What is the longest time you pondered a lens, and which one?

[charlesphoto99]

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19 hours ago, setuporg said:

With the 35 steel rim Lux reissue,

The 35 1.4 pre-asph was my first Leica lens, in 1996. And man I couldn't wait to get rid of it! Now people want to pay a premium for that 'look.' Funny world we live in...

(and the lens that took me decades to finally buy: 50mm Lux Asph.). 

Edited November 11, 2023 by charlesphoto99

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[TomB_tx]

I had a chance to buy a new Noctilux 1.2 for under $700 in 1969 - I'm still pondering... still can't afford one.

[yanidel]

Almost hit the trigger several times for a 35mm UC Hexanon, but would have had to import it from Japan which was an annoyance. One day if one of pops up closer and I can afford it, then I will. Ask again in 10 years.

[Eoin]

I miss the Summicron 28 ASPH from my M8 days, a rather simple fix, but further complicated by newer versions of the Cron 28. I'm also mesmerised by the enchanting Summilux 28's signature. I've put off the choice for too long, but a decision will dictate which 50 f/2 APO I also add. I don't have a 50 but I want one for Monochrome.

[newtoleica]

On 11/8/2023 at 2:42 AM, hmzimelka said:

On 11/10/2023 at 12:59 PM, spydrxx said:

Different take. Several lenses (Leica and other mfrs.). I generally buy used lenses, so if one of interest shows up on that big auction site, or elsewhere, I check seller's details of the lens, prices and seller's credibility, whether there is a liberal return policy, whether the buyer will negotiate on a stated price, or it is an auction item, what recent sales prices for the item (or similar ones) has been. I then go back and research the users' comments and reviews on a lens. Finally, I check my bank or credit balances and make a go or nogo decision. Usual timeframe can range from an hour to 2-3 days. If I think an item is overpriced I just wait for another to show up or search for alternatives if there is a pressing need. Over the years I've only bought 1 new Leica lens and lots of used ones, and 3-4 new lenses of other mfrs.

Agree with this. I have never bought a new lens or a new car….  No point in taking the drop. 

[Winedemonium]

8.5cm Summarex. 10 years. Still thinking about it. 

[Indeepthought]

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I must be one of those that don’t ponder’ I sleep on my choice/decision, by 10am the following morning after waking up I either go ahead and order or decide no. 🍷

[graphlex]

75mm Summilux

[adan]

1 hour ago, Indeepthought said:

I must be one of those that don’t ponder’ I sleep on my choice/decision, by 10am the following morning after waking up I either go ahead and order or decide no. 🍷

Same here - although I figure even sleeping on a decision is usually excessive.

The best things in my life have always been snap decisions (at least since I became old enough to make my own decisions).

Something either grabs me instantly by the - uhh, whatever. Or it doesn't pass the test.

Whether it be lenses, cameras, photographic moments, schools, careers, apartments, houses, and lovers (including the one I have spent my life with); I either fell instantly in love, or the moment passed.

"If there is doubt - there is no doubt." "Carpe Diem." "Strike while the iron is hot." "Marry in haste - repent...never!"

Contemplation and pondering are for monks (but at the same time, slothful, which is a deadly sin. Interesting contradiction there ). A waste of the few hours and days we are given in this life.

[Danner]

It took me a couple years to pull the trigger on a v4 35 'cron-M.  My Zeiss 35 was serving me well, so I waited for a nice copy to come available.  No regrets.

[Indeepthought]

2 minutes ago, Danner said:

It took me a couple years to pull the trigger on a v4 35 'cron-M.  My Zeiss 35 was serving me well, so I waited for a nice copy to come available.  No regrets.

Everyone at their own speed making their own decisions ~ Welcome to Life

[jaeger]

On 11/11/2023 at 12:40 AM, fil-m said:

Well when I decided that I should look for a Sx24, I relied on my time intensive "trick" to set Google's search advanced settings targeting different EU countries, so I spent time looking until I found an Italian shop in a relatively small city, selling what remains from their old Leica stock and that included one SX21, one SX24 (the one I bought) and two Summarits 75 and 90. The shop's called "otticacentrale.it", you can look for what they still have under "Offerte". So I called them, they are very nice, and bought the SX24.  

I am sorry there are none of the SX24 left from new old stock, at least from what I see, but eventually you might find on eBay as some "like new" units pop from time to time. I recommend that you try eBay.de, activate automatic translation. Often when you contact sellers who don't ship to outside their country or the EU, you might find that they accept to make exceptions. 

Sorry I can't help more but if I stumble on a NOS unit, I'll inform you. Good luck finding. 

Sorry for the confusion, I have one myself.  I was just curious there are still new old stock out there.  Congrats you found the last one.  It's an AMAZING lens!

[sebben]

Been pondering a 50mm Summilux ASPH 0.7m for about 19 years. Still not convinced if I need it or not. Will it make a meaningful difference to my life?

 

 

[sebben]

17 hours ago, ValerieD said:

35 FLE. I ponder it because it ticks all the boxes for me, but I dislike every single photo that I've ever seen out of it. 

I had a similar feeling about it. In the end I bought it. I’m wouldn’t go so far as to say that I hate every image out of it but I’m not thrilled by it. I just wish the 35mm Summicron ASPH was better in the corners. Every copy I have had has always disappointed me. Don’t want a 35 APO because of the close focus and the price. 
 

Why can’t Leica make a relatively affordable well performing 35mm that isn’t huge or ultra expensive?

[charlesphoto99]

2 hours ago, sebben said:

I had a similar feeling about it. In the end I bought it. I’m wouldn’t go so far as to say that I hate every image out of it but I’m not thrilled by it. I just wish the 35mm Summicron ASPH was better in the corners. Every copy I have had has always disappointed me. Don’t want a 35 APO because of the close focus and the price. 
 

Why can’t Leica make a relatively affordable well performing 35mm that isn’t huge or ultra expensive?

They did. It's called the 2.4/2.5 Summarit. Only problem is it doesn't focus as close (1m only), and the focus throw is a bit on the short side. I don't use 35 often (traded my 35 Lux Asph pre-FLE for my M10-R black paint) so grabbed a 2.5 version of one of these. 

[sebben]

4 minutes ago, charlesphoto99 said:

They did. It's called the 2.4/2.5 Summarit. Only problem is it doesn't focus as close (1m only), and the focus throw is a bit on the short side. I don't use 35 often (traded my 35 Lux Asph pre-FLE for my M10-R black paint) so grabbed a 2.5 version of one of these. 

I had the Summarit 35mm F2.4. The close focus on that one is 0.8m and I certainly missed the 0.7m. Also the lens was not very well built. The focus throw was very loose as was the aperture ring which was very easily nudged. 

If you check the MTF you can see that it basically performs like the Summicron. AKA. Soft corners. 

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[Jeff S]

20 hours ago, adan said:

Whether it be lenses, cameras, photographic moments, schools, careers, apartments, houses, and lovers (including the one I have spent my life with); I either fell instantly in love, or the moment passed.

 

I obviously can’t speak to the rest of your life, but with regard to cameras and lenses, your posts here over many years often seem to reflect intricate analyses and even testing.  So your decisions may be quick, but perhaps after you’ve studied every aspect down to the minutiae.  If I recall, I think you debated for a long time about buying a particular camera… a Monochrom? 
 

None of my business or concern.  But your comment made me pause, as your forum commentary seems to be far more “Dr. Analysis” than “Mr. Gut Feel/Spontaneity”. 😁

Jeff

[IkarusJohn]

Depends.

I was waiting for the 28 Summilux to break cover, and bought it as soon as it was released.

Conversely, I have a love hate relationship with 35mm.  My first Leica lens was the 35 Summicron ASPH - it was okay, but I preferred the 50 Summilux ASPH, so sold it.  Then bought a 35 Summilux ASPH (FLE), hated it.  Got another one with my M Edition 60, loved it’s build, but hated its images.  Picked up a Summilux pre-asph v2, and still trying to come to grips with it.  Tried the 35 Distagon, and loved its build and haptics, but found it too contrasty.

Liked the look of the APO Summicron, but baulked at the price.  Had a loose arrangement with the local dealer, turned down 4 of them, til I succombed after a couple of years.  Very happy.

Have bought 2 Elmarit-R 180/2.8 - stupid to sell the first, lucky the second was better!

Not selling or buying any more lenses … he says …

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[Fedro]

the apo is great, but it is not that much smaller or lighter than the FLE .. in fact I think they weigh roughly the same

[adan]

3 hours ago, Jeff S said:

I obviously can’t speak to the rest of your life, but with regard to cameras and lenses, your posts here over many years often seem to reflect intricate analyses and even testing.  So your decisions may be quick, but perhaps after you’ve studied every aspect down to the minutiae.  If I recall, I think you debated for a long time about buying a particular camera… a Monochrom? 
 

None of my business or concern.  But your comment made me pause, as your forum commentary seems to be far more “Dr. Analysis” than “Mr. Gut Feel/Spontaneity”. 😁

Jeff

Fair comment - although between dpreview (30-minute reads) and digital testing, even "pondering and analysis" can be pretty fast, these days.

This past weekend, I just "pondered" a 50mm Summicron-M v4 that popped up on the local store shelf - a lens that had never really been on my radar - for all of two days.

Against my present v3 Summicron, and a Zeiss ZM 50 Sonnar that was handy. Also handy was a event shoot Friday night, where the Summicrons/Sonnar went head to head (my store has a weekend sign-out policy for used gear).

(For those interested, the v4 won - just barely. The "pondering" was brief but complicated. It is taking 4 days to do the deal only because I was busy editing the shoot and "pondering" on Saturday, and the shop was closed Sunday. 😁) 

And it is fair to say my "snap judgements" have sometimes been sequential - no, no, no, no, yes - over up to two decades, depending on what deals I happen to run across "live" in stores.

Or sometimes just as important - changing times, changing situations.

The 75 Summilux is one example: I spent virtually zero time contemplating that lens - but I would try one if I ran across it (along with almost every unique lens type I ever ran across - I'll try anything, whether I have pondered it or not). The snap judgement was always "no."

Until the day the M9 came out, and at the reveal event I went to, I tried the rep's personal Summilux. And realized that between the insignificant M9 increase in usable ISO over the M8, and the loss of the crop factor in the studio, the time had come for the tight-framing, f/1.4 Summilux. Had my own as fast as Tamarkin could ship one (~ 3 days).

And then (11 years later) along came a used 75mm f/1.5 Nokton - at 42% less weight than a Summilux. And that was another snap decision. A few quick shots in the store, and off I went with it.

It is the case that for years I pondered - generically - the idea of a really light-weight, fast 75mm M, from Leica or anyone else. Before it even existed, I dreamed of a possible 360g 75 APO-Summicron-M (or faster). The 440g reality was a bit of a let-down.

So perhaps that can be filed under "Chance favors the prepared mind."