HU: Noctilux price increase effective January 1, 2008

[edhohoho]

I just received a call from a local camera store regarding my recent inquiry about purchasing a new Noctilux through them. After talking with the buyer or distributor, apparently the store can get one in about 7 to 10 days. (Makes sense since recently Leica was said to have fulfilled all Noctilux orders placed with the 30% discount.) When I told him I would think about it, he told me that I would have the opportunity to purchase the lens at the $5495 price until 12/31/07, with the price increasing to $5995 on 1/1/08. Wow, that was quick. So much for the "usual" delay of Leica price increases.

[ampguy]

Still a bargain. Nothing comes close to this lens for speed and low light use.

[usayit]

I checked my local shop yesterday. They are increasing the price of a lot but not all items. Thankfully they are not increasing the prices of the summarits that I'm saving up for.

[TJV]

Originally Posted by edhohoho

I just received a call from a local camera store regarding my recent inquiry about purchasing a new Noctilux through them. After talking with the buyer or distributor, apparently the store can get one in about 7 to 10 days. (Makes sense since recently Leica was said to have fulfilled all Noctilux orders placed with the 30% discount.) When I told him I would think about it, he told me that I would have the opportunity to purchase the lens at the $5495 price until 12/31/07, with the price increasing to $5995 on 1/1/08. Wow, that was quick. So much for the "usual" delay of Leica price increases.

7 to 10 days? I've heard that before. I hope Leica have caught up with the Nocti demand as it would be great to see the lens in the hands of more photographers. I waited in line a year before giving up on owning a new one, perhaps I should have given it another month. It's a beautiful lens and would have been worth the wait.

[Prosaic]

Is this a US price increase only to balance the EUR vs $ rate?

[mfunnell]

Originally Posted by ampguy

Still a bargain. Nothing comes close to this lens for speed and low light use.

Possibly true - but at those prices I, for one, will never know.

...Mike

[thomasw_]

I guess I will have to save for that extra 10% :/

[peter_n]

I read on the German LUF that price increases were supposed to be 5% across the board. We would need a dealer to chime in on this. Sometimes Tony Rose pops in and confirms/denies.

[Leicabug]

I also read that the new price in Jan., 2008 for Noctilux is $5995.

[usayit]

Originally Posted by peter_n

I read on the German LUF that price increases were supposed to be 5% across the board. We would need a dealer to chime in on this. Sometimes Tony Rose pops in and confirms/denies.

About 5% in the US at least... but not across the board.

the summarits did not go up... and if my memory serves me, neither did 28mm Elmarit. I definitely remember the Nocti, 50mm Summicron, and 35 Summilux on the price increase list.

< the list was verbally listed out to me yesterday at my dealer>

[venchka]

This increase was announced months ago. Search and ye shall find.

[Hacker]

I will getting my new one tomorrow. However, it will be with the new price .

[rxmd]

The funny thing is that you can get a Canon 50/1.2 instead, which costs about the same amount by which Leica is now increasing their prices. The difference is half a stop, or 2.54 vs. 2.14 cm DOF at 1m wide open.

Philipp

[Hacker]

Originally Posted by rxmd

The funny thing is that you can get a Canon 50/1.2 instead, which costs about the same amount by which Leica is now increasing their prices. The difference is half a stop, or 2.54 vs. 2.14 cm DOF at 1m wide open.

Philipp

The Canon is very flare prone and has that infinity lock.

[mfogiel]

I am glad Leica is doing this, in my opinion, they should increase the price even more, so that the new users will feel even more exclusive. This would be good for the RF world - as soon as the word spreads out that people are spending 15.000USD to buy the a' la carte pink snake leather bound mechanical MP film camera with a 10k fixed fl lens on it, we will assist at massive switch from the Canon 1DS mark twohandredtwentythree equipped with the 12-400 f0.95 USM IS XL superduperzoom population of users, because, as is obvious, the more expensive something is, the better pictures it takes, by definition.

[rxmd]

Originally Posted by Hacker

The Canon is very flare prone and has that infinity lock.

If that's the reason for spending an extra $5.5k, you can always take out the infinity lock and use a hood. Or get a Canon 50/0.95 for one fifth of what a Noctilux costs.

The only reason I can possibly see somebody justifying a Noctilux is if the particular way the Noctilux renders things is worth a $4800 to $5500 premium for him. That's a matter of taste I guess; I've seen my share of Noctilux pictures, but none where I would have said that this is it. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Philipp

[LeicaTom]

Originally Posted by ErikFive

6K for a nocti? Thats just silly

Agreed, there`s NO lens worth $6,000 , it`s one lens that isn`t on my priorities list, even if I could pay that sort of money for lenses, (I would`nt) - I don`t get what`s to rave about.......and I don`t like the look the f1.2 50mm Canon gives either, but from what I`ve seen the Canon f0.95 does pretty good stopped down to f1.2 (and that`s another lens that isn`t worth stupid collectors prices $500 to $700 at most) - my opinion as always

Tom

[Hacker]

Originally Posted by ErikFive

6K for a nocti? Thats just silly IMO. And thats my opinion. Im not trying to make it your opinion

Ordered some time ago (with the old price catalog) but it is actually here and with the new price . I started with RF late in Aug this year, very late (due to persistent Tennis Elbow problems, I switched from using SLRs) and I guess I have not been lucky like many here with lenses bought with the old prices, e.g. MATE or Summilux 75. The lack of stocks (old and new) and the resultant price increases have been recent. Really bad timing for recent RF purchasers.

[rxmd]

Originally Posted by ErikFive

rather buy a used 50 and 35 Lux Asph and a used 0.95 at the same price as a new Noct.

Or an EOS 5D ($1900 new) with a couple of Canon EF lenses, such as a 50/1.0L ($2100 or so used), a 24/1.4L ($1200) and a 135/2L ($800)

Philipp

[MikeL]

Old adage: If a house doesn't sell at it's current price, raise the price and it is more likely to sell.

[kevin m]

The Canon is very flare prone and has that infinity lock.

You're right about the infinity lock, it's annoying. When I take mine apart to relube it, I plan to disable it somehow, even if that means spoiling the lens' 'collector value!'

I've only shot three rolls with my 50/1.2 so far, but it seems very flare resistant to me. That's the setting sun in the upper left corner of the attached image, shot at f4.0.

[Prosaic]

Originally Posted by MikeL

Old adage: If a house doesn't sell at it's current price, raise the price and it is more likely to sell.

I though the Noctilux is sold out anyway?

[ampguy]

I'll be selling mine in the coming months. Will probably post in the classifieds here again.

[Eric T]

I am just grateful for all of the CV lenses. I am also grateful that I am not capable of detecting the image quality difference obtained between new Leica and new CV lenses. So Leica can go as high as they want for lenses.
Be curious to see how they price the R10 if it comes out at the next Photokina. For Leica to even attempt to compete with Nikon and Canon on their own turf is very dangerous. There is no competition for the M8 but there will be tons of great competition for the R10.
Eric

[Roger Hicks]

To those who think that no lens can be worth $6000:

If you don't think the Noctilux is worth the money, go and buy one of the other, cheaper 50/1 RF lenses on the market. Or live without f/1.

Snivelling about the price is just silly. If you can't afford one -- I can't -- then your opinion is close to worthless anyway. If you've never used one (I have) then your opinion is worth even less.

Comparing it with the Canon 50/1.2 is pretty silly too. I own the Canon and have been using the f/1 for some time (a loan from a generous friend). I have no difficulty in seeing why the Noctilux is worth more.

Twelve times more? If you can afford it, yes. If you can't...

IF I could afford one easily, I'd buy it. It's a nice lens, though big and heavy if it's your only 50. But I never cease to be amazed by the people who bridle when you suggest they can't afford it. "I could afford it if I wanted it," they sniff.

Now, either they're lying (and like me, can't afford it) or they genuinely don't want it. In the latter case, who gives a toss about their opinion of what it's worth? I don't want a horse, so a horse is worth nothing to me. I wouldn't even take one as a gift. But a Noctilux...

Cheers,

Roger