Are people really paying $1000+ for Speed Graphic and Aero Ektar combos?

I got enthused by the whole speed lens thing a few years back and built my own Graphic and Aero Ektar combo for around $400. The prices on the lenses and good Speed Graphics seemed to have climbed a little since then (but not hugely) while the adapter for the lens is now apparently readily available, but it still looks like you should be able to put one together for $600 - $700.

This auction seems to suggest that someone was prepared to pay $2500 for one, while this one is a bit cheaper and a touch more eccentric, but the seller seems to think that $2000 is a reasonable BIN.

Are they really selling for over $1000 on a regular basis? Have I missed something and the whole David Burnett thing has got even bigger? Surely this is all a few years old now. I also noticed that there are seven or eight Aero Ektars for sale on eBay UK, all from different sellers, which much be must be some sort of weird coincidence. Or maybe this is a variation on Petzval madness.

It's just a hipster trend, look at the photos people do with them and 99% will be tossers in a few years. If people are silly enough to jump on the copycat bandwagon then they're probably good candidates to price gouge too.

Well... there are people who pay $250 + for a Lensbaby.
Further proof that P.T. Barnum was correct.

Different strokes for different folks. They are a photographic tool and due to popularity vs. demand vs. an individual's ability or willingness to build one themselves, yes the prices have climbed significantly.

Full disclaimer: I have built several of these and sold them for large sums of money, with a couple more on the way. Big deal, it's the same as folks selling 100-year-old lenses for more than most used cars, despite said lenses being sold for pennies on the dollar some years ago. Is that a fad too?

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Originally Posted by dsphotog

Further proof that P.T. Barnum was correct.

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Actually, George Hull/David Hannum/Joseph Bessimer/Michael McDonald/Hungry Joe were correct, depending on who you believe. However, it probably wasn't Barnum.

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Originally Posted by Corran

Different strokes for different folks. They are a photographic tool and due to popularity vs. demand vs. an individual's ability or willingness to build one themselves, yes the prices have climbed significantly.

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Fair enough, I really was just wondering whether this was an isolated example or the new normal. I'm not actually planning to sell mine, although I probably should since I have other options (150 Xenotar, 165/2.7 Tessar) for this look, but I do like to know where the market sits with the stuff I have. Certainly, nobody is forcing anybody to pay these prices (for something that is just a luxury) so why not charge what the market will bear?

I bet 150mm Xenotars weren't selling for $2k a pop when you bought yours either right? I almost bought one of those for $500 a while ago and now they are ridiculously expensive too.

On the upside I guess more people are interested in LF lately; they just want to shoot it handheld like a 35mm. Can't say I blame them, it's a lot of fun.

You're right about that too. Mind you, it was one of that batch of well used ex-ballistics test lenses that was sold over an extended period so I don't think I could get $2k for it. Perfectly fine for shooting though.

And thats why I won't be buying anything like this despite an interest in the imagery these lenses produce. :\

I think prices are up and they are going to keep going up. Take a look at Leica lenses over the last year. It really comes down to the look-what-I-have-that-you-don't-so-I-am-better-than-you crowd. The same people buy Noctilux's so they can shoot wide open in broad daylight and their images are overwhelmed with the character of the lens and we never get to see the character of the so called photographer.

I blame the internet.