What's the LEAST you'd spend on a new lens?

[Benjamin Marks]

I started a thread in the m-4/3 subforum asking RFF preferences on the large number of "new" manufacturers producing lenses at rock-bottom prices. I am thinking, for example of TTArtisan's 17/1.7 in m-4/3 ($75?) or an offering from Venus Laowa . . .there are a number of manufacturers who seem to have popped up over the past couple of years.

I have gotten no responses to that other thread so far -- my working assumption from that silence is that the RFF crowd doesn't necessarily dabble in these new offerings -- or at least not broadly (I know that the TTArtisan's 35mm offering for Leica's M mount had some early takers).

But it also occurred to me that perhaps I was asking the wrong question: Maybe nobody here would buy a lens of uncertain quality for, say $75, but wouldn't hesitate to purchase a lens from a known quality manufacturer's brand for $299.

So let me test that hypothesis: how low does a lens price have to get to set off alarm bells? I mean $75 for that TTArtisan's 17mm lens isn't a lot of money in lens-land. But $75 dollars for a lens that is all "idiosyncrasy" -- e.g. vignetting, de-centering, poor coatings, poor results, sci-fi level bokeh . . .I mean, why not spend that money on a nice dinner out? Or 2/3 of a nice dinner out (these days)?

Whaddaya think?

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I started a thread in the m-4/3 subforum asking RFF preferences on the large number of "new" manufacturers producing lenses at rock-bottom prices. I am thinking, for example of TTArtisan's 17/1.7 in m-4/3 ($75?) or an offering from Venus Laowa . . .there are a number of manufacturers who seem to have popped up over the past couple of years.

I have gotten no responses to that other thread so far -- my working assumption from that silence is that the RFF crowd doesn't necessarily dabble in these new offerings -- or at least not broadly (I know that the TTArtisan's 35mm offering for Leica's M mount had some early takers).

But it also occurred to me that perhaps I was asking the wrong question: Maybe nobody here would buy a lens of uncertain quality for, say $75, but wouldn't hesitate to purchase a lens from a known quality manufacturer's brand for $299.

So let me test that hypothesis: how low does a lens price have to get to set off alarm bells? I mean $75 for that TTArtisan's 17mm lens isn't a lot of money in lens-land. But $75 dollars for a lens that is all "idiosyncrasy" -- e.g. vignetting, de-centering, poor coatings, poor results, sci-fi level bokeh . . .I mean, why not spend that money on a nice dinner out? Or 2/3 of a nice dinner out (these days)?

Whaddaya think?

Well it depends on the lens. I bought a '30s Leica Elmar 3.5cm LTM lens for $75 in 2018....and a collapsible Elmar 50 for less. Last year I bought Pentax 645 200mm for $35. A like new Pentax LTM M42 35mm 3.5 for $35 last year. A 4 3/8" Dagor in a shutter for $50. All ebay buys all in good working condition.

 

[p.giannakis]

Again, " it depends" is the answer. Sometimes people dont know what they are selling and as a result you can get a great lens for a ridiculous amount of money.

My alarm bells usually go off when I see online sellers with multiple sells under their belt, posting mishmash of cameras/lenses stating "i don't know how to check if it works". Then, despite the low prices, i stay away.

 

[AlexMogens]

I bought a 7Artisan 25mm lens for $59 quite happily, so I don't think there's a low end for me. But I didn't like it and sold it on eBay. I'd much rather buy a 'known maker' for $59.

 

[agentlossing]

I don't mind if the optics are idiosyncratic if it's not decentered, and the distance scale isn't off. I dislike lenses which focus past infinity.

$70 is probably my lower limit. Sometimes sub-$100 gets you a good lens: the Pentax DA 35mm f2.4 is usually under $100 and it's quite a good little lens.

 

[wlewisiii]

New Old Stock Helios 103 53/1.8 in Contax mount for the Kiev rangefinders. $36.99
I adjusted it according to Brian's instructions to Nikon spec and it works a treat on my S-2 😉

But otherwise, $75 ~ $100 is probably a good ballpark. I've seen a number of good but cheap lenses over the years in that range.