Urgent advise from the Canonistas needed!

R

Roman

Guest
As I already mentioned here, I'm on the lookout for an M39 50mm lens for my Bessa, preferably a Summicron or Canon, and my budget is not the best...
So, I just got an offer (not on Ebay, but from a member of another photo forum who seems very reliable): a late-model Canon 1.8/50mm (w/ 48mm filter thread), with very slight cleaning marks (according to the seller, only cosmetic, barely visible, and not showing up in pictures taken with the lens; he will make pics of the lens until tomorrow, so I haven't seen it yet).
He wants 180 Euros for it. Now, what do you think about that price? Reasonable? I'm really thinking about buying that, as screw-mount Summicrons usually go for much more, and M39 Canons are rarely found on European Ebay (and I think on American Ebay the usually go in the 150 to 200 USD range, more if mint, IIRC) - and I would have to pay higher postage and 27% VAT and import duty on top of that, which would also take me in the 200 Euro range...
So, should I get that lens???

Roman
 
PS: Just checked at the Canon Camera Museum, and the 50/1.8 does not come with 48mm, but with 40mm thread - but the seller said he was not sure about the filter sizw, he would have to check again when he gets home from work...
 
The price (well over $200) is high for a 50mm F1.8, although prices have climbed lately. If it is the 50mm f1.4 which DOES take a 48mm filter, that is the going rate. You should be able to buy a collapsible Summicron for about that price.
 
A very clean Canon 50/1.4 sold for $210ish a few days ago. Prices may not be as strong at this moment as they had been recently.
 
Roman if it's a 50/1.8 and with faint cleaning marks then 180 euros is way expensive (circa $240) but then usually dollars there are euros here...

Now if it's a 1.4 then it may be different and I'd grab it. For a 1.8, may be better to look on eBay or even take a look at kevincameras. OTH I don't know how picky the people at customs are there. If they stop and charge every parcel coming their way then it may be safer to get it locally and safe VAT, postage (and postage risk) not to mention the hideous customs charges ! :eek:
 
By the way, Roman, while walking in Vienna, 1st of january, i've seen a few camera shops with lots of interesting second-hand stuff. Rolleis, leicas, even a contax or two. Man the prices were crazy there!
 
The Canon FL 50/1.8 was the lens commonly sold with the FP, FX and some Pellix models. It has a 48mm front thread. However, since it was made in the Canon breechlock mount, it would be very difficult to mistake for an LTM lens. Some of the faster Canon 50mm LTM lenses may have had a front thread of 48mm however. Likely just confucion on the Seller's part.

It's a heavy lens, a lot brass and glass. How does it balance on the Bessa?

-Paul
 
Pherdinand, Taffer,
yes, prices are really high locally for camera gear, and with parcels from the US I had to pay taxes & duties every single time (the only ones that slip through occasionally are the ones from Ukraine). That's why I figured I might just as well take this lens - e.g. if I get one from US Ebay at, let's say 160 USD (I've seen a couple in that range) plus about 25 USD shipping, plus 27 % VAT & duties (applicable to BOTH price and shipping), that would be 235 USD, which is also 180 Euros (and I forgot to mention: shipping was included with that lens) - so I would have to find one quite below 160 USD to make a better deal...

Roman
 
Roman, you're quite right. It's a big gamble hoping Customs might let your new purchase slip through.

Only recently I was looking for a Canon Eos 300D at a reasonable price in the US, especially as my brother would be going to Vegas soon. Knowing he would have little time and inclination to spend his vacation chasing camera stores I checked dpreview.com to find a cheap offer in Vegas. The cheapest I could find in Vegas was $999, though in NYC there were cameras from some $620. A thousand dollars was already near enough to average prices in Holland, and having a $620 camera imported to Holland would end up costing near to 700 euros as well. Than I found a 300D with the kit lens for a mere 725 euros (kamera-express.nl for those of you in Holland). Needless to say I didn't bother my brother with it anymore. :)

Custom duties (which are levied over the item's value + the shipping cost!) are a killer for those of us hoping to escape the increasingly high camera gear prices. :(
 
Pic of the lens

Pic of the lens

The seller just sent me a pic of the lens, and I'm seriously tempted. Also checked out all the usual other places (KEH, B&H, Ritz Cameras, Kevin's Cameras, ebay of course), and don't see anything that would be much lower price-wise, if I figure in the factors mentioned above (OK, Kevin's does have one 50/1.8 for a much lower price, but that is described as having many cleaning marks, and is in their 2nd lowest quality category).
So, I'm seriously tempted...
How difficult is it to find filters and a hood for that weird 40mm thread (I guess I'd only need a yellow and an orange, and a hood, but if I have to buy those seperately, with postage figured in, that could be quite a bit of money).

Roman
 
Roman, if you decide for this lens, I think it would be easier to find push-on filters and accessories - i.e. those which are not screwed in the filter thread, but placed over the outside diameter of the lens. See the thread "How to Use "Series" Filters on older lenses..." for ideas. Also, you might even use stuff from your Russian lenses with some tweaking. I have several push-on filters for my Russian lens, and those are 42mm OD size - placed OVER the lens, not screwed in. I can use the same filters on my Leica lens (Summicron 50/2, Elmar-C, etc.) which have the same OD diameter. "Tweaking" might be required, i.e. some adjustment of the filter tabs to make the filter fit tightly.

Denis
 
Agree with Denis, I discovered that the series-vi adapter that came with my Canon P fits around the outer side of most 40.5mm threaded FSU lenses (J8, 8M, I26, J11) and the original Zeiss Sonnar as well.

Btw once seen that lens is indeed nice, and after reading that about vat and customs looks like a nice deal.
 
I agree w/those saying that 180 Euros is too high. I've seen the black 50/1.8 in similar condition go on US eBay for around $100 U.S. It's a very common lens, as it came as the standard on the Canon P, etc.

IME, 40mm filters & accessories are fairly rare outside of Japan because it was pretty much only used by Canon (Peter Evans, who often posts on the photo.net Leica Forum, has put a small site http://hoary.org/toys/40mm.html), but they do show up from time to time on eBay.
 
Roman, I agree with your rationalization which takes into account shipping and tax. It is a great lens and you've found a VERY nice example of one. I would go for it. (I have this lens, bought from Brian.)
 
40mm Filters are hard to find; 48mm on the F1.4 is much easier.

I think that I will go after more fixer-upper lenses and keep a reserve for RFF members!

I shot a roll with Joe's lens, it was great after cleaning the haze out. Frank's lens was almost perfect, and I could not bring myself to mount it on a camera because I would never have taken it off!
 
Roman, some time ago I read another member used 40.5 filters and hoods on a 40mm thread by using some (metal/plastic?) foil or such as a "filler". We're talking about half a millimeter so I guess using some gaspipe tape or aluminium foil would work.
 
OK, I just told the seller (who does the PR work for the German branch of Ilford, BTW) that I will take it; checked a lot of other sources, and with postage and everything figured in, I could not find a better deal; will have to check whethe my Russian 42mm slip-on hoods will work on that lens (they are VERY tight on the 40.5mm filter-thread Jupiter 8, so might fit well on the 40mm Canon).
If anyone stumbles over some yellow, yellow-green or orange filters that might work with the Canon, send me a note!

Roman
 
Remy, It should work the other way: the smaller filter will fit onto the lens built to take a slightly larger filter. I have used 40.5mm filters on my Summarit designed to take 41mm filters by using some teflon tape usually used for plumbing fixtures. You could file the 40.5mm threads down a bit, but still "iffy".
 
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