Leitz Summarit 5cm f1.5 CMV ?

[f16sunshine]

Hello All
At a local shop there is a very mint Leitz Summarit 5cm f1.5 with original caps and hood. The lens is a consignment and has a current asking price of $450 for all pieces. This is a lens that I currently own although, mine is a user condition with no hood. Any ideas on what the current market value is for this model ?
There was one in the Classifieds here a couple weeks ago for about half this amount. It was described as more or less average or user condition. I've not seen any this mint in every way ( barrel, glass, focus, blades....... all perfect).

[crawdiddy]

I bought one at a camera show 1 year ago for $225. No hood, and no front cap. Glass is beautiful. Very slight corrosion on the chrome, but in an inconspicuous place.

Mine is LTM mount, not M. I think $450 is overpriced.

[chris00nj]

It's hard to say because prices shoot up expedentially when something is truly mint.

Many excellent+ versions sell for $250-$300. You always can try to bargain. It may have been sitting there for a while without any bids. Perhaps try $350 and see what they say.

[John Shriver]

The hood is worth more than $100 on it's own. If it's in really good condition, it's a fine value.

[ed1234]

I will say USD350 top. Got my at roughly USD 220, no hood, no front cap, those front cap are hard to find, I am using a vitamin bottle which serve the purpose. But I had seen some locally with hood and everything priced over USD600! Of course it is sitting on the shelf. Most were being trade at around 250-350 lens alone in our local forum( not in store).
For a Leica lens, this really got most bang for the buck. I do like the lens but it like to overreact to off angle lighting.

[helenhill]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2613/3778635929_e52d7d57bb.jpg
ed1234 / I Love the way "it overreacts to off angle lighting"...

[dufffader]

Hello All
At a local shop there is a very mint Leitz Summarit 5cm f1.5 with original caps and hood. The lens is a consignment and has a current asking price of $450 for all pieces. This is a lens that I currently own although, mine is a user condition with no hood. Any ideas on what the current market value is for this model ?
There was one in the Classifieds here a couple weeks ago for about half this amount. It was described as more or less average or user condition. I've not seen any this mint in every way ( barrel, glass, focus, blades....... all perfect).

I bought my Summarit (M Mount) a year or two ago in Tokyo, wouldn't call it mint, but it did come with the XOONS hood, for about the same price as what you have here. So I'd say its a deal. Are you thinking of replacing your sample with this one and selling the current Summarit? The hood is definitely useful for this old lens!

[ed1234]

helenhill, u are right about it, that's why I like this lens, it got a lot of capacity in doing a lot of things! It is just the matter of how I can make good use of it. I just got my few months ago, I am experimenting it with stuff on my desk and moving the desk lamp in different direction to see the outcome. Well, when lights sources are coming in at side ways, the subjects color seems to fade a bit, but it can be correct by the hood or using the hand to block it off. Another fun part of this lens is at wide open, the bokeh kind of goes round and round, kind of make u dizzy. BTW nice pic!

[helenhill]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3819400352_6e51582fbf.jpg
Thank You Ed1234
M6 / arista 400...just grabbed the shot... no Time for Focusing :eek:

[elshaneo]

If it's indeed very mint including original lens caps + original lens hood, it's worth 450 USD ;-)

I saw the same on Ebay being sold over 500 USD...

[Ronald M]

See if you can find a better one for $450 omcluding proper caps and hood. I bet you can not.

If it is worth 450 to you is another matter.

[thomasw_]

I'd say 450 is in the ballpark. I bought a mint LTM version with caps/no hood for 275 four or five years ago; so this one is not an amazing deal, but it is not a bad either.

[Brian Sweeney]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2613/3778635929_e52d7d57bb.jpg
ed1234 / I Love the way "it overreacts to off angle lighting"...


Technically, caused by Astigmatism.

affectionately known as "Summarit Swirlies".

$450 is a decent price for a Mint- or better. My two needed work, and I picked them up cheap. Make sure to check the internal surfaces for haze.

[Austerby]

I love this lens. I picked up an excellent LTM one for about £200 a while back, complete with leather case and strap. I've since added the XOOMS hood (pricey!) and both orange and yellow dedicated filters. The $450 sounds a good price - I expect this lens price to rise towards that of the early Summiluxes which seem to go for somewhat more. I doubt it would match them as there does come a point when it's worth the extra to get the "better" lens.

[LeicaTom]

$450 with caps and hood , if all the gear is truly mint, yes that`s a good and correct price.

Tom

[rustysheepdog]

Hello All
At a local shop there is a very mint Leitz Summarit 5cm f1.5 with original caps and hood.

To me, "mint" means just like it's unused ... if it IS that good, then it's not far overpriced. $400 is about £275 which is pretty much what I'd be prepared to pay for one (and I'm known as mean with my money). Go and offer the storekeeper a straight $400 for it, consignment deals usually have some "wiggle room" in them. Just make sure it's REALLY clean internally and that there's no gummed-up grease clinging to the iris blades and about to fall off !

[f16sunshine]

Thanks all! Sounds like they have a fair asking price. I'll give an offer and hope for a bit of savings but, take it anyway. Likely I will put my user up here if the new one is as sharp. I bought it from Cindy Flood here on the forum. Or......maybe it makes sense to keep a spare. I love this lens although, it has a bit TOO much character at times.

[Benjamin Marks]

If you are asking whether you can purchase it and resell it for a profit, my answer would be "no" unless it is well and truly mint...but those cases are rare, and I would rate the chance that your local merchant does not know exactly what he has as low. If your question is whether purchasing this lens and hood for $450 and then selling your existing Summarit (for what $225?) is a good idea, I'd say that I would do it at those prices, but then that's just me. If your question is whether a man with one of these lenses would be happier with two . . . I think you know what I am going to say. I bought a rigid 50 chrome Summicron yesterday for $115 from a local store, that needs a little TLC. I already own one, but this one is a diamond in the rough -- couldn't pass it up. So you _know_ what my answer would be. BTW -- I really like how the Summarit presents the world. A very clean example was my first Leica 50 and I have always regretted selling it.

Ben Marks

[crawdiddy]

Is it M mount or LTM? The Ms are always more pricey. Even though the LTMs are actually more flexible.

[f16sunshine]

Well we settled on $300 which is a nice deal. Think I will keep the other lens unless, ....... is a trade out there for a Rigid Cron or some other interesting lens? I really want a DR but do not have a body to mount it on. I understand it will not work with the M8 and I use a ZI and Bessa R2 for film. Thanks again all for the input. Any interest in a trade please let me know.

[helenhill]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2461/3821765480_210a9841a8.jpg
The Summarit can be Quite Sharp...with no wild astigmatism

[Brian Sweeney]

$300 sounds like a great price. Unless the Rigid Summicron is a "user" or needs work, expect to kick in some cash with your first Summarit. It would probably trade even for a similar condition collapsible Summicron. I prefer the collapsible over my Type 1 Rigid and Type 2 Rigid. The optics module of the Type 1 and DR are identical.

Once you get beyond 5 feet from the subject, or stop down to F4- the Summarit Swirlies calm down.

I LOVE using this lens wide-open and close-up, I LOVE making the world revolve around my daughter.

[f16sunshine]

You've posted some nice samples Helen. Good thing for me the seller did not see them ;)

[Brian Sweeney]

Wide-Open and Close-up.

http://camwk.com/picture.php?albumid=60&pictureid=631

http://camwk.com/picture.php?albumid=60&pictureid=628

One of the most interesting features of this lens: it just does not blow highlights. None of the two images above had saturated pixels when scanned. Can't say that about my Nikkors!

Some B&W between the Nikkor 5cm f1.4 and Summarit 5cm F1.5:

http://camwk.com/album.php?albumid=60

[helenhill]

THANX Andy for your kind words....

Beautiful Shots Brian.... The Light Coupled with her Angelic features
simply ROCKS!