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Overpriced apo lathar 125mm f2.5
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 5:04 pm    Post subject: Overpriced apo lathar 125mm f2.5 Reply with quote

Expected bidding war on this item on ebay drives price paid,obviously not an item an experienced buyer would get involved with,also as an experienced macro photographer I have a number of lenses that produce equal or better results than this cult lens,sold mine 12 months ago in ex++ for $1400 and bought motorized focusing rail and put $900 in bank to spend on other worthwhile items.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To people need luxury items, not only good working which is good job well. This is true for clothes, cars houses, photography is not an exception.
If we make things to deadly simple a Helios-44 + extension rings do job pretty well in macro photography and some how we can see many, many macro lenses Wink


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Overpriced apo lathar 125mm f2.5 Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
I have a number of lenses that produce equal or better results than this cult lens,.


Would you please specify these lenses?


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

@kryss:

This lens might be overpriced, but you could extend this statement to many other lenses in the photography world. But this is not my point.

Like komet in the previous post I would also like to know which lenses give "equal or better results". There are not too many true apo lenses out there.
I'm not arguing for or against this lens, just curious...


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:00 am    Post subject: Re: Overpriced apo lathar 125mm f2.5 Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
.... as an experienced macro photographer I have a number of lenses that produce equal or better results than this cult lens,sold mine 12 months ago in ex++ for $1400 and bought motorized focusing rail and put $900 in bank to spend on other worthwhile items.


I seriously doubt that. I do "a little bit" macro myself, also professionally, but to beat an Apo Lanthar 125mm is not an easy one. But it really depends on how to use it - to drive a Ferrari in the London rush hour from A to B certainly doesn't let the Ferrari shine.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My point was that it is/was not worth $2000,and after 50years of experience as a photographer(30 of them shooting & selling macro prints to interior designers,horticulturists etc.) I feel confident in my statement and regardless of cost equipment is only as good as the user.There are many examples of this on this site when used by competent photographers,I was not aware one could buy experience.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I payed much less for mine many years ago, but I still won't sell it as only the Macro Apo Elmarit comes close to it in my humble opinion. Sure, I also use other lenses for shooting macro (easy when you have more than 600 here Wink ), but still if we talk about the last percent in performance, nothing beats it. But I fully agree that the "normal" shooter won't see much difference to a - say - Kiron 105mm


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 1:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Overpriced apo lathar 125mm f2.5 Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
I have a number of lenses that produce equal or better results than this cult lens.


Please specify the names of those lenses, that would be very interesting for many people.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

komet,please read my penultimate post,"there are many examples of this on this site,when used by competent photographers".


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think one sold here not long ago for around 1200 Euro, I bought mine in a Sony/Minolta mount for just over half of that Smile


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
komet,please read my penultimate post,"there are many examples of this on this site,when used by competent photographers".


The names of these lenses would have been very interesting. I have that 125mm Voigtländer and I know no better macro lens from infinity to 1:1.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What is so special about this lens that can't be had in other premium lenses that makes it increase this amount in value beside collection value?


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi lauge,as a professional with many years shooting macro and making above average income, in a word..nothing.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
Hi lauge,as a professional with many years shooting macro and making above average income, in a word..nothing.


Have you actually ever used the lens?


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

James, please read my original post.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

that will be a no then Smile


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

some alternative to apo lanthar
http://forum.mflenses.com/meyer-trioplan-on-5dii-t26199.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/helios-44-2-on-5dii-t26136.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/industar-50-2-on-5dii-t26168.html


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is an amazing lens indeed.
And the question of being "overpriced" or not has been discussed in another thread recently.

I guess "overpriced" is pretty much subjective.
If someone wealthy wants to have exactly what this lens offers, no price would be overpriced. Wink
For me, this Lanthar is definitely overpriced, because I would never spend so much money on one lens and I hardly ever shoot macros.
You get what I mean, right?

This Apo Lanthar perhaps is a good example for a lens that is "overpriced" but not "overrated", i.e. it's a bit too expensive for the reasonable customer Wink, but it performancewise meets its reputation.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you,as I stated overpriced not over rated.I used one for year or two and finally sold it. I seem to have upset a few people with my opinion stated from experience and I assure them I am more than able to afford any piece of equipment but am not stupid enough to overpay just to say I own one when equal results can be obtained from other lenses.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
... I am more than able to afford any piece of equipment ...

Lucky you! Wink


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
komet,please read my penultimate post,"there are many examples of this on this site,when used by competent photographers".


Sorry Kryss but that is a total cop-out. You made a statement but now can not back it up. Words are cheap, I seriously doubt it is true if you can't name names.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

frogfish, how is it a cop out when my point was and is that $2000 is not justified for this lens,I base this on many years of successfully selling macro work and having owned and used this lens.I suggest you stop being lazy and read the many articles on the subject of macro,which in itself is very difficult to master,after all isn't this forum popular for the knowledge it imparts for those who are willing to learn?.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kryss wrote:
I suggest you stop being lazy and read the many articles on the subject of macro,which in itself is very difficult to master

suggesting to Frogfish to stop being lazy and read articles is a personal attack
check his smugmug, you will see that he is not a beginner
please keep the discussion friendly

Frogfish wrote:
Sorry Kryss but that is a total cop-out. You made a statement but now can not back it up. Words are cheap, I seriously doubt it is true if you can't name names

I give links for 3 lens free of CA, what other back up do you need ?


PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

poilu wrote:

please keep the discussion friendly

I'd like to support that.