Anybody explain why this Super Six is going for so much?

[timparkin]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320983515364?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_1304

I don't understand why the price is so high. I can see why f/1.9 on a 125mm lens would be nice but not that nice!?

Tim

[Sevo]

A applied case of Chinese bokeh monster craving...

[Dan Fromm]

Tim, these things have been cult lenses for years. So have similar fast lenses from TTH and even Boyer.

Sevo, I've sold such lenses to buyers in Japan, none to China. They may have ended up in China (or HK) but my customers were in Japan.

Oh, and by the way, here's another one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dallmeyer-102mm-f-1-1-9-Lens-Mint-/130765329273?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item1e72389379

Y'all may want to use Google Translate to look at www.oldlensclub.hk

[goamules]

For the same reason Angenieux F0.95 lenses were very expensive (but not this expensive) but have now dropped to about half of what they were. A spiking cult status, which at some point tapers off. On another forum a Chinese collector was gushing over a couple of low quality cold war Chinese cameras that are going for many thousands now. Rare, rare, rare were the words he used every sentence. But I'll say again; rare doesn't matter without a lot of interested buyers. It's supply and demand. There are a lot of rare things that are only worth pennies.

Here's one that sold for $14,000 310444933845. It's totally about speculating. Some are going to "snap up a great deal" on one for $8,000, knowing this higher sale. Some may collect several at these prices. But the risk is that one day no one cares about them anymore, and someone is left holding little lenses that they paid more than their weight in gold for.

[timparkin]

For the same reason Angenieux F0.95 lenses were very expensive (but not this expensive) but have now dropped to about half of what they were. A spiking cult status, which at some point tapers off. On another forum a Chinese collector was gushing over a couple of low quality cold war Chinese cameras that are going for many thousands now. Rare, rare, rare were the words he used every sentence. But I'll say again; rare doesn't matter without a lot of interested buyers. It's supply and demand. There are a lot of rare things that are only worth pennies.

Here's one that sold for $14,000 310444933845. It's totally about speculating. Some are going to "snap up a great deal" on one for $8,000, knowing this higher sale. Some may collect several at these prices. But the risk is that one day no one cares about them anymore, and someone is left holding little lenses that they paid more than their weight in gold for.

Anybody seen what one of these does to a photograph?

[Dan Fromm]

Tim, I never shot with my 6"/1.9 Super Six. Hanging it on the front of a 2x3 Speed Graphic would have been a good joke but was just too costly. I know more now than when I had it, am not sure it would have been very usable on a 2x3 Speed. The problem is that its exit pupil is larger wide open than the camera's lens throat, so the diaphragm wouldn't have had any effect until the lens was stopped to nearly f/4. Still, it more than paid for itself.

I did look hard through my 60/1.4 Saphir and a friend who had it for a while shot a little with it. Not that sharp near wide open and heavy distortion. I can't imagine why people go crazy for them, was happy to take what one of the nuts paid.

I've shot with my 4"/2.0 TTH Anastigmat, ex-Vinten F.95. Most fast TTH lenses, and this one in particular, are cult lenses too. It covers 2x3 wide open, is softer at full aperture than a few stops down, beats my 101/4.5 Ektar from f/4.5 down. It is, however, big, heavy, in barrel, and no better than a 105/5.6 Saphir BX (= Zircon, same lens exactly but with a different trim ring) from f/5.6 down. I use the BX, my TTH treasure stays in the closet.

[goamules]

Anybody seen what one of these does to a photograph?

I guess it does this, check flickr (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=dallmeyer%20super%20six). I tried hard to love my Angenieux .95, but finally sold it because it vignetted badly, had coma, and the out of focus highlights had a ring effect. Basically, it was fast, and produced wacky bokeh. Which often sells.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2632/3999908899_dceb2b6956_z.jpg