL2, for under £4,000. What do you make of that?

Depending on how many of these bundles they sell, I would imagine this type of “writing is on the wall” offer will tend to depress lens prices.  For me this is good news, as I would not mind buying at 35 and a 60 (or for that matter a second CL body) cheap.

[ruskkyle]

1 hour ago, wda said:

Not a bad idea, if you can find a new CL. Or, in the UK this week, Leica are promoting a very good value bundle of three silver lenses with a silver TL2, for under £4,000. What do you make of that?

Interesting, it was £5,000 last week..!

That is a hell of a deal.

[lct]

13 hours ago, Vel said:

Assuming Leica doesn't surprise us with a CL2 or TL3, are these lenses going to be worthless? Or will they still be useable with adapters, and if so, how well?

All L mount lenses should work fine on any L mount camera so i don't see any lens problem as long as you stay in the L mount family. Only a camera problem if Leica, Sigma or Panasonic don't launch a body compact enough possibly. At worst i will keep my CL as long as it works and get a Sigma FP-L or its Leica clone if any.