Original price of a Summarit f1.5

[alifie]

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Anyone have an old price list or know the original price of the Summarit 50/1.5, a range of years would be nice. I want to compare it to the current Summilux 50.

[alifie]

Well I have found prices for 1956, not a seperate lens price but with an M3 and an M3 body only so...

 

Body+lens - body = $189

 

Dollar pound rate in 1956 about 2.4 so thats £78

 

Using an inflation site Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds

 

The price works out as £1404 for RPI and £3606 relative to earnings so given the £2000 price of a new Summilux 50, not bad considering.

 

(if you have an odd font $ = US dollars and £ = UK pounds)

[dkCambridgeshire]

I have a "General List of Leica Equipment and Projectors" Effective 1st March 1957 with prices in US $ where on page 5 the 50/1.5 Summarit is $115.20 in both LTM and M mount .

 

Also have A 1965 price list in £ with some interesting items (all in £ s d)

 

For M2 :

35/1.4 £57 14 5 , 35/2 £77 1 2 , 35/2.8 £56 11 8 (not sure why the 35/1.4 is listed at less £ than the 35/2)

 

With specs for M3 :

35/1.4 £66 18 2 , 35/2 £92 18 6 , 35/2.8 £72 12 6

 

M2 with 50/1.4 £216 16 6

M2 with 50/2 £190 16 0

M2 with 50/2 NF £210 14 0

 

M3 with 50/1.4 £235 12 2

M3 with 50/2 £209 11 10

M3 with 50/2 NF £229 9 8

 

I could copy the pages and post them here but not sure if this would infringe copyright.

 

Cheers

 

dunk

[alifie]

Many thanks,

 

A quick look and it seems that lenses are about the same price today in real terms, but the bodies are about half what they where then. Very ball park, but interesting none the less. I wonder if there where fora then would they be complaining about the price? Or was it a bit like Rolls Royce "If you have to ask you can't afford it"

 

I have done this to convince the missus that £2K for my new Summilux 50 ASPH was OK (note the past tense). I will be in the doghouse (inconvenient, we don't have a dog or accomodation for one) if she says "I prefer the Summarit shots"

[luigi bertolotti]

Many thanks...

 

...I have done this to convince the missus that £2K for my new Summilux 50 ASPH was OK (note the past tense). I will be in the doghouse (inconvenient, we don't have a dog or accomodation for one) if she says "I prefer the Summarit shots"

 

That's a good occasion to make your best efforts to become a BETTER photog... if you'll take better pictures (and this depends mainly on YOU, not on the lens) , SHE (I think she deserves capitals... ) surely will say "honey... you did really well to change that old lens !"

 

BTW... :

- I prefer Summarit to Summilux (but my one is un-asph)

- I always HIDE with care new lenses' buys to my wife

- And as far as she's interested in photo gear, a lens is an iron item with some glass... about the price of a spectacles' glass, given that. even if more complicated, it is not "custom made on prescription"

[alifie]

Didn't one of the famouis photogs. (Bailey I think) do a book of 27 supurb photos using ONE disposable camera? Shure it's not the equipment but if I have the best I can't blame it just me!

[jlancasterd]

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Anyone have an old price list or know the original price of the Summarit 50/1.5, a range of years would be nice. I want to compare it to the current Summilux 50.

 

I bought a Summarit 50/1.5 in screw mount in early 1961 when they were being remaindered due to the introduction of the Summilux. IIRC it cost me £50. The list price had probably been around £75. Purchase tax on 'luxury' items such as Leica cameras and lenses was quite high at the time.

[Olav1966]

Good morning,

 

the price in Germany in this time was 1954: 460 DM.

 

My Summarit 1:1,5/50mm is shown in the picture:

 

 

Greetings from Hamburg

 

 

Olav Kettner

[iShutterbug]

That's a good occasion to make your best efforts to become a BETTER photog... if you'll take better pictures (and this depends mainly on YOU, not on the lens) , SHE (I think she deserves capitals... ) surely will say "honey... you did really well to change that old lens !"

 

BTW... :

- I prefer Summarit to Summilux (but my one is un-asph)

- I always HIDE with care new lenses' buys to my wife

- And as far as she's interested in photo gear, a lens is an iron item with some glass... about the price of a spectacles' glass, given that. even if more complicated, it is not "custom made on prescription"

 

You guys are real foxes!

 

Please let me add two comments.

 

For many years a Summarit was the only lens on my IIIf and the only Leica lens I knew. Last year I had it CLA'd by Sherry Krauter and it was like brand new--all my earlier teen-age cleaning marks were gone! I picked up another on eBay, also recently CLA'd by her, to have as a spare. I can't tell the pictures from either apart, and I love both of them.

 

I was a little worried around the time I joined this forum because I read on one thread that the Summarit was known as a "soft" lens and had a soft coating that scratched easily, but as I said Sherry did a magical job on it and I love the pictures and I'm very particular. I always remember how--fifty years ago--there were few photographers and I had 1/1000 sec shutter speed and a f/1.5 lens. Past glory of a sports photographer!

 

Now, briefly, as I was returning to my photographic roots with my classic Leica I found a screwmount 35mm Cron ASPH that I felt I just had to have, because I had never had a wide-angle. It was pretty expensive but I got it, just to finally have one of Leica's reputedly best lenses after all these years. It was the price of a new Canon EF 85mm f/1.2LII I had my eye on for my digital system, but I thought I might later sell the Cron and get it. By this time I'd had my IIIf CLA'd by DAG and I was out and about shooting with this combo every chance I got.

 

Well, bottom line is my wife likes the pictures I shot with that outfit so much she doesn't want me to sell it! So I'm stuck with it. What do I do--what else can I do? I guess I'll just save up some more and get an M8.2 and go with that digital system since I've got such nice lenses!

 

Moral: Yes you're right--we've got to be careful what camera equipment we show our wives.