Kiwimac Posted May 19 Share #1 Posted May 19 Advertisement (gone after registration) Circa 2019, Leica produced a limited edition of the 50 Apo Summicron. It is essentially the same lens as the LHSA serial numbered ones but is finished in black chrome rather than black paint and does not have the engraved edition number or LHSA logo. However, Leica stated that the run would be limited to 700. The lens is full brass construction so is somewhat more dense than the standard one. The product number is 11811 if anyone wishes to look it up. I have found one for sale in as close to unused as makes no difference condition, complete with all the original boxes, papers and so forth. The price is not much more than buying the standard production lens and of course they are optically identical. It is really very lovely - a masterpiece of engineering and optical design. Even the lens cap is brass. However...I am wondering whether buying such a thing to use rather than to collect is sensible. Whilst I certainly do not abuse my gear it is inevitable that along my travels it will pick up some battle scars. In this case the premium for the limited version is very small (barely even USD500) so it is not as though I would be spending several additional thousands of dollars to get the unusual variant. Part of me says "Meh. They were built to be used - use them!" and another part of me says "No you Philistine! To use such an objet d'art would be an appalling travesty! Put it in a sealed glass case and gaze at it!" What do you think? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 19 Posted May 19 Hi Kiwimac, Take a look here Limited Edition lenses: should you buy them to use?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Eoin Posted May 19 Share #2 Posted May 19 You're kidding me right, at only $500 above the standard ... go for it, use it enjoy it, never look back, you'll always be ahead if you ever choose to sell it. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted May 19 Share #3 Posted May 19 It's a lens. It's meant to be used, not looked at. The fact that the price is good is an added bonus. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted May 19 Share #4 Posted May 19 4 minutes ago, Al Brown said: Photographers use, collectors collect. I know a few people who would argue these are not mutually exclusive.😉 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shlomo Posted May 19 Share #5 Posted May 19 (edited) Photography has something organic about it, it creates irretrievable memories, it is a very emotional and very individual art. A successful photo is fun and also makes you incredibly proud. What a shame it would be if you had to do without it. Go travelling, fly everywhere, stick your head in every corner, take pictures! Use the most valuable lenses, the most beautiful cameras, the most elegant shoes, put on your best tie and take pictures! Cheers, Shlomo Edited May 19 by Shlomo 6 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
overexposed Posted May 19 Share #6 Posted May 19 only 500 premium is damn good, schouten has like 2 of those lenses, around 13k if i am not wrong. i also have the same lens, sometimes use it and will not sell it below 11k if ever Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted May 19 Share #7 Posted May 19 Advertisement (gone after registration) 7 minutes ago, Al Brown said: I never said they were. Both can be both, for sure. I know - thank you for indulging me. Just bantering on an unusually slow Monday morning...😉 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakontil Posted May 19 Share #8 Posted May 19 I love the looks of special edition lenses.. im not a collector, so i bought it when it was launched and been using it ever since i bought because i like it not to collect it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFo Posted May 19 Share #9 Posted May 19 (edited) Buy it and use it. The collectors are the philisteins! I bought my M10P Safari because I like the way it looks. Didn’t/don’t care about collectability. Also bought two of the three lenses that go with it the 28 and 50 crons. I left the 90 in the shop as it is not something I’d ever use. The price delta between the Safari editions and normal was not much in the price universe of new Leica equipment. Threw away the packaging. Don’t care. I Have a great camera to use! Edited May 19 by KFo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELAN Posted May 19 Share #10 Posted May 19 I bought mine because I prefer it over the standard issue, and I use it like every other lens I have. It is truly a lovely lens and a joy to use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted May 19 Share #11 Posted May 19 6 hours ago, Kiwimac said: ...Part of me says "Meh. They were built to be used - use them!" and another part of me says "No you Philistine! To use such an objet d'art would be an appalling travesty! Put it in a sealed glass case and gaze at it!"......What do you think?...... Use it. 1 hour ago, KFo said: ...The collectors are the philisteins!... I strongly doubt that you are being serious, KFo, because the reality is quite the opposite; Collectors tend to be connoiseurs who are both highly knowledgeable and greatly appreciative in their sphere of interest. Philip. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted May 19 Share #12 Posted May 19 Lenses are to be used, but there's nothing to stop you from using one carefully. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwimac Posted May 19 Author Share #13 Posted May 19 3 hours ago, Shlomo said: Photography has something organic about it, it creates irretrievable memories, it is a very emotional and very individual art. A successful photo is fun and also makes you incredibly proud. What a shame it would be if you had to do without it. Go travelling, fly everywhere, stick your head in every corner, take pictures! Use the most valuable lenses, the most beautiful cameras, the most elegant shoes, put on your best tie and take pictures! Cheers, Shlomo I am chuckling to myself when I think of going to some of the places I have been with my camera, dressed like that! I did some work for the government which led to me standing in a live minefield in Cambodia taking pictures of the clearance work. I can just imagine the funny looks if I was wearing a pair of Trickers and a silk tie! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFo Posted May 19 Share #14 Posted May 19 2 hours ago, pippy said: Use it. I strongly doubt that you are being serious, KFo, because the reality is quite the opposite; Collectors tend to be connoiseurs who are both highly knowledgeable and greatly appreciative in their sphere of interest. Philip. Semi tongue in cheek…. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted May 19 Share #15 Posted May 19 Spending 13k on a lens to collect it or take photos of my cat? A cruel dilemma, but my cat couldn't care less, especially as i don't have a cat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted May 19 Share #16 Posted May 19 1 minute ago, lct said: 13k on a lens to collect it or take photos of my cat First thing I would do is take a picture of cat, as that would justify the purchase. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 19 Share #17 Posted May 19 18 minutes ago, lct said: Spending 13k on a lens to collect it or take photos of my cat? A cruel dilemma, but my cat couldn't care less, especially as i don't have a cat Nobody has a cat. There are plenty of cats, however, that have humans. 2 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
costa43 Posted May 19 Share #18 Posted May 19 Use the lens. There are better things to invest in when you are after a return. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
costa43 Posted May 19 Share #19 Posted May 19 1 minute ago, Al Brown said: Especially at an age when one should stop worrying about investments and focus on enjoying life to the fullest. https://www.diewithzerobook.com/welcome Absolutely. I have that philosophy on life now and I would guess that I am a little younger than the average on here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwimac Posted May 19 Author Share #20 Posted May 19 (edited) 1 hour ago, costa43 said: Use the lens. There are better things to invest in when you are after a return. That’s certainly not my intention. It’s more that I wanted to avoid destroying some inherent quality or value by using it that might exist over and above the standard one that I could get instead. If the feeling was more “No never use such a thing! Allow your cat to gaze upon the lens’s beauty but not to have its image captured by it for you shall destroy the lens!” then I might have just bought the standard version and left the rarer one for a collector. Now I won’t. Edited May 19 by Kiwimac Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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