Current Fair Price For 125/2.5 APO CV?

[jhinkey]

What's your opinion on what the current fair price should be for the 125/2.5 APO assuming it's in excellent condition and with hood?
I have an opportunity to pick up a native AIS version in the next month or so . .

I currently have the 105/2.5 AIS and 135/2 APO Ziess (ZF.2), but am looking for something better than the 105/2.5 and smaller/lighter than the 135/2 APO.  Plan on using it mostly wide open . . . on my D800 and impending A7RII.

[JJChan]

John
I got the CV125 about 2 yrs ago and the Zeiss APO135 last year.
I ended paying about the same amount for both. The CV has almost doubled in price on eBay since when I bought mine. It's too hard to work out what is a fair price but I wish I had bought another 2 years ago! It's like your 16mm 3.5 fisheye spares!

I do find that the Zeiss seems crisper on D800E even when both are right on focus. It exposes about 1/2 EV less at the same f stop and shutter speed so looks like more global contrast SOOC and is a touch cooler. It has more resolution. It is a little bit more APO as my CV can just see purple highlights on high contrast edges where none can be seen on the Zeiss. It feels like it is a more modern rendering.

However, the CV has a special magic on the Df that makes it my preference on that camera. It also balances better, goes 1:1 and imparts a sense of 'wholeness' to everything. If I could afford it, I'd get another. Hence what's a fair price? YMMV!

[Jan Anne]

Going price on the bay is around $2000 / €1700 which is a fair price for a mint lens I woulds say.

If you intend to use it on anything mirrorless you might consider a Canon EF version which supports EXIF registration and electronic aperture control on the Sony a7 series.

Here's mine with the Commlite adapter:


 

[Jakov Minić]

JA, you are so classy with your presentation
The photo is really cool!

[jhinkey]

Going price on the bay is around $2000 / €1700 which is a fair price for a mint lens I woulds say.

If you intend to use it on anything mirrorless you might consider a Canon EF version which supports EXIF registration and electronic aperture control on the Sony a7 series.

Here's mine with the Commlite adapter:

Thanks, the AIS version is preferred since I will be using it on my D800 and A7RII, otherwise the EF version would be best as you say.

[chris dees]

I'm looking for one as well, but the only two a see on eBay are way too expensive ($1959 (EX) and $2400 (Mint).

[jhinkey]

I'm looking for one as well, but the only two a see on eBay are way too expensive ($1959 (EX) and $2400 (Mint).

It seems that the AIS version is always more expensive - I believe since it can be adapter to many more bodies, though with the new AF capabilities of the A7RII it may now be the other way around.  I have a line on one for $2300 or so . . .

[Jan Anne]

It seems that the AIS version is always more expensive

Blame our Norwegian administrator for that, he bought the then unknown lens for next to nothing only to discover it was an optical gem, this news went like wildfire within the Nikon community with the other mounts following a few years later.

Original retail price was $600, in it's peak days it went for six times that on eBay because there are only a few made (Zeiss is to blame for that).

I bought one brand new in box last year for its original retail price, my luck was that the seller didn't know what he was selling and I knew precisely what it was

[Akira]

The highest possible "fair" price is the suggested retail price that the manufacturer figured out based on the production and development costs.  The normal "fair" price is so-called "street price" for which is is sold while it is in production (except for when it is sold as surplus stock).

Any prices higher than those are not fair at all.

[jhinkey]

The highest possible "fair" price is the suggested retail price that the manufacturer figured out based on the production and development costs.  The normal "fair" price is so-called "street price" for which is is sold while it is in production (except for when it is sold as surplus stock).

Any prices higher than those are not fair at all.

Well, my definition of a "fair price" is something close to the average selling price of the same model in the same condition - i.e., the average selling price of what the market has been recently willing to pay.  I.e., if the average price that this same lens is selling for is $2K then something close to that would be fair in my book.  Obviously what the market is willing to pay goes up and down with supply/demand and other external forces/events.

[Akira]

Yes, I understand the point of the thread and the second hand price is decided by the balance demand and supply.

That said, I personally am reluctant to pay extra for the "brand" or "rarity", which I don't think is the essential part of the "tool".

[tommiejeep]

It seems that the AIS version is always more expensive

Blame our Norwegian administrator for that, he bought the then unknown lens for next to nothing only to discover it was an optical gem, this news went like wildfire within the Nikon community with the other mounts following a few years later.

Original retail price was $600, in it's peak days it went for six times that on eBay because there are only a few made (Zeiss is to blame for that).

I bought one brand new in box last year for its original retail price, my luck was that the seller didn't know what he was selling and I knew precisely what it was

I'm trying, or was trying, to buy one here in India.  I've only found one, mint/mint-.  The guy selling is a very good photographer , and he did quote the Bear!!!  He is asking more than the Zeiss 135 APO (list here at $2,261.33 at todays exchange rate.  He has six, different mounts, Lanthars (two 125's) .   He did not give me a price.

He also has a contact in Japan who scouts for lenses for him.  He said that an absolute Mint (boxed and unused) can go for as much as $3,000.   I was expecting to pay in the $1,800 range and hoping to be lucky and find some one who did not know the lens/reputation. Love your story  , never happens to me  .  I would pay $2K for a mint(-) here but not an import since Customs and Excise can be an unknown here in India.

I've been exchanging messages with Erik, who gave me some suggestions for alternative lenses.   At the moment I may just go for a mint 75-150 f3.5 E , not quite the same  but a useful FL range for me .  Not one of Erik's alternatives, but a heck of a lot cheaper than the APO 125 .   The guy with the 125 APO did offer some good advice about dealing with Zeiss India on the 135 APO price 

Tom


Edit: just for fun  ....... While searching the net for a good deal on the 105 f4 Ai/Ais macro I came across this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nikon-UV-Nikkor-105mm-f-4-5-/231620677812?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35edab10b4

[jhinkey]

Yes, I understand the point of the thread and the second hand price is decided by the balance demand and supply.

That said, I personally am reluctant to pay extra for the "brand" or "rarity", which I don't think is the essential part of the "tool".

I figure that if I buy one and later sell it I will either break even or maybe lose just a bit - I consider it a rental fee.  I've never lost $$ on any of the more exotic (and good) lenses, but that first time can come if for some reason the market gets flooded with them or they become less desirable.  I plan on using it for candids of my girls - a priceless enterprise - and selling it when done.

That's actually why I bought the 135/2 Ziess, but it's kind of big and heavy for my purposes.  I tried to use it as a low light landscape lens, and it does well, but believe it or not my lowly 135/2 AIS Nikkor is not that far behind in image IQ at infinity (it's not very good at MFD) and gets the job done.  Of course the 135/2 APO Zeiss is excellent at all distances and apertures at a high cost for sure.

Perhaps when the A7RII arrives I will feel differently about the Zeiss.

[Akira]

John, I understand the "fair" price will vary according to the individual sense of value for a particular item.  And only hope you will be able to find the CV125 at the price you can reason and to resell at minimal loss or even with some profit.

What I don't like about the "premire price" is that it can have a great fall whenever a promising alternative emerges at the price that the premired item used to be sold when it was current.  Hence my sentiment and rumblings. 

[Jan Anne]

At the moment I may just go for a mint 75-150 f3.5 E , not quite the same  but a useful FL range for me

I willing to part with mine, it's in mint++ condition, really like new