I was watching an Oly 40/f2 pancake lens on ebay recently. Thought about bidding, but wondered if I'd really have a use for it. Decided not to bid, but continued to watch. It ended up selling for just over $600 USD. Is this price an anomaly, or is it what this lens actually goes for? Just wondering...
kosmoskatten wrote:
600 $ is way way too much! They can be found over here for less than say 250 $.
$250? If you don't mind keeping an eye out for me, let me know when one comes available The seller of this particular lens was in Denmark. Here's a link to the actual item:
I'd suggest that you only spend that much on it if, like Brainiac, you absolutely love 40mm (and want a single prime lens solution).
Olympus have cheaper 50mm alternatives. Sure, the 50/1.2 and 1.4 are noticably bigger (and at least a stop faster!), but the Olympus 50/1.8 is a lovely little lens. It's really not that much bigger than the pancake, and it's 1/2 stop faster too. You can pick up one of those for peanuts and spend the other $500+ on other less glamorous lenses.
A Zu 24mm f/2 goes for about $600 for heaven's sake. You did the right thing in sitting back to watch the bidding IMHO. Just because a couple of collectors are willing to out-bid each other for a rare lens, does not mean it is the best inclusion in an active photograher's kit.
That pancake is cute... but there's no way I'd pay more for it than I did for my Zu 50/1.2. Think about it
Stu Warner wrote:
I'd suggest that you only spend that much on it if, like Brainiac, you absolutely love 40mm (and want a single prime lens solution).
Olympus have cheaper 50mm alternatives. Sure, the 50/1.2 and 1.4 are noticably bigger (and at least a stop faster!), but the Olympus 50/1.8 is a lovely little lens. It's really not that much bigger than the pancake, and it's 1/2 stop faster too. You can pick up one of those for peanuts and spend the other $500+ on other less glamorous lenses.
A Zu 24mm f/2 goes for about $600 for heaven's sake. You did the right thing in sitting back to watch the bidding IMHO. Just because a couple of collectors are willing to out-bid each other for a rare lens, does not mean it is the best inclusion in an active photograher's kit.
That pancake is cute... but there's no way I'd pay more for it than I did for my Zu 50/1.2. Think about it ...Show more →
I see from your post that you own or have used the OM 50mm f1.2 and OM 50mm f1.8. Both are very nice lenses.
Just curious.... have you owned or used the Olympus OM 40mm f2.0 ?
You know the Pentax-M 40/2.8 isn't that bad at less than $200. I haven't used mine that much to pass a good judgment on it, but so far it's been a good low light lens and controls the flares pretty well, too. Also didn't see any noticeable CAs wide open. I say about the same IQ as my Nikkor 50/1.2 at f2.
Yes, the Oly pancake is a great lens, but it is only worth as much as you want to pay for it. I would much rather pay half that for a Cosina or other pancake, and spend the rest on hookers and drugs (kidding, kidding).
Hell, buy a cheaper lens, and a plane ticket to actually go somewhere and take pictures.
a year or two ago, it wasn't hard to get an Oly 40 for $350 or less at KEH. Now they're never in stock anywhere but ebay for retarded prices. This is why i don't even bother looking at this lens as an option anymore, just like the infamous Oly 18/3.5.....
the Cosina 40mm F4 Ultron II alphabet soup (later model) is a very fine lens, just a little bit larger/heavier than this Olympus classic. I would choose it in a heartbeat over the Oly (for the prices they're pulling), but the cheapie Pentax SMC 40 is a nifty alternate that commonly hovers around $100.
I have owned/shot 6 different pancakes in SLR mount, and i think the Cosina/Voigtlander 40/2 SLII is probably the best performing value buy in today's market. A big plus is the CPU chip for use on a D700.... mmmmm delicious! I love pancakes!
while i'm ranting about 'cakes (haha), i'll suggest you search the forum for pancake info, as there have been NUMEROUS threads about this lens, the CV Ultron, and the Zeiss (which generally "fouls" the mirror of a 5D).
I use mine for a body cap, and the photos it takes aren't bad either 