Please critique lens, about to buy

[yaominator]

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Hey all!

 

again im in the market for a summilux 35mm pre asph. Found these 2 candidates on ebay, also both have a substantial price difference between them.

please help me critique which is the better buy and better quality, also if the price si fair.

 

thank you

 

#1. https://www.ebay.com/itm/364732332593?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=-hoqcnvkrd-&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=JMINvpdERoK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

#2. https://www.ebay.com/itm/335241554286?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Ss6wVUrLSO6&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=JMINvpdERoK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

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[Pyrogallol]

I have bought a lot of cameras/lenses on e Bay but would be reluctant to spend that much money, see what a “real” dealer has to offer. These are two with 35mm Summiluxes.

https://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/248-m-lenses?q=Focal+Length-35mm

https://www.peterloy.com/stock-list/

[spydrxx]

When spending that much money, go to a dealer and personally inspect and test out the lenses before purchase, and get a guarantee with  no questions asked return privileges.

[TomB_tx]

23 minutes ago, spydrxx said:

When spending that much money, go to a dealer and personally inspect and test out the lenses before purchase, and get a guarantee with  no questions asked return privileges.

Great advice - but many of us live where a Leica dealer isn't within driving range.

[yaominator]

14 minutes ago, TomB_tx said:

Great advice - but many of us live where a Leica dealer isn't within driving range.

very true

 

[patrickcolpron]

3 hours ago, yaominator said:

again im in the market for a summilux 35mm pre asph. Found these 2 candidates on ebay, also both have a substantial price difference between them.

please help me critique which is the better buy and better quality, also if the price si fair.

I just took a quick look and wouldn't buy either because I have no real clue about these sellers, seems like they have low review counts. This said the second seller has more Leica sold items with 100% feedback and some high ticket items. This is a case of buy the seller not the lens, I'd buy from the second one and pay more for peace of mind.  

I have made purchase on eBay before from Foto-Goerlitz and was surprisingly very satisfied, his descriptions are 100% accurate and he's a solid seller.

Buy the seller, not the lens when using eBay  

[brickftl]

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I agree with the others. To spend this much on a lens I'd get it from a reputable online seller such as the above listed ones, or also KEH and MPB. In the case of the last two, and perhaps the ones listed above, for not much more you can get a 2 or 3 year warranty that covers defects as well as accidents.

That said, I spent $400 on a cv 35/2 ultron from a Japanese seller. It came in mint condition exactly as described, and I do know that when you use paypal on eBay, if there's any problem at all, PayPal will refund your money and pull it back from the seller. For a relatively inexpensive purchase like $400 I was willing to go with eBay. 

And if you don't feel you'd need a warranty, I'd recommend buying from a private seller on Fred Miranda so long as they have a substantial number of "great" ratings.

[69xchange]

9 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Some 35 pre-asph have a problem on digital with protruding lens cluster/element. Make sure yours (if you use digital) is not the one. On film it is OK. The later serial will also be better, due to age concerns.

This is true. I bought a pre-asph and had to send it in as it could not focus to infinity on my digital M body.

if unsure if your lens has this issue, set it to minimum focus distance first then mount the lens on the digital body. Next, slowly focus towards infinity. If you start feeling resistance, then stop and go back to minimum focus distance and dismount.  
 

 

[Danner]

11 hours ago, spydrxx said:

When spending that much money, go to a dealer and personally inspect and test out the lenses before purchase, and get a guarantee with  no questions asked return privileges.

Not an option for most of us.  There are just a tiny handful of Leica dealers in America, and America is a big place.

[hansvons]

17 hours ago, patrickcolpron said:

Buy the seller, not the lens when using eBay

This.

Foto Goerlitz on eBay is a reputable seller from whom I bought freshly CLAed lenses and a camera. His offerings are not cheap but worth it. 

[andybarton]

7 hours ago, Danner said:

Not an option for most of us.  There are just a tiny handful of Leica dealers in America, and America is a big place.

But if you buy from one of them on line, you know who they are and can rely on their returns policy, and warranty.

[costa43]

Hi

It seems the 2nd link you posted has been sold/removed already but 4k dollars for this lens is a little steep imo unless it is a sought after version. The first option has light haze according to the description, with there being a plethora of cleaner options available, I would avoid that one.

I've recently purchased one at the 2nd attempt and It's always best advice to purchase from a trusted source where you can return it but there are some excellent deals to be had if you shop around.

I would suggest also looking at the classifieds and country specific auction sites in various European countries. Yes it is a risk, but with some due diligence, there are BIG bargains to be found. Many sites offer protection to the buyer if things are not as described.

Best of luck,

Costa

[Danner]

9 hours ago, andybarton said:

But if you buy from one of them on line, you know who they are and can rely on their returns policy, and warranty.

Indeed.  Leica Store Miami is very good, and the place I go to for 'lifetime' purchases, such as my beautiful KoB 35 'Cron.  Although, the prices tend toward 'retail', but for 'lifetime' lens, I don't mind paying a bit of a premium.

[LINHOF_]

I would recommend using Facebook Marketplace and dealing with sellers locally because you can avoid paying taxes and shipping. When dealing with a local seller, try to arrange to meet them in a bank during business hours so that the bank can handle all cash transactions, either through a teller or ATM.  Also spend as much as time you need to check the lens.  Recently, I sold and bought lenses at a local Chase bank, and I felt completely safe spending my time there. The buyer handed me the cash, which I deposited into an ATM right away.

Please note that there are definitely scams within Craigslist or Facebook listings, but you can usually figure it out by engaging in conversation with the seller. I usually check if the seller's account was created recently and review their history. Ask them how long they've had the item and why they're selling it. It just requires a lot of patience, and don't rush to buy anything on eBay.  80% of the ebay listings are either overpriced or junk.  Two weeks ago, I purchased a 35mm Pre-A lens for low $2K, and the condition is amazing for a 40-year-old lens.  However, I had to drive all the way from NYC to Philly to meet the seller, but we ended up became IG friend and it was such a pleasure to deal with him on Facebook market place.   

 

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Edited March 11, 2024 by LINHOF_