Should I get rid of M mount lenses and move on?

[Avotius]

Hello again RFF. Long time no see.

I find myself at a crossroads, as we here all seem to at one time or another.

To sell or not to sell, that is the question.

So I got fed up with Leica M cameras, not the usability or anything, I had a mental block with them. I was so terrified to scratching them and ruining their resale value that I got rid of my M6 and M8. I used my Bessa R2A for a while but in the end I could not shoot film anymore as the decent processing of color films in China all but disappeared. So I sold the Bessa too.

Last summer I sold off my Zeiss 28mm, and Leica 35mm lenses.

So now I sit here with three left over lenses. My Zeiss 50 f2 which is a dynamite little lens, but has issues with the focusing ring needing a lube, also has some meaningless dust in it. My Zeiss 21mm f2.8 which Carl Zeiss gave me for winning their 2009 photo contest and hold some sentimental value. And last but not least a very fine Leitz 5cm Redscale Elmar with m mount adapter that is to die for when used with TRI-X.

And there is the problem. I have these three lenses, no M bodies, and they haven't seen action in a year.

Maybe selling them is a good choice. I dont have any foreseeable future interest in another M mount film body. Leica M9's are out of my price range. Ricoh's M mount solution doesn't interest me. I have used these lenses on my Oly EP1 but find I much prefer my Panasonic 20mm. So the lenses just sit in the dry box.

I am eyeing a Canon 5D mk2 now that prices are down as a good step up from my old 5D that has served me well for business. I am also eyeing that new Olympus EM5 but that is more of a toy for me then a real business tool because no one here takes you seriously in business unless you have a big camera. I have lenses for both the Canon and Olympus m4/3 systems so either or, but I should probably go for the work camera.

Sigh....do I sell....do I sit....what would you do?

 

[dogberryjr]

Sell. Move on.

 

[Rob-F]

Sounds like you're done with film. You could wait until a digital M-mount body that's right for you comes out. Then you can use your favorite lenses again. Epson R-D1 in the meantime?

 

[Johann Espiritu]

Aside for the Elmar, if you do decide to sell the Zeiss lenses, they should be easy to replace later on (aside for the sentimental value for the Zeiss contest one).

I always feel a tinge of seller's remorse when I sell any of my RF gear. When I sold my grey R2A + chrome Color Skopar, I almost wanted to rescind the sale and just buy it back. Later, I was glad I did because instead of sitting on my shelf, it's being used to take phots (albeit by someone else). Then I figured that I could always wait to buy one later one if I wanted one.

A while back, I contemplated selling my chrome 35/1.2 Nokton as it was too big to use daily, and I was getting more use out of my 35 'Cron. No one bit. I am glad now that no one did as it would be very difficult to buy back later on. Incidentally, I use it now on my OM-D and love the combo.

My advice - sell what you don't use and think you can reacquire later on if the regret kicks in. Keep what would be hard to buy back. 🙂

 

[hipsterdufus]

My advice - sell what you don't use and think you can reacquire later on if the regret kicks in. Keep what would be hard to buy back. 🙂

This. And don't forget you can use your M-mount lenses on that Olympus OMD body. Keep the lenses you would regret selling, get the OMD and use the lenses on that. That's my advice.

 

[Avotius]

Seems like if I were to keep any of the lenses I would keep the Zeiss 21. The problem is though that I have the Panasonic 20, and 98-100 times I would take that with me.

 

[Austerby]

Sell the other two and hang on to the Zeiss. Give it a while, see how you feel, then decide whether to sell or keep the Zeiss.

It may have sentimental value for you but the real value is in the achievement of the prize rather than a lens which you didn't use to actually win the prize.

 

[Pete B]

I'm waiting to see if Ricoh produce a GXR with a built in evf. I'm sure it's on the cards just as sony went from 5n to 7. If there's nothing out in the next 2 years I'll sell. Apart from the better ergonomics, I see no advantage of M over the OM film system for what I do.
Pete

 

[jarski]

keep old Leica lens to spark interest 10 years from now. other two probably have been upgraded during that time 🙂

 

[MCTuomey]

I try to sell what I don't use, do so pretty frequently, so I don't often have remorse after a sale. If you haven't used the lenses in a year, and have no plans to use them, I don't see much point in keeping shelf gear. The proceeds from those lenses will go a long way toward that 5D II or new glass for it.

 

[N.delaRua]

It must be hard to admit this to yourself.... I say sell it all. Clearly your not using it, but holding onto it for sentimental value. Its like a love-letter from an ex; might make you feel good to know she loved you at one point, but its meaningless. In fact, it sounds like you are still making photos regularly but just not with that kit...... Think of all the money you have tied up in something you don't even use.

I am surprised that you sold your M's for fear of scratching them. I always thought there was a vast divide between collectors and users. Collectors have things like display cases for the their cameras (like my father), and users have things like lots of rolls of film... You sound like a user to me who as aspirations of a collector. I love the aesthetic of my M, and of older cameras in general, but I would have never bought anything that I was afraid of using.

 

[jsrockit]

Sell them... a year is a good indicator.

 

[jarski]

I always thought there was a vast divide between collectors and users.

maybe its not so wide, least on my case. for example, recently managed to scratch a bit the front element of my Sigma tele-zoom. am not collector, nor the lens is collectible at all. but still occasionally when using it, I keep cursing myself not being more careful, and calculate how much less I now have to sell it one day. didn't feel at all, like the lens was just getting "war scars" or that now I can use it more freely. - things often written on net when somebody cries about broken gear.

 

[dof]

Hi Colin,

Were I in the position you describe, I would sell the lenses and move on to a new photographic relationship. As a musician I've seen gear that I was once deeply attached to be relegated to the corner where the "bad guitars" go. Over time I've discovered that they were key ingredients for a specific period of my creative life. Once the period passed, they were never as inspiring, nor as useful as before.

It is sometimes proper to acknowledge that we've moved on. It sounds to me as though you're in that position now.

 

[Waus]

Sell them! I'm in the same situation you where-I bought a cool M3 with V1 50mm Summilux 12 years ago for a fair amount of money-but the prices of Leica gear are so high at this moment that
a)I'm affraid of using it(camera and lens are in excellent condition)
b)I certrainly can use the money!

 

[jsrockit]

Over time I've discovered that they were key ingredients for a specific period of my creative life. Once the period passed, they were never as inspiring, nor as useful as before.

Perfect way to view gear IMO.

 

[willie_901]

I sold mine.

I think you should sell them and move on. M/LTM lenses are wonderful. But so are many other lenses. Except for rarities, there's no reason you can't re-acquire M lenses in the future.

 

[huntjump]

sell all but the 21...then after deliberating decide whether to get back in the game or not. Your lenses arent particularly rare so replacing isnt a huge concern i think

 

[filmfan]

I sold my beloved Leica M gear and I am a better photographer because of it.

 

[jsrockit]

I sold my beloved Leica M gear and I am a better photographer because of it.

Can you explain? I'd love to hear what happened (since I'm starting to think the M system may not be my main system these days). Thanks.