Orion 15

[mrmonde]

I have an 6/28mm Orion-15 in Kiev/Contax mount, almost mint in it's bakelite keeper, I've been told there quite rare, can anyone give me it's value.

 

[Paul T.]

I was trailing some of these for a while, a Ukraine seller had one on sale for around $200 18 months ago; I don't believe it sold.

They're interesting lenses, but obviously the more recent Voitgländer s-mount range have overshadowed them.

Edit: I have seen these go for over $400 three or fours years ago, as they came out of the woodwork on eBay. I think since then prices have gone down. I of course concede that people like kevincameras will still be selling them for $400. There are plenty of rare kiev items which are priced high, come up on eBay again and again, and don't sell.

 

[Hector Negron]

I think you're wrong. The price for a LTM Orion 15 is around $200 or less.

The Contax mount version is much rarer and probably is two to three times as expensive, if not more.

 

[Mark Wood]

Four or five years ago, MWClassic were selling a couple for around £200 but reduced at least one to £150 as I know from first hand experience!! I haven't seen any for sale for a while so I'm not sure about the current likely price. For what it's worth, mine is very sharp into the corners at f8 with medium contrast and I don't find the f6 limitation a problem in reality. (It fits nicely on a Contax IIa.)

 

[rxmd]

The Contax mount version is much rarer and probably is two to three times as expensive, if not more.

I'm not so sure. You see them for around 300 EUR on a number of sites where they don't seem to get sold. Peter Loy has been offering the Contax version online for £175 for a while, in near mint condition with caps & case. The latter is the ballpark I'd be estimating, $250 to $300. Still need to find a buyer nevertheless, Kiev items are slow sellers.

 

[mac_wt]

For what it's worth: I bought mine for 190 USD in 2006. I bought a LTM version in less than perfect condition in 2004 for 120 EUR. (In 2009 money that's about the same... 😉)

 

[wlewisiii]

Just as a point of information, fedka has a LTM Orion 15 listed for $299.

He also has a LTM Mir 2 20/5.6 with finder for $625.

Both are listed as ex, he's got a good reputation & so on. Those prices seem very high to me but are what is out there right now. FWIW.

William

 

[konicaman]

There is just one on the auctions site at the moment:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KMZ-f-Kiev-II...in_0?hash=item5635e7881f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

600£ - maybe a bit overpriced?

 

[oftheherd]

There is just one on the auctions site at the moment:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KMZ-f-Kiev-II...in_0?hash=item5635e7881f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

600£ - maybe a bit overpriced?

Whew! They are rare, but not that rare I don't think. Or maybe I should say that is more than most would pay, rare or not. I think you can get a better lens for better price from the head bartender at Cameraquest.

Still, I envy the OP, as I would like to have one. I just don't want one bad enough to pay the current prices. I don't have the time to use my Kiev enough to justify that kind of output.

 

[Hector Negron]

Regardless of who is correct about the "actual" market price of the Orion, the price of anything advertised by "Photo Arsenal" is pure science fiction.

I often wonder how much they waste in eBay listing fees. Once in a blue moon they get a sucker to bite.