Last 100 Noctili

For the past 30 years the Noctilux was affordable. I bought mine brand new from a dealer 3 years ago for about $2200. People who had it and sold it, didn't appreciate it or just didn't care about it are now whining about how it is too expensive.
 
I think that Leica is charging to little for them. Anyone that would pay $16,000.00 for this lens in a fancy cigar box has no real sense of value, no intention of using it for what it was designed for. This is just bragging rights for owning "one of the last one hundred" ooooohhhhh Aren't I special, don't I have just the most exquisite taste in fine things? I don't think it's priced high enough. Stick it to these jokers with more money than brains, make it $50,000.00. It evokes the same gag response as seeeing someone wearing a solid gold diamond encrusted Rolex Daytona. Although it does usually go well with thier White shoes and belt. What a joke.
 
I'll admit up front that I'll never understand collecting, but if buying this lens in its own wooden mausoleum makes a fellow happy, then good for him; and if Mr. Kaufmann uses the windfall profit from this sale to give the company a boost, then that's even better. But if the plan at Leica is to permanently have the company become a manufacturer of, as Roger says, "luxury goods," then they're on the wrong track.

Historically, Leicas have always been expensive tools, with the "tool" part of the equation tempering the sometimes self-indulgent "luxury" aspect of expensive goods. A person could buy a Leica knowing that his money bought not just luxury, but performance and durability, and they consequently were the tool of choice for many working photographers.

That's simply not the case now. The M8, fine as it is, is not the "go-to" tool of many pro photographers, even if they do own one for "personal use." The pro use of rangefinders has always been small since the SLR took over, but it has shrunk even more today. Leica could easily reverse that trend to a degree with a few small improvements to the M8.

It's not enough for Leica to be just the object of desire for middle-aged men with an appreciation for "the finer things," it has to reclaim its roots as a go-to, working tool as well.

IMO, of course. :)
 
What will be really funny is when the rumored F0.9 Super Nocti comes out and all the dealers who are still sitting on their stock (1 each) and the value drops by 30-50%!
I have had 6 Noctiluxes over the last 40 years, the most I ever paid for one was $900 (and that was in 1997 or 98). I traded some obscure Hexanon 35f2 (first version) for it!!!!!! I kept the lens for 3 years and realized that I never really used it and sold it off and to be truthful, I haven't missed once!
 
Tom A said:
What will be really funny is when the rumored F0.9 Super Nocti comes out and all the dealers who are still sitting on their stock (1 each) and the value drops by 30-50%!
I have had 6 Noctiluxes over the last 40 years, the most I ever paid for one was $900 (and that was in 1997 or 98). I traded some obscure Hexanon 35f2 (first version) for it!!!!!! I kept the lens for 3 years and realized that I never really used it and sold it off and to be truthful, I haven't missed once!
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Tom, you didn't make one bad move but six consecutive bad moves. You maybe don't miss it (and I'm happy for you) but I know I'd sorely regret it for not being able to sell them 5000$ apiece.

You say you haven't missed once but I don't believe you ;)
 
When we lived in Paris in the early 80's, the only 50 I had was a Nocti. In one year I think I took 4-5 shots that were at f1 and neither of them were particularly good (not the lens fault, admittedly). 75% of all my shots were done with a 35f2 and the balance split between a 29f2.8 and a 21/3.4.
The Nocti's kept coming, usually in trades and I passed them on to other shooters who lusted after them - and after a while they wanted to trade them back!
Doug, your idea is not bad - a humidor for BC's best. Probably far more useful than a storage for a lens. Of course, here in the Great White North, it could also be used for keeping your Cohibas and Monte Christo's in.
Oh, and I never regret selling a lens before its prime! I buy them to use and once paid for, they have inherently no value and "hyped" up prices does not concern me at all. I am not a collector and does not really keep track of what "collectibles" are worth.
 
seems that we have to change the title in "The Last 100 noctili from Canada.."

Nachtrag (27.5.2008): Aus aktuellem Anlass wird der Artikel heute nochmal hochgeholt. Wir haben bei Leica nachgefragt und bekamen auf folgende Fragen folgende Antworten:

Warum wird / wurde es eingestellt?
Das Noctilux ist das letzte Leica Objektiv, das noch bei ELCAN in Canada (ehemals Ernst Leitz (Canada) Ltd.) produziert wird. Wir wollen zukünftig alle Hochleistungsobjektive nur noch in Solms produzieren und damit unsere Kernkompetenzen hier konzentrieren.

Ist die Produktion bereits eingestellt?
Nein, die Produktion läuft noch.

Wird es einen Nachfolger für dieses einzigartige Objektiv geben?
Die photokina steht vor Tür. Dort werden wir einige hochinteressante Objektive vorstellen. Lassen Sie sich überraschen!
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from the German online photonewsjournal Photoscala
http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/Es-wird-Nacht-ums-Noctilux
 
What is the fuss about that ? Watches special edition might sell for 10 x one of this lens. Nobody complains about it. This is all about supply and demand. If there are rich people that can afford it and like it, great for them.
 
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