Hi folks

Bit of a dilemma here

My outfit...M6 Classic, 28 elmarit, 35 summicron, 50 summarit, 90 summicron, 135 elmar and two viso lenses, 200 and 280.

I love my gear but am thinking of getting a 50 summicron after trying one and loving the very different images it produces compared to the summarit.

which lens should be traded though?

I'll keep the summarit and use it on an old III body so the obvious answer is one of the wides, the 35 has been my standard lens uptil now so it enters the frame for trading in, However the 135 has not seen a lot of use lately but it would not cover the cost of a 50.

I cannot afford to just buy another lens for two reasons, one cash and two I'd be hung out to dry by my wife who thinks I've spent far too much on my cameras of late!

all suggestions considered!

thanks

John

And I know I should get another body but I usually travel light with my camera round my neck and a lens in each jacket pocket.

-- John Tobias (johntobias@hotmail.com), June 08, 2002

Answers

The simple answer is probably "sell the one you use least."

How much do you use the 135? For me that would be an obvious candidate, but then I don't go in for much telephoto photography anyway.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul@chefurka.com), June 08, 2002.

My 135 is my LEAST used lens, so that's an obvious candidate. But since selling it won't pay for the new lens you'd have to make the difference up in cash or sell a SECOND lens. To me, there's not a dramatic enough difference between the 35 and 28. I'd consider selling whichever of those you like the least. I'd still recommend selling the 135 if you can possible make up the difference in cash.

Dale

-- Dale Griffith (dgrif55@aol.com), June 08, 2002.

buy a well used 50 that is optically fine. if you use the 135 at all you will just end up buying it later, losing a lot more (including both ends of the transaction) then you'll save now. in the alternative, look around your house for something you REALLY never use and sell IT on ebay. everything sells on ebay!!

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), June 08, 2002.

Patience grasshopper. Save up your money for the 50 cron. Use what you have until you can easily afford the new lens. You will appreciate it more if you don't have to sacrifice something else for it. And just think how much more your wife will appreciate it. g

-- Gil Pruitt (wgpinc@yahoo.com), June 08, 2002.

Ok Roger has the best words of wisdom :"look around your house for something you REALLY never use and sell IT on ebay. everything sells on ebay!!"

In my lens stuff; I use the 135mm the least on my LTM or M kelly

-- Kelly Flanigan (zorki3c@netscape.net), June 08, 2002.

You did say 'all suggestions considered'.

So, applying the 'never sell a Leica' rule, that leaves your wife as the only non-Leica commodity.

Wives are a real issue for Leicanuts. I find the best policy is to generate such a dust-storm of photographic comings and goings that they haven't the first idea whether that new lump of glass is a new acquisition or summat that's been around since Adam was a lad.

Also, loudly trumpet those deals on which you make a profit so that the others can slip through unnoticed...

BTW, the result was England 1 - Argentina 0. It's not OT - I'm sure I saw a bloke in the crowd with an M7.

-- Paul Hart (paulhart@blueyonder.co.uk), June 08, 2002.

Ahh Paul, but I'm scottish !!, even though I was heartened to see the argentinians brutal play backfire on them.

Much kudos to the usa team...they played a blinder

and to bring it back on topic...I've decided to flog some more of my hardly ever used R gear to raise the funds (I've used the 135 seldom but enough to keep it)...now anyone fancy an r4, an r4s, a winder, a motordrive, a 50 summicron R or even a 14167 M-R adaptor?? :-)

-- John Tobias (johntobias@hotmail.com), June 08, 2002.

John,

You didn't mention the R stuff. That makes it easy. Sell, sell, sell! Keep the wife, but tell her it was a close thing...

-- Paul Hart (paulhart@blueyonder.co.uk), June 08, 2002.

If it were me, I'd unload the 50 Summarit. This is a lens design that dates to 1949 and is not in the same class (optically) as the later M lenses that you have. Of course, if you like the soft flare- prone imagery of this lens (which some consider unique and pleasing), it is another matter.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), June 08, 2002.

"Patience grasshopper..."

"Old man. How is it that you are blind, but you see so much?" "Young man. How is it that you have sight, but you do not?"

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), June 08, 2002.

Get rid of the 35 I would say. The "logical" steps are 28-50-90-135 as the 35 is relatively close to 28 and 50 compared to the other steps. But hey, I have 35-50-135-250, so what's this about being 'logical' :-). No matter what, you will always found out you will nead the lens you just sold. I would be extra nice to the wife for some time. Brings less stress :-)

Reinier

-- ReineirV (rvlaam@xs4all.nl), June 10, 2002.

Hey throw caution to the wind buddy! Just go out an buy that 50mm 'cron. Thats what credit cards are for!!

good luck!

Jason

-- Jason Vicinanza (jason@futurafish.com), June 12, 2002.