Noctilux Future Value

[whitecat]

Two and a half years ago I bought one for about $2395.00. We know they are now $5,900.00.... if they are available. Could this be a good investment for the future? Let's take the value of gold in the last few years ago as an example. Could the Noct be the next hedge against the upcoming recession caused by the Bush administration?

 

[Ororaro]

...no......

 

[pfoto]

Repeat, no.

 

[Morca007]

Nah, their value will fall, then it will rise, then fall, repeat ad nauseum until 35mm photography is gone.

 

[Roger Hicks]

...no......

Or to put it another way,

almost certainly not.

Cheers,

R.

 

[whitecat]

So far it looks like I might be better off investing in another Yashica 124 Mat G.😀

 

[waileong]

No, no, no....


What makes you guys so sure of anything in life?

 

[chikne]

Nah, their value will fall, then it will rise, then fall, repeat ad nauseum until 35mm photography is gone.

Can't wait ^^

 

[gdi]

I would say it should roughly double in value every 2 1/2 years...

...unless the current twig portrait craze falters! 🙂

 

[ampguy]

I'd say they are potentially good investments. Like them or hate them, there is nothing equivalent to them.

 

[gdi]

I'd say they are potentially good investments. Like them or hate them, there is nothing equivalent to them.

In all seriousness, indicators are that this lens is not a good financial investment. It has had a huge run up in price recently fueled by multiple factors including speculation, currency fluctuations, the availability of the M8, and not a tiny bit of "irrational exuberance" by purchasers. That doesn't bode well for it being a good place to park your money vs other options.

And I like the Noctilux, but, while there is usually no exact equivalent to any lens, there are other options that compete with it in every aspect. Some are slightly slower and some are slightly faster - but most are far less costly.

 

[varjag]

If Leica, Zeiss or Cosina release another 50/1 lens, the impact on its price will be huge.

 

[gdi]

If Leica, Zeiss or Cosina release another 50/1 lens, the impact on its price will be huge.

Exactly - at least if comes from Cosina ( either Zeiss or CV branded)...

 

[Hacker]

If Leica, Zeiss or Cosina release another 50/1 lens, the impact on its price will be huge.

I hold a contrarian view. Zeiss and CV have released lenses of other focal lengths, and Leica prices have continued to rise.

 

[varjag]

I hold a contrarian view. Zeiss and CV have released lenses of other focal lengths, and Leica prices have continued to rise.

I wasn't talking about dealer prices, but rather 2nd hand market - as can be assumed from "Noctilux as investment" point. Besides it is really hard to tell what a price e.g. for used 35mm Leica glass would've been now if not all Noktons, Biogons and Ultrons floating around.

 

[ampguy]

Interesting points, but for me it's not the f1.0, it's the overall look even stopped down to f4, and note that the f1.2 gets even more than the f1's.

What are close to it in look? I've seen nothing from the CV 1.2 other than maybe similar DOF, but none of the noct "signature"

 

[Al Kaplan]

When the Great Bush Recession finally really slams home there'll be nobody left who'll be able to afford that lens.

 

[crawdiddy]

Two and a half years ago I bought one for about $2395.00. We know they are now $5,900.00.... if they are available. Could this be a good investment for the future? Let's take the value of gold in the last few years ago as an example. Could the Noct be the next hedge against the upcoming recession caused by the Bush administration?

Good investment or no, you must feel pretty good about the timeliness of your purchase, whitecat.

 

[kevin m]

I remember there wasn't nearly so much interest in this lens when it sold for under $2k USD on the used market. Folks would buy it, get tired of it, and sell it in short order. Now that it sells for over $5k, though, there's an unrequited love thing going on for all the window shoppers. 😀

 

[Ororaro]

I never understood the people getting tired of it, really. I got mine for 1600$ and I just knew how good and what this lens was about after I shot 1 single roll with it. Anyone who understands what it takes to create a Noct and what kind of glass and engineering it takes will realize it whole potential.

The real problem is the people that don't have a clue about photography, those that get into the Leica bandwagon to imitate HCB and that quickly get tired of it. Those are the same ones that snobbed the Nikkor 28 1.4, The Noct-Nikkor and other gems while they we're still affordable.
The masses.

This being said, it's all my own opinion. And while I understand the Noctilux' price going up because of what it takes to produce it (no, it's not speculation as some people think!!!), I still don't think it is an investment simply because lenses are meant to be used.