The prices of Leica Glass Lens and Voigtlander Lens

[as.photoportfolio]

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Hello everyone

Leica glass lens and voigtlander can hold or until grow the price along the years? Thanks for the help

[rramesh]

I could say that it would depend on your age and expected lifespan.

Just buy and use them! 

[pippy]

11 hours ago, as.photoportfolio said:

Hello everyone

Leica glass lens and voigtlander can hold or until grow the price along the years? Thanks for the help

Some of the older, rarer Leica lenses are worth a lot more now than they cost when new. The original 50mm f1.2 Noctilux, for example, if in excellent condition is very sought- after by collectors.

Of course you would have needed to buy one and wait some 55 years to realise that profit.

Voigtländer lenses, in general, lose value down to a point and stay roughly in the same place.

Gross generalisation but there is FAR more to your question than you imagine.

P.

[TomB_tx]

I bought my Summicrons in 1968-69. They would sell for more now, but if adjusted for inflation it would still be a loss. Don't buy photo gear thinking it is an investment, as there are no guarantees. Buy what you want to use, and use it. I've never sold a Leica camera or lens, and don't intend to, so I don't care what used prices are.

(BTW, I had a chance to buy a new Noctilux 50 1.2 in 1969 for about $680, and passed on it because the Summicon f2 was smaller, lighter and more useful. Never regretted it.

Edited September 10, 2023 by TomB_tx

[RexGig0]

Only a select few Leica lenses have “investment value,” which is dependent upon the desirability of each individual lens. Desirability is difficult to predict. With lenses, or any number of other items, rarity is NOT, necessarily, a significant factor in desirability.

One cannot hope to recover the best value, by selling quickly. Some pre-owned lenses are listed, and do not sell for a quite long time.

Carefully-selected Leica lenses will tend to hold their value, if one buys them pre-owned, in excellent condition, and is careful while using them. The introduction of a successor model can affect resale value. My first Leica lens, a Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, maintained its value quite well, for several years, until the Version II, with Close Focus, was recently introduced, and, even so, the value did not plunge precipitously, probably because owners of this Summilux tend to love their lenses.

Even fewer Cosina Voigtlander lenses will increase in value. Some special-edition silver-tone-finished Nokton 35mm M-mount lenses, originally marketed only in Japan, became collectible, for example. A Cosina Voigtlander 125mm macro lens, made for SLRs, became legendary, and are now collectible. Most Cosina Voigtlander lenses have a resale value consoderably lower than their original selling price.

One discontinued Zeiss ZM lens, the 85mm f/2 ZM, became collectible. Its asking prices are quite high. Notably, this one was not made by Cosina, but by Zeiss, itself, in Germany. The other Zeiss ZM lens that is/was made in Germany, the Distagon 15mm ZM, sells pre-owned for about half of its original new price, and asking prices have been slowly declining.

Notably, Voigtlander lenses were manufactured in the past, in Germany. Cosina, a Japanese manufacturer, has licensed the right to use the Voitglander brand. In this forum, “CV” is often used to specify Cosina Voigtlander lenses. Cosina has manufactured all but two of the Zeiss ZM lenses. 

Edited September 10, 2023 by RexGig0

[tappan]

For instance, maybe the silver edition of the macro Elmar 90mm might hold value if mint, who knows. 
These tools are so unique, but also so very awesome to USE.
Mark

[Bobonli]

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RU trolling? New member asking same question word for word in duplicate threads and haven't responded since posting original question!

[FrozenInTime]

3 hours ago, Bobonli said:

RU trolling? New member asking same question word for word in duplicate threads and haven't responded since posting original question!

Infiltration then play with our minds … how long before the only M worth having is the reworked type 240 aka. the Zenit-M with Zenitar 35/1 lens 😉 

[Huss]

23 hours ago, FrozenInTime said:

Infiltration then play with our minds … how long before the only M worth having is the reworked type 240 aka. the Zenit-M with Zenitar 35/1 lens 😉 

I akshully thought the style of the Zenit M is very cool.  Has some M5 influence to it.  I would have bought one if I was stinking rich.  At the moment I've only got the stinking part down.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Huss

[Huss]

The only new Leica lenses that are an investment are the limited edition ones.  Those sell out immediately, and a few months later are worth thousands more.

eg black paint Summaron 28 5.6.  Matte black Summicron 28 Asph v2.

Anything else?  Nope.

[farnz]

7 hours ago, Huss said:

Anything else?  Nope.

Silver chrome 50/1.2 Noctilux asph reissue.

Pete.

[Ouroboros]

The numerous cars I owned in my younger days would each be worth several £1000’s by now.

God knows why, they were all crap!

[fil-m]

Many (old) Leica lenses produced in limited quantities, over a short run and then later rediscovered by amateurs or collectors grew in value. Many examples like the Summicron 35 v1 (8 elements), the Summilux 35 ASPHERICAL 11873, the SteelRim 35, the Noctilux 50 1.2 etc etc

Those who bought them and kept them in good condition while they were cheap benefited (A LOT!). Buying any of these today can still be interesting - at least if found at "reasonable" prices and great condition  The Summicron 8e might have IMHO more margin to grow, at least for "like new" samples.

Most of these models (that appreciated a lot) had their production stopped after a limited run (a few years), either because they were tough to produce (early aspherical models were tough to make) or used rare earth materials that were progressively phased out - but these are not the only reasons. 

Obviously the relatively recent "limited edition" models with mostly different "colors" can appreciate (sometimes a lot), but it is tough to predict or bet which ones will mostly benefit. An educated guess at most! The matt summation 28 did well, the famed silver chrome Noctilux 50/1.2 (remake) did remarkably well!

[Huss]

15 hours ago, farnz said:

Silver chrome 50/1.2 Noctilux asph reissue.

Pete.

If that is a limited edition lens, then yes.  That's my point - only limited edition lenses.

[as.photoportfolio]

Thanks guys for sharing your knowledge!