p.1 #3 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
Donzo98 wrote:
Interesting...
Did you call them to inquire??
Calling them first thing in the morning for details on my order, which showed “in stock” when I bought it. Hopefully it’s not someone’s idea of a joke on their last day at work. But it’s hard to imagine such a rare lens would be offered as refurbished by a retailer (wasn’t in the used section).
p.1 #5 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
Perhaps it was the case that was refurbished...
From what I've read you got the deal of the century. Ken Rockwell has a review of the lens and mentions a friend of his sold a copy in "nice shape" for $26,000. There were just over 300 copies produced and those only by special order. I too will be interested in what arrives at your doorstep... big congratulations might be in order.
p.1 #6 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
CGrindahl wrote:
Perhaps it was the case that was refurbished...
From what I've read you got the deal of the century. Ken Rockwell has a review of the lens and mentions a friend of his sold a copy in "nice shape" for $26,000. There were just over 300 copies produced and those only by special order. I too will be interested in what arrives at your doorstep... big congratulations might be in order.
p.1 #8 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
The Voigtländer Wide Heliars available for Sony FE or Leica M are probably optically as good or better, and are much cheaper, and they go down to 10mm.
p.1 #10 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
Max Power wrote:
Reading Rockwell’s rant about long lenses in that description is a perfect example of why he is so highly regarded in the photographic community. !
Rockwell's page on the "Holy Grail" 13mm is why I knew about it in the first place. I read it years ago.
And yeah, that's a lot of money these things have sold for at auction. If this lens is truly "refurbished", it at least means it works and is in pretty clean condition. I can't imagine Nikon selling any refurbished lens that was in beat up condition. Whatever the case (pun), there must be a story behind this. How did it end up back at Nikon to even get refurbished? Was it sitting around the Nikon offices being used as a paperweight on some higher-up's desk?
p.1 #12 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
Very interesting. How did B&H end up with it too?
highdesertmesa wrote:
Rockwell's page on the "Holy Grail" 13mm is why I knew about it in the first place. I read it years ago.
And yeah, that's a lot of money these things have sold for at auction. If this lens is truly "refurbished", it at least means it works and is in pretty clean condition. I can't imagine Nikon selling any refurbished lens that was in beat up condition. Whatever the case (pun), there must be a story behind this. How did it end up back at Nikon to even get refurbished? Was it sitting around the Nikon offices being used as a paperweight on some higher-up's desk?...Show more →
p.1 #13 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
Sauseschritt wrote:
The Voigtländer Wide Heliars available for Sony FE or Leica M are probably optically as good or better, and are much cheaper, and they go down to 10mm.
p.1 #14 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
jpelt78 wrote:
Very interesting. How did B&H end up with it too?
That's what I don't understand either. Makes me wonder if it was sitting in a warehouse forever, and someone just found it and sent it through the typical refurbished channels, of which B&H would be at the top of the list. I didn't want to keep harassing the B&H pro photo phone rep with questions for fear they'd change their mind and keep it.
p.1 #15 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
I wouldn’t ask too many questions either. Congrats on the cool find. I remember that Rockwell article. I think he got a trip to Dubai or somewhere to play with one if I remember correctly.
Linked the article, interesting to read if you haven’t seen it before.
highdesertmesa wrote:
That's what I don't understand either. Makes me wonder if it was sitting in a warehouse forever, and someone just found it and sent it through the typical refurbished channels, of which B&H would be at the top of the list. I didn't want to keep harassing the B&H pro photo phone rep with questions for fear they'd change their mind and keep it.
p.1 #16 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
jpelt78 wrote:
I wouldn’t ask too many questions either. Congrats on the cool find. I remember that Rockwell article. I think he got a trip to Dubai or somewhere to play with one if I remember correctly.
Linked the article, interesting to read if you haven’t seen it before.
Thanks, yeah I read it last night again. I kept going back and forth between the article and the B&H page thinking there had to be some mistake. I figured worse case scenario it was a mistake, but they say it's not.
What would be really interesting is if Nikon found several of these lurking in a warehouse. I'm not sure if the fact that B&H now shows it as "backordered" means more are coming, or if it's just their standard message when a refurbished item sells. For my sake, I hope there are no more coming
p.1 #19 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
Best of luck on getting a super deal. Like Don, I got mine years ago. Mint, with case and caps, no box unfortunately. $6,000 on eBay from a Swiss gentleman visiting in the USA. I drove up to San Jose to pick it up. I use it a lot. Share the serial number with us. Mine is an early AIS SN 175918.
p.1 #20 · Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI-S "Holy Grail". Did I get a good deal?
Edgy01 wrote:
Best of luck on getting a super deal. Like Don, I got mine years ago. Mint, with case and caps, no box unfortunately. $6,000 on eBay from a Swiss grntleman visiting in the USA. I drove up to San Jose to pick it up. I use it a lot. Share the serial number with us. Mine is an early AIS SN 175918.
Dan
Post those pics that you just texted me on here. Very interesting for people to see how you use it on the Leica SL.
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