Should I keep this lens?

[mackigator]

Looking for a bit of advice. Not too long ago I bought a Hexar RF with a 50mm Hexanon included. I love the camera and the lens.

Before that, I was shooting with a Bessa R2 and the Voigtlander 50mm f/2.0 Collapsible Heliar. It's a great lens as well, but now I prefer the 50mm Hexanon. This lens was a happy accident from buying the Hexar, but it keeps blowing me away. Here's my question:

Is there any good reason to keep the 50mm Collapsible Heliar? I'm a shooter more than a collector and haven't thought of any. Am I missing anything here that might lead me to keep both lenses? I'll put the money toward another lens, but the money is not a deciding factor. Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[pvdhaar]

If you don't need the money, don't sell the lens. You've two bodies, so you can have two 50mm sets, one loaded with colour, the other with b&w..

 

[wlewisiii]

If I had any spare cash, I'd tell you to sell it to me as that lens is one I've lusted after since the first time it was mentioned here (heh, just search on Heliar & see how often my ID shows up 🙂 ) Alas, I have no coins. So, unless your interested in a free loan for some extended period of time... 😱 Yeah, didn't think so... 😉

MUCH more seriously, keep it. That's a lens you will want to come back to no matter how exquisite that Hexanon is... 😀

William

 

[Huck Finn]

Looking for a bit of advice. Not too long ago I bought a Hexar RF with a 50mm Hexanon included. I love the camera and the lens.

Before that, I was shooting with a Bessa R2 and the Voigtlander 50mm f/2.0 Collapsible Heliar. It's a great lens as well, but now I prefer the 50mm Hexanon. This lens was a happy accident from buying the Hexar, but it keeps blowing me away. Here's my question:

Is there any good reason to keep the 50mm Collapsible Heliar? I'm a shooter more than a collector and haven't thought of any. Am I missing anything here that might lead me to keep both lenses? I'll put the money toward another lens, but the money is not a deciding factor. Your thoughts appreciated.

If it wre me I wouldn't be able to find a reason to keep both. 😕

 

[Pablito]

because you never know when something is going to go wrong, or you'll drop something. So it's always a good idea to have two of everything IF you photograph in critical circumstances where the picture matter$ and you won't be able to get a replacement. If you are just shooting for fun or a hobby then you don't need two of everything.

 

[clintock]

From the gearhead's perspective, you must keep the heliar because it looks 'correct' when mounted on a chrome Leica M body, (if you don't have one now, you will) but may be a better user than an old 50 collapsing summicron with the haze, fragile single coatings etc.. Plus the summi has the dreaded focus lock.
No matter how long you wait to sell it, you will get all your money out as long as it's still mint, so why hurry?

 

[ibcrewin]

I would keep it..

Granted it might not make sense to have an extra lens but without it you don't have the flexibility you wouldv'e otherwise had.

 

[mackigator]

Thanks for the good advice. I'm still undecided overall but keeping it for the moment.

 

[Doug]

Well, the two lenses have a different look, um, "fingerprint" some call it, its own character. I'm not even much of a 50mm fan, but somehow I've ended up with three that will fit Leica-M type bodies. I admit they're all different speeds, though, not all f/2... but one is a black 50mm f/2 Heliar. Very nice lens, but then so is the Hexar. Enjoy!