Would you sell a “cult” lens just because you think it is overvalued?

[ptpdprinter]

It is valuable because of its chrome finish and German provenance, not because of its optical properties. If those two attributes aren't important to you, another V4 (black Canadian or German) will do as well and you can pocket the difference. Or get the ASPH.

 

[BLKRCAT]

Of course. I sold my Super Takumar 50 1.4 for WAY more than I bought it for. I sold my XA for a little more than I paid as well. Cult items are great.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I have one of those since 2003, still like new, boxed. I was afraid to damage it, so I didn't use it. A very good lens.

Leica MP, Summicron-M f/2 35mm chrome, Tmax400, Microdol.

Erik.

 

[PRJ]

My rule of thumb for selling things is determined by whether or not I would buy it at the price it would sell for if I didn't already have the item. In other words, would you buy the Summicron for the price you could sell it for? If the answer is no, then sell. If the answer is yes, then keep it.

 

[enasniearth]

Ive found
Over the years
I end up buying it back

 

[zuiko85]

When the 40mm f2 Zuiko for the OM mount was hot I had 2 pass through my hands in about 3 or 4 years. They were too nice to use. The first one I had paid $125 for but sold it to a Japanese collector for $400. The second one was attached to a OM-2Sp that ate batteries. The camera shop owner didn't know the then market value of the lens and sold me the body w/lens for $75. That lens was LN but without box or papers. I traded it to KEH for some Pen F (film) lenses including a 20mm f3.5 I wanted. For my OM mount cameras I get along just fine with a $50, 35mm f2.8 Zuiko. Most of my equipment is 'user grade', not worth much, I didn't pay much and like it that way.
The one lens I bought cheap and sold but regretted it was a Olympus 28~48mm f4 zoom. Mostly I avoid zooms and favor primes but doggone that was a very handy lens. I have not found a replacement.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Would I...

 

[peterm1]

I guess I can say I sold my version 4 Summicron 35mm f2 for this reason. I don't know that I would say it was "over valued" but it definitely had risen considerably in price in the 12-15 years I owned it due to its reputation as a "bokeh king". I needed the money to buy something else at the time (Possibly to buy a Leica M digital, ironically) and because I did not use 35mm much (my preference being 50mm and longer for the most part) it was a likely candidate for sale. And I know that if I needed something wide I could get a far cheaper Voigtlander which would perform well enough for me. I sold the Summicron for around $2000 US and bought a Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 for around perhaps $400. I have not been disappointed.

 

[splitimageview]

What kind of money do you think you'll get on this? There is one in the classifieds here that's sat for a couple of weeks with no action.

 

[jsrockit]

I have a nice 35mm Cron in chrome, made in Germany, v4. It is quite rare now and that’s probably why prices (whenever you see them sold on ebay) are crazy. Much more than I think it is worth purely due to objective qualities. I like the lens, but if I sell for what market is offering I can buy asph cron and there will be quite a lot € left to buy film or travel. But it’s not that I am in need of money right now. On the other hand, If I don’t see this lens is worth that much, why not sell and use money for something else? What would you do? Is this a kind of reverse GAS and I should keep the lens?

Hell yes I'd sell it... I'd like to think my composition and content choices are more important then a cult lens. If you can sell a version IV and buy a lens that is just as good if not better.... I'd do it easily.

 

[BillBingham2]

I am in a slightly different situation, in that I've sold some great (expensive, but not rare) lenses because I was really in dire straights money wise. If I was not hurting for rent money I would have kept every one, so yes, I do regret not having them anymore. Is that your situation, or is this more a 'mad money' thing?

My big regret, selling a Vers 4 35mm chron for $600, back in 2001. Had I known what they would sell for 10-15 yrs later, I would've sat on it!
......
This probably isn't much help with your decision...

+1

B2 (;->

 

[michaelwj]

It's not really a cult lens. It's a rare colour variant of an ordinary lens. If you use the lens and want the money then you could sell it, buy a black one, and pocket the modest difference. You photography wouldn't change in use or output.

I remember earlier in the year a member on LUF had a black paint 35mm summicron v1. They sell for astronomical prices and he said once he found out the value he started to baby it and didn't want to use it anymore. He ended up selling it, buying the more common chrome variant, and pocketing the A$8000 difference. In use and output it is exactly the same as the black version, it's just that the market values the black paint one more.

Now, the difference between the black and chrome v4 35mm summicrons is not that big and like you say you don't need the money.

Would you prefer a black or chrome lens?

 

[raid]

I don't hold on to all lenses if I need the money for a new lens or camera. An old toy goes to get me a new toy.

 

[Mute-on]

If it was my lens, and I didn’t need the money, I would just keep it and continue using it. It will likely only continue to appreciate, so it’s a win-win.

Furthermore, if I had available funds, I would buy a chrome 35/2 Asph with the clip on hood. It is the last brass bodied chrome Summicron and will itself become a collectible IMO.

Cheers

J 🙂

 

[valdas]

What kind of money do you think you'll get on this? There is one in the classifieds here that's sat for a couple of weeks with no action.

RFF is probably not the place to sell overvalued stuff. I am looking at ebay, sold items. Recently same type of lens sold for £2500. I don’t expect that much, but this is an indication how crazy this can go...

It's not really a cult lens. It's a rare colour variant of an ordinary lens. If you use the lens and want the money then you could sell it, buy a black one, and pocket the modest difference. You photography wouldn't change in use or output.

I remember earlier in the year a member on LUF had a black paint 35mm summicron v1. They sell for astronomical prices and he said once he found out the value he started to baby it and didn't want to use it anymore. He ended up selling it, buying the more common chrome variant, and pocketing the A$8000 difference. In use and output it is exactly the same as the black version, it's just that the market values the black paint one more.

Now, the difference between the black and chrome v4 35mm summicrons is not that big and like you say you don't need the money.

Would you prefer a black or chrome lens?

Maybe not a cult, it’s a matter of definition, but it sells for much more than Canadian in black, pls see my example above.

I probably like chrome better to match my M6 in chrome, so I might just keep it if I don’t find crazy people to pay crazy money 🙂

 

[valdas]

Would I...

Maybe... but

 

[valdas]

Sell it, just don't regret it in the future when it may be worth even more than it is today. 😉

I know. In the past I regretted a bit trading my pre-asph Lux 35... but then I sold 6 or 7 Yashicas P&S (from T2 to T5 - I paid on the average 5$ for each and sold for so much more) and never looked back, never missed them.

Valdas,
how many of your personal top 10 images have you taken with the "cult lens"?
This a much more interesting question than what the lens is currently priced at on ebay🙄.

Just my $0.02.

Very well said...

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

There are several problems with cult lenses and cameras, especially the ones that were bought cheaply and might be sold for a fortune.

The first problem is the word "might" in the opening sentence. If you want to make money you have to set a silly price and wait for someone to snap at the bait and then trust them as all sorts of scams can follow. Or else you might set a low opening price in an auction and hope for a bidding war and a decent price.

The second problem is that you dare not use it in case it gets dropped or scratched and so on. So you box it up and get no pleasure from it and then you die and it gets binned...

Or you love it and use it and it loses all the excess value due to wear and tear or the market hiccuping or fashion changing.

So you might as well have a trophy photo taken of you holding the lens/camera and then sell the thing and get on with your life.

Do it now, as I've said, you've already answered your own question.

Regards, David

PS (EDIT) Hours later, just re-read this and it sounds a bit harsh but isn't meant that way...

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Maybe... but

I have seen what this lens could do if owner knows how to do it. Probably, best 35mm lens I have seen for film, IMO.

Using M4-2 and Summarit-M 35 for 35mm. Not as handy as M6 and lens is no cult lens, but it delivers most of the time and no plans to upgrade.

While M3 seems to be cult camera and so is 50 Cron line, personally I'm having difficulties to get something else, but portraits from this couple. I go on the street and all I'm getting is portraits, not the little, but wider stories as with 35mm.

 

[Erik van Straten]

It is a nice lens, much more attractive than the ASPH: smaller and without that harsh performance.

Leica MP, Summicron-M 35mm f/2 v4 chrome, Tmax400, Microdol.

Erik.