Nikkor macro vs kilfitt macro lens....too many questions?

[Layer-cake]

I seem to be at a bit of cross roads here!! I have a kilfitt macro D 40mm 2.8 lens and a Nikkor 55mm 3.5 lens that i have but I'm not sure which I should keep!

I've been using the kilfitt to a while but too be honest I have not been impressed with the shots taken with it!! its not bad for macro work on my MFT system but again I'm not very impressed with any part of it, even if its the first true 1;1 macro lens made

I could sell the Nikkor for cheap or I could sell the kilfitt for the same price as the Nikkor plus an adapter for nikkor and that's my dilema as I have not used the nikkor but strongly feel it would be the superior lens out of the two!!

I know I posed the question as to why the Nikkor macros are so cheap but I have come to the precipice as to which I should sell and I am need as to which I should keep???

[iangreenhalgh1]

Keep the Nikkor, it's one of the finest macro lenses available and also superb as an all-round lens.

The Kilfitt was one of the earliest macro lenses and isn't in the same class as later developments like the Nikkor.

[Layer-cake]

that is exactly what I was thinking out of the two, in a way I wanted to keep the kilfitt as it was a bench mark lens but again it has not inspired me with any of the shots I have taken with it so far!!

many thanks Ian, you confirmed my suspicions

[bernhardas]

Edited

[ForenSeil]

+1 for keeping the Nikkor and selling the Kilfitt
Make a collector happier!

[luisalegria]

Had one of each some time ago. They seemed OK to me, both gave similar results to my Pentax macro.
Kilfitt is an interesting collectors item. You should be able to get a much better price for it than the Nikkor, at least on the international market. I see eBay closing prices 4x the Nikkor, around US$150-300
If you can get the Kilfitt for much less you can maybe make a profit.
But for use the Nikkor is fine and has no collectors premium.

[Attila]

Try both and if Kilfitt good enough keep it, good investment and tool, Nikkor made in large amount, it will be always cheap lens even if good, Kilfitt will increase their price throw years.

[Mir]

Don't you have a Macro Yashinon Tomioka 2,8/60

Don't you like it ??

[duckrider]

Keep them both & You won't have to regret having sold one!

[Layer-cake]

I put the yash up for sale, its a very very nice lens but I find it hard to justify keeping lenses of that value with my skill level....I actually didn't realise the kilfitts fetched that much on the open market!! so now I have the dilemma of should I even keep it too


I could maybe sell that and keep the yash instead!! much testing will need to be done I think!!

I was lucky and picked the kilfitt up about $15, condition is about B-B+

[luisalegria]

A bit of luck there.

[calvin83]

I will keep the Tomioka and sell the rest.

[Layer-cake]

I'm leaning in this direction after looking up the kilfitts prices, when I got it I could swear they didn't go for more than $70.

I was lucky with the tomioka too, I've sold most of the equipment I got with the kit and already doubled what I spent.....maybe I shouldn't be looking a gift horse in the mouth.

[scsambrook]

Look carefully at the state of the glass in the Kilfitt lens, even back in the 1970s they had the reputation of being prone to deterioration. If it's not looking good, then maybe you'd be better off moving it on to the collector market.

A good one, either f3.5 or f2.8 is worth keeping, though, especially if you bought it cheaply. Certainly not as clinically sharp as the Micro Nikkor, but a nicely different 'feel' to the image.

[std]

If i were you i would keep the Kilar
Nikkors can be found everywhere.

I have this irrationality that i like the older lenses better. Even if they are not that good as the more modern ones there is something in the build quality and the special rendering which makes them more appealing to me.

I've almost sold mine a year ago - luckily the buyer didn't pay for it and now i still have it and don't regret keeping it.

[Layer-cake]

When I first got it there was some fungus on the inner elements but it cleaned off just fine.....I think there was very minimal damage done to the coatings by it, literally almost none.

I saw another one the 3.5 at a friends place but the back end is designed slightly different as there is no protective tab on it and the back element was scratched very badly.

It's a well built lens but I will put the tomioka up against it and make a choice out of the two.

[Layer-cake]

[Layer-cake]

so I've put the two through some basic tests, I'm really liking the tomioka between the two.

I've decided to sell the kilfitt, after inspecting the kilfitt again it seems that there are quite a few cleaning marks on the elements....nothing too serious and the inner part of the front element around the edges did get affected by the original fungus again its nothing bad but I'm struggling to price it accordingly.

any suggestions would help?

[Mir]

I can't help you with pricing the Kilfitt..

But i did have many tormenting thoughts about your Yashinon....

[NikonAIS]

[Layer-cake]