noctilux F1 "desert"

[ramosa]

i have been following noctilux 50mm 1.0 prices for months. am i wrong--or has finding them for sale (here, on ebay, or on other websites) become exceedingly rare (at a "reasonable" price) since the M9 hype began a few weeks ago?

maybe i'm wrong and have been looking in all the wrong places. (i should note that i'm interested in type 3 of the lens, which narrows the possibilities.) but, if i'm right, i'm wondering if this may have anything to do with the M9. are folks holding onto the lenses, perhaps with hopes to sell for more? or maybe they're just too busy reading up on the M9?

anyway, pardon my mid-evening rambling ...

[eleskin]

Boy am I happy I bought mine 6 months ago on ebay! $4000 seems cheap now!

[peter_n]

All the versions are optically identical and you might expect the earlier versions to have better build quality, so a price of $4K seems reasonable.

[Keith]

Didn't one go in our classifieds a few weeks ago for low threes?

[35mmdelux]

Coatings were improved over its 40 year run. I find prices variable $3600-4500 (USD). Personally I prefer the last version with the small built in hood. I sold one recently; a phenomenal imaging optic.

[benmacphoto]

Originally Posted by Keith

Didn't one go in our classifieds a few weeks ago for low threes?

If I'm not mistaken it was around $3500. Wish I had the cash laying around. It was a good deal.

[maddoc]

Until a couple of weeks ago, indeed the prices went down from a max. of ~ $6000 last year's summer to ~ $3500. I think everybody who doesn't have to sell for whatever reason will keep the lens until prices have gone up again. Also the appearance of the M9 will change the market, a 50/1.0 lens on a FF sensor might be interesting for many. I expect an increase in price for the 75/1.4 and 90/2.0 lenses, too.

EDIT: The cheapest price was $3200 here at RFF.

[brianpe]

Was it the M9 or the new Noctilux? I told myself I'd never own a Noct because it was just too expensive, even though I love the look it produces. Then the new Nocts were announced, priced into the stratosphere, and the price of the old version started to look more attractive. That's how my camera store ended up with one fewer used Noctilux on its shelf one day.

[f16sunshine]

Hi Brian in Seattle.
Curious who your camera store is ?
Difficult to find much M in Seattle not even to mention a Nocti.
Cheers

[Olsen]

This would be typical. I bought my Noctilux just before M8 was launched and everybody thought that the Leica M system was a dead end. For NOK 15.000 (2,500 $ back then) Such negative rumours about Leica's future were rampant 6 months ago too. Prices fell on just anything 'Leica'. A guy in the smalll Leica community here in Norway bought a M8 for 12.000 NOK in May/June and sold it on for NOK 18.000 just a few days aqo....

The launch of M9 has revitalized the Leica 2.hand market for just anything 'Leica'.

I think that the price of Noctilux'es is just over the top. To my opinion, it is the worst lens in the Leica M line-up. But it got this 1,0 aperture...

[Turtle]

Noctilux speculation seems rather like markets/oil speculation

I agree with Olsen that even at their depressed state a while back (depressed compared to the rocketing a year or so ago) they are still horrendously expensive lenses and suspect they will never again seriously drop. How can they, they don't make them any more and pretty well any out of production Leica lens that is niche or unique soars.

I think it is a case of 'if you need it, buy it. If you have to have it, buy it. If it seems expensive, maybe you don't really need it.'

The M9 factor, if real, is likely to wear off when the new owners realise it did not magically make them better photographers. Findong one for much less than $4k would appear tricky tho

[urban_alchemist]

Originally Posted by Turtle

The M9 factor, if real, is likely to wear off when the new owners realise it did not magically make them better photographers.

But, from experience (as an f1.0 owner who's waiting for his f0.95), the allure of a fast 50 is much stronger than a fast 75.

[leicashot]

It's threads like this that 'assume' something then influencing it to be a reality.

Sure the prices will go up until there are more 0.95's on the used market, and those that made a mistake buying the M9 sell theirs...then the prices will come down a little. A used 0.95 after some time will cost aound $6-7K so a used 1.0 should be around 3.5-5K

[ramosa]

Originally Posted by 35mmdelux

Coatings were improved over its 40 year run. I find prices variable $3600-4500 (USD). Personally I prefer the last version with the small built in hood. I sold one recently; a phenomenal imaging optic.

yes, that's my reasoning, too. like some have, they seem to have been going for upper 3s to 4 (thousands, that is). maybe, it's just a slow stretch. patience ... i know

[ramosa]

Originally Posted by brianpe

Was it the M9 or the new Noctilux? I told myself I'd never own a Noct because it was just too expensive, even though I love the look it produces. Then the new Nocts were announced, priced into the stratosphere, and the price of the old version started to look more attractive. That's how my camera store ended up with one fewer used Noctilux on its shelf one day.

haha. so you have one. how do you like it?

[maddoc]

Originally Posted by Olsen

. To my opinion, it is the worst lens in the Leica M line-up. But it got this 1,0 aperture...

No. Why ?

Is not a bad lens but a demanding one and it is always easier to blame the equipment than the own skills ...

[ramosa]

Originally Posted by nikonhswebmaster

I am no fan of the Noct, but it is one lens you can own absolutely free. There are few products you can depend on the ability to sell for as much, or more, than you purchased it for.

So if you need to get it out of your system, buy one on credit, use it until you are bored with it's size and weight (or not), and sell it. Your profit will cover the interest you paid.

i agree. i just need to make sure that i "buy in" at a reasonable price. then--if i find it too large and heavy--heck, i can resell it. i like your logic.