Price for summilux-M 35-1.4 titanium

[EtoileFinder]

Hi,
How much would you pay for a Summilux-M 35/1.4 Titanium min t in box.
I can get it at 1850 us. It is a good price ? This version is non asph, it is better to invest in an asph version ?

If some expert or experiment user can help me, it would be nice.

Thanks !

[Roger Hicks]

Objectively, the pre-aspheric 35/1.4 is not all that good -- heavy coma -- but it's still my favourite 35mm lens because it's so small, light and sweet-handling. When my first one was stolen, I immediately bought another (new, in those days -- I still have it).

For a user, I'd wait for a non-titanium, non-mint, non-boxed lens, as you will pay very dearly for all this. For a collector: who knows? Leica collector prices are always among the first thing to suffer in a recession.

Cheers,

Roger

[vieri]

Agree with Roger on the pre-ASPH. Btw if interested I have an ASPH LN in box for sale in the classified.

[SolaresLarrave]

If it's in really mint condition and has the elusive lens hood, this may be a good price.

Some times I see them going for about the same as a 'cron 35mm IV version. Two years ago there was one in Adorama going for $1500. I didn't buy it because, as Roger pointed out, it's fine for 1960s standards, but has defects that have been corrected in other lenses. Search for a thread about this lens here in the forum and you'll see that if you're using it outdoors, it's fine, but once in low light, you may get comma and flare.

Better pick the Aspherical or wait for a more recent copy. Supposedly, some of the problems shown in the early models were fixed in the later ones.

[maddoc]

I think the 35mm Summilux pre-ASPh is usable wide open ...

(both @ f/1.4)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2067/2185176728_ee3bcca037.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2251/2104078355_d65034a3ae.jpg

[SolaresLarrave]

Of course, it is. And it's a great lens. It's just quirky too.

[Cron]

as prices raises the last year I think this is the actual price now, when in mint condition, complete and original packing. I also search this lens but wouldn't pay more than USD1300, but I also know I must be very lucky to find it for this price nowadays

[Rayt]

The titanium version ended the series in a high note. I have owned many samples of 35/1.4 pre asph from first E41 version to various later versions and the titanium has the best f/1.4 performance.