Light Lens Lab 50mm f/2 "Rigid" Announcement

[t00l1024]

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Since I know many here like their lenses.. https://lightlenslab.com/blogs/upcoming-project/light-lens-lab-50mm-f-2-rigid-announcement

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[aficionados]

I will take it for half price 

 

[Vanillasludge]

Since the real thing is not that expensive I don’t see the allure.  The resale value of these knockoff lenses has been pretty bad, while a real one generally goes up in price.   

[mdg1371]

2 hours ago, Vanillasludge said:

Since the real thing is not that expensive I don’t see the allure.  The resale value of these knockoff lenses has been pretty bad, while a real one generally goes up in price.   

I think there are some attractive aspects-

.7m minimum focus distance — this is huge.

harder coatings

clean new glass with no necessary CLA and no potential for hazing due to obsolete cements

likely calibrated correctly out of box so no immediate need for a CLA- film era lenses are almost never calibrated correctly for the precision of digital

new condition but useable, a truly mint rigid, I would tend to baby

I have a mint in box 35mm 8 element Wetzlar production, but I almost always take my LLL into the field- much less risk.

[aficionados]

2 hours ago, Vanillasludge said:

Since the real thing is not that expensive I don’t see the allure.  The resale value of these knockoff lenses has been pretty bad, while a real one generally goes up in price.   

I have a very credible and reliable salesman in China who is supposed to be authorized dealer of LLL, he also sells these lenses on eBay.

The word from him is Mr. Zhou gets arrogant these days thinking he and his product were in par with Leica brand, therefore instructed sales do not give any discounts whatsoever. However those things don’t sell and they keep selling it in deep discount in secret.

I got about 30-40% discount to the price listed on official website from China sales.

And you are absolutely correct about resale value. Nobody takes the second hand of LLL lenses for more than 1/3 of the original price.

As for this rigid version, you can easily find a nice copy for less than 800. Why do I have to pay this much for a knockoff ?

David from Toronto take notes please: be humble or don’t sell, you are not Leica and you will never be. 

[mdg1371]

3 hours ago, mdg1371 said:

I think there are some attractive aspects-

.7m minimum focus distance — this is huge.

harder coatings

clean new glass with no necessary CLA and no potential for hazing due to obsolete cements

likely calibrated correctly out of box so no immediate need for a CLA- film era lenses are almost never calibrated correctly for the precision of digital

new condition but useable, a truly mint rigid, I would tend to baby

I have a mint in box 35mm 8 element Wetzlar production, but I almost always take my LLL into the field- much less risk.

Oh, and I forgot to include, brass construction is a positive in my view. I do understand the objection to extra weight though..

[raizans]

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Show me the data!

Five used LLL lenses sold on eBay are still viewable:

1. $773.72 Elcan, black paint

2. $803.53 Elcan, black paint

Original MSRP: $799

https://lightlenslab.com/products/50mm-f2-elcan?variant=43179725848810

 

3. $1183.10 8-element, black paint

4. $1149.35 8-element, black paint

- Original MSRP: $1149

https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-eight-element?variant=43179650121962

 

5. $1129.55 8-element, black paint, collapsible LTM

- Original MSRP: $1149

https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-collapsible-eight-element?variant=43278985101546

[aficionados]

15 hours ago, raizans said:

Show me the data!

Five used LLL lenses sold on eBay are still viewable:

1. $773.72 Elcan, black paint

2. $803.53 Elcan, black paint

Original MSRP: $799

https://lightlenslab.com/products/50mm-f2-elcan?variant=43179725848810

 

3. $1183.10 8-element, black paint

4. $1149.35 8-element, black paint

- Original MSRP: $1149

https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-eight-element?variant=43179650121962

 

5. $1129.55 8-element, black paint, collapsible LTM

- Original MSRP: $1149

https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-collapsible-eight-element?variant=43278985101546

Only fools buy LLL lenses from eBay 

I find the eBay seller in China. Talk offline, walk into his/her home/store, hand the money and take the lens.

Edited December 14, 2024 by aficionados

[JimmyCheng]

19 hours ago, raizans said:

Show me the data!

Five used LLL lenses sold on eBay are still viewable:

1. $773.72 Elcan, black paint

2. $803.53 Elcan, black paint

Original MSRP: $799

https://lightlenslab.com/products/50mm-f2-elcan?variant=43179725848810

 

3. $1183.10 8-element, black paint

4. $1149.35 8-element, black paint

- Original MSRP: $1149

https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-eight-element?variant=43179650121962

 

5. $1129.55 8-element, black paint, collapsible LTM

- Original MSRP: $1149

https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-collapsible-eight-element?variant=43278985101546

you'd have to use a chinese app called "闲鱼", then again the listed price there is inflated (you can negotiate a much better price in general). Elcan goes for around 400 USD, 8E around 600 USD. And there are way more copies available there than on Ebay. 
But again, things are real cheap in China right now. Mint condition 0.95 Noctliux generally go for less than 6500 USD, some under 6000 (mint, with packaging and everything). So you could argue the chinese market is isolated. But those LLL lenses do have really poor after market value over there. 

Edited December 15, 2024 by JimmyCheng

[shirubadanieru]

Here in Japan fyi LLL lenses are sold in regular camera shops and the second hand price is pretty stable. 

[Stuart Richardson]

5 hours ago, aficionados said:

Only fools buy LLL lenses from eBay 

I find the eBay seller in China. Talk offline, walk into his/her home/store, hand the money and take the lens.

I have not bought any LLL lab lenses, but I think for many of us here, it would be a very long walk, followed by a very long swim and another walk and a few years of language instruction before we could walk into a Chinese ebay seller's house and haggle with them about the cost of a lens.

[graphlex]

I’m happy with my LLL SP2, having bought it as a special-purpose lens. Colors are Technicolorish, especially reds and pinks. Not an everyday workhorse, but interesting results. Tried the ELCAN and didn’t like it.

[aficionados]

3 hours ago, shirubadanieru said:

Here in Japan fyi LLL lenses are sold in regular camera shops and the second hand price is pretty stable. 

Japan is never a good place to buy anything, except rice cooker, unless the JPY dips below 200 to USD.

Edited December 15, 2024 by aficionados

[shirubadanieru]

59 minutes ago, aficionados said:

Japan is never a good place to buy anything, except rice cooker, unless the JPY dips below 200 to USD.

You sound like you know all the best places to buy stuff, so good for you.

If you live in Japan it is a pretty good place to buy things  

[costa43]

The OG rigid is reasonably priced for a Leica lens. Not sure about how successful this release will be but the more the merrier.

A 75mm Summilux reissue would be nice..

 

[costa43]

On 12/14/2024 at 3:00 AM, aficionados said:

I have a very credible and reliable salesman in China who is supposed to be authorized dealer of LLL, he also sells these lenses on eBay.

The word from him is Mr. Zhou gets arrogant these days thinking he and his product were in par with Leica brand, therefore instructed sales do not give any discounts whatsoever. However those things don’t sell and they keep selling it in deep discount in secret.

I got about 30-40% discount to the price listed on official website from China sales.

And you are absolutely correct about resale value. Nobody takes the second hand of LLL lenses for more than 1/3 of the original price.

As for this rigid version, you can easily find a nice copy for less than 800. Why do I have to pay this much for a knockoff ?

David from Toronto take notes please: be humble or don’t sell, you are not Leica and you will never be. 

Not sure about that. A used copy of the 35mm Summicron 8e reissue goes for close to RRP in Europe and the UK. Maybe it’s a regional thing. 

Edited December 18, 2024 by costa43

[Einst_Stein]

On 12/13/2024 at 6:00 PM, aficionados said:

I have a very credible and reliable salesman in China who is supposed to be authorized dealer of LLL, he also sells these lenses on eBay.

The word from him is Mr. Zhou gets arrogant these days thinking he and his product were in par with Leica brand, therefore instructed sales do not give any discounts whatsoever. However those things don’t sell and they keep selling it in deep discount in secret.

I got about 30-40% discount to the price listed on official website from China sales.

And you are absolutely correct about resale value. Nobody takes the second hand of LLL lenses for more than 1/3 of the original price.

As for this rigid version, you can easily find a nice copy for less than 800. Why do I have to pay this much for a knockoff ?

David from Toronto take notes please: be humble or don’t sell, you are not Leica and you will never be. 

Not sure if you are talking about my son.  I can get it for free from him.

[aficionados]

6 minutes ago, costa43 said:

Not sure about that. A used copy of the 35mm Summicron 8e reissue goes for close to RRP in Europe and the UK. Maybe it’s a regional thing. 

It;s definitely regional thing. Go to China, everything is 20-40% cheaper if you talk native.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Einst_Stein]

1 minute ago, aficionados said:

It;s definitely regional thing. Go to China, everything is 20-40% cheaper if you talk native.

30 years ago? 

Every time I visited China partners, I was asked to buy from US some iPhone or Apple stuffs even these are made in China.

 

[aficionados]

6 minutes ago, Einst_Stein said:

30 years ago? 

Every time I visited China partners, I was asked to buy from US some iPhone or Apple stuffs even these are made in China.

 

3 days ago I negotiated down this new rigid black brassing version for $520, and to be delivered at the beginning of Feb. 

sounds like 30 years ago to you?

knock off lenses have no value in second hand market in China. Therefore the brand new is heavily discounted there too.