Bessa II with the APO Lanthar lens go into the stratosphere, on the 'bay?

[Vickko]

Anyone watching that Bessa II with the APO Lanthar lens go into the stratosphere, on the 'bay?

So, tell me again, why the APO Lanthar is so deserving?

Oh, yeah, and are all APO Lanthar created equal?

e.g. would the 1.5cm APO Lanthar for 4x5 be as equally stunning as the 105mm APO Lanthar for the Bessa II?

Vick

 

[FallisPhoto]

Anyone watching that Bessa II with the APO Lanthar lens go into the stratosphere, on the 'bay?

So, tell me again, why the APO Lanthar is so deserving?

Oh, yeah, and are all APO Lanthar created equal?

e.g. would the 1.5cm APO Lanthar for 4x5 be as equally stunning as the 105mm APO Lanthar for the Bessa II?

Vick

Beats me; they've got more money than sense? They are good lenses, but not THAT good. For that much money, you can do better. I'd be seriously worried about buying it, unless the price was very low. If you look closely at the photo of the lens you may notice that it looks like one shutter blade has not completely closed. Is it sticky, jammed, or has it come loose or been broken?

 

[Kevin]

The price, currently at US $4.121, it is still quite low.
It is a rare camera and I am sure bidding will end at a significantly higher price.

 

[Ken Smith]

Riddle me this. If the APO Lanthar version of the Bessa II has folks tossing about serious mad money for it due to the lens, why does a brand new M mount 90/3.5 APO Lanthar costs just a mere $365? Not only that, I watched a APO Lanthar version of a vintage Voigtlander 35mm RF go for a mere $35 on the Bay. Somethings I just can't wrap my head around and this is one of them.

 

[batterytypehah!]

These lenses only share a name, that's why. I'm not familiar with their lens designs, but Cosina seems to be applying the old Voigtländer names based on marketing goals rather than actual design. (In the best Kodak tradition, one might add.)

The old Voigtländer you saw must have been a plain Lanthar, not APO-Lanthar, lens. That was their mid-level offering at the time, a triplet. $35 for any of those cameras is actually overpaid IMO...

 

[Spotmatic]

For comparison purposes: look at how much I sold my Apo-Lanthar:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200452944232&ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT

(Yes, I'd rather have the money than the Bessa II because I felt extremely uncomfortable handling such an expensive camera!)

 

[batterytypehah!]

I'm glad to see you threw in a free take-up spool at that price

Congratulations and I would have done the same. Good move.

 

[Spotmatic]

Well, that Bessa II sold for... $7,600. But as long as both the seller and the buyer are happy...

 

[FallisPhoto]

someone with serious GAS or its complete BS! its almost too much to believe eh!

amazing prices for these things that were a fraction of that cost not very long ago, incredible!

Yeah, I wish I had bought a bunch of Vitessas, Retina IIIs and Bessa IIs back when I could have gotten them for nearly nothing. I remember Vitessas selling for $25 on ebay not that many years ago.