p.1 #1 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
Hello,
I have a trip to Japan coming up in two months and I was hoping for some shopping recommendations. I'm mostly looking for 2nd hand CV or MS optics lenses, but also accessories like Artisan & Artist straps and bags – but also less known brands that maybe don't even sell outside of Japan. I've read this article: https://phillipreeve.net/blog/used-lens-and-camera-shopping-guide-for-japan/
But I figured I'll still ask for some less knows stores, especially in the accessory space.
p.1 #2 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
Juha is our resident specialist so Bastians list is pretty great. I would just add Tokiwa alongside Kitamura for Osaka. Naniwa has a small location underground in Osaka as well that is sometimes cheaper than Map for Voigtlander.
For accessories all of the majors especially MAP carry AA etc. MS Optics is little more difficult to procure since the local collectors usually just buy any second hand ones.
You could visit Herz in Shibuya or Analogica [owner branched out of Herz] if you're in Setagaya area. Their leather goods are quite good and since the channel is different you'll probably find more only in Japan or one offs in places like those.
p.1 #3 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
I just got back from a trip and tried to hit a lot of the stores. Day 1 bought a new 35mm Summilux Safari edition from Leica Camera AG in Shibuya. Also picked up a Rollei 40mm 2.8 with the box and viewfinder at Used Camera Market in Shinjuku, and a limited edition Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 in Silver at Lemon-Sha in Ginza. Used Camera Market is cash only so depending on how pricey you are gonna get, make sure your ATM limits or cash you bring are prepped appropriately. I think I saw one 24/2 MS-Optics lens while I was shopping and that was it; was hoping to have come across an 50mm 1.0 ISM (a man can dream). I'll try and list my impressions from what I can remember:
Shinjuku:
MAP Camera - Decent amount of used first and third party lenses on the B1 floor. Third party was mostly LLL and Voigtlander with some of the Zeiss lenses as well (this is the case most places).
Used Camera Market - a LOT of used lenses from a ton of different brands (non-Leica); decent amount of used Leica first party lenses but didn't see a ton of third party M-Mount stuff but has some rare stuff. Run by some grumpy old men which I felt was part of the charm haha
Kitamura Camera West location- Didn't see much here outside of a few first party lenses and Voigtlander lenses.
Kitamura Camera Flagship - a ton of first party and Voigtlander lenses along with a healthy dose of LLL. Also has a room full of insanely expensive stuff that is really neat to look at.
Yodobashi Camera - Yodobashi has a bunch of stores in the area, each catered to different things ranging from cameras to appliances to toys and more. The main used camera location had a good amount of used LLL and Voigtlander lenses along with adapters and some first party stuff as well.
Nakano:
Fujiya Camera - there is a store just up the stairs to the side of their main store which has a ton of first party and Voigtlander and LLL lenses. Decent selection of some vintage and weird lenses that can be adapted as well.
Ginza:
Lemon-Sha - A good selection of First party and LLL and Voigtlander lenses. Was very happy to find the limited edition silver 35mm 1.2 Voigtlander lens with box here but being the first version it is huge and has some crazy purple fringing wide open haha. There are both consignment and store owned items for sale here; you can use card for both but only non-consignment items can be purchased tax-free
Shimizu Camera - small selection, wasn't worth it other than it being on the walk to Lemon-Sha.
Katsumido - Insane selection of first party lenses and some rare vintage glass as well. Not much love for modern third party lenses but was awesome to look at some of their collection.
Sankyo Camera - really small shop and did not see much of a selection that interested me here but apparently has a great rep so maybe inventory was just a miss this time.
I stopped at some others I can't remember the names of but this is what I can remember. Hope this helps, I had a blast searching and shooting while I was there.
p.1 #4 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
You can look through the Fujiya (Nakano) and MapCamera website for their latest inventory. For A&A and other straps you should go to the Yodobashi in Shinjuku. It’s hard to describe where it is. MapCamera has a few in the basement where the Leica, Zeiss and Voigtlanders are sold. I personally do not go to the Ginza for gear. Good place to visit though.
p.1 #5 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
Contact Japan camera hunter for camera hunt tour Bellamy Hunt knows everyone and you will be welcomed all stores and you can find vintage anything including insane price stuff if yhst is your thing amazing what you will see all brands. I have done this and it gets A+ rating from me He has YouTube channel as well
p.1 #6 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
endergemini wrote:
I just got back from a trip and tried to hit a lot of the stores. Day 1 bought a new 35mm Summilux Safari edition from Leica Camera AG in Shibuya. Also picked up a Rollei 40mm 2.8 with the box and viewfinder at Used Camera Market in Shinjuku, and a limited edition Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 in Silver at Lemon-Sha in Ginza. Used Camera Market is cash only so depending on how pricey you are gonna get, make sure your ATM limits or cash you bring are prepped appropriately. I think I saw one 24/2 MS-Optics lens while I was shopping and that was it; was hoping to have come across an 50mm 1.0 ISM (a man can dream). I'll try and list my impressions from what I can remember:
Shinjuku:
MAP Camera - Decent amount of used first and third party lenses on the B1 floor. Third party was mostly LLL and Voigtlander with some of the Zeiss lenses as well (this is the case most places).
Used Camera Market - a LOT of used lenses from a ton of different brands (non-Leica); decent amount of used Leica first party lenses but didn't see a ton of third party M-Mount stuff but has some rare stuff. Run by some grumpy old men which I felt was part of the charm haha
Kitamura Camera West location- Didn't see much here outside of a few first party lenses and Voigtlander lenses.
Kitamura Camera Flagship - a ton of first party and Voigtlander lenses along with a healthy dose of LLL. Also has a room full of insanely expensive stuff that is really neat to look at.
Yodobashi Camera - Yodobashi has a bunch of stores in the area, each catered to different things ranging from cameras to appliances to toys and more. The main used camera location had a good amount of used LLL and Voigtlander lenses along with adapters and some first party stuff as well.
Nakano:
Fujiya Camera - there is a store just up the stairs to the side of their main store which has a ton of first party and Voigtlander and LLL lenses. Decent selection of some vintage and weird lenses that can be adapted as well.
Ginza:
Lemon-Sha - A good selection of First party and LLL and Voigtlander lenses. Was very happy to find the limited edition silver 35mm 1.2 Voigtlander lens with box here but being the first version it is huge and has some crazy purple fringing wide open haha. There are both consignment and store owned items for sale here; you can use card for both but only non-consignment items can be purchased tax-free
Shimizu Camera - small selection, wasn't worth it other than it being on the walk to Lemon-Sha.
Katsumido - Insane selection of first party lenses and some rare vintage glass as well. Not much love for modern third party lenses but was awesome to look at some of their collection.
Sankyo Camera - really small shop and did not see much of a selection that interested me here but apparently has a great rep so maybe inventory was just a miss this time.
I stopped at some others I can't remember the names of but this is what I can remember. Hope this helps, I had a blast searching and shooting while I was there....Show more →
I had the Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 in silver ever since it was first released, up to a few years ago when I regretfully sold it (more for sentimental reasons vs performance.). I had hoped to one day repurchase it. Ver II and III of the lens are vastly superior to much larger ver 1 (which inc the silver version). Yes, purple fringing is very prominent with 35mm f1.2 (version 1).
p.1 #7 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
MikeRZ67 wrote:
Hello,
I have a trip to Japan coming up in two months and I was hoping for some shopping recommendations. I'm mostly looking for 2nd hand CV or MS optics lenses, but also accessories like Artisan & Artist straps and bags – but also less known brands that maybe don't even sell outside of Japan. I've read this article: https://phillipreeve.net/blog/used-lens-and-camera-shopping-guide-for-japan/
But I figured I'll still ask for some less knows stores, especially in the accessory space.
They are also one of the few specialist stores that sells new MS-Optics lenses and they might possibly have some used ones too. I've bought MS-Optics lenses from them twice when they've visited some Old Camera / Lens fairs in Tokyo. I'd check them out when visiting Fukuoka if there was a chance.
In Tokyo there is not much regular supply of used MS-Optics lenses at all these days in physical stores. Most sales are happening online in Yahoo Auctions / Mercari etc. Map Camera gets used MS-Optics lenses from time to time but a lot of the time they sell them from their Online store only and they never arrive in their physical store. Attractive rare offerings tend to be sold immediately as they arrive (if in good condition).
A couple of MS-Optics lenses can still be found as new, with Lemonsha Shinjuku and Akihabara stores having some copies of Black and Silver Lumitar (MC only) and Lemonsha Ginza still has a bunch of H-Prot 40/6.3 and 2 Aporis 135mm f2.4 (one in M-mount and one in T-mount). Even the M-mount one is more intended for adaptation to mirrorless cameras and has no rangefinder coupling.
For used CV lenses I think Fujiya Camera is probably the one with best selection (all of their wares can be found from their online store as well (https://www.fujiya-camera.co.jp/shop/default.aspx). Map Camera is also good but many of their wares can only be found from their Online Store are not available to buy in their physical store. For used rangefinder lenses it's definitely worth checking out Fotoborse (included in Bastian's guide that you referred to where I contributed various info).
I haven't found any very exciting new 2nd hand stores recently and the ones I really like were included in Bastian's guide. I hope you enjoy Tokyo and those stores I can comment more if there are some specific questions.
p.1 #10 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
endergemini wrote:
If this was silver or the rare green I'd be in trouble but the blue on a Safari edition would be too much for me
You might consider writing to mns optics they are re-issuing the 75 and 34 mm lenses possibly this is on their agenda and if you you might get new and at half the price. Does not hurt to ask and report back to the rest of us
p.1 #11 · 2nd hand lenses and accessories in Tokyo/Fukuoka?
Shopping for vintage gear in Japan is great fun if one suffers from camera/lens greed. It was different to some degree decades ago when I lived in japan for a year but still the shopping is unique and the stores have so much hard to see anywhere else gear, plus so much is CLAed and otherwise restored beautifully. In my camera tour with Bellemy Hunt two weeks ago we saw so much wonderful gear, some rare, and I could have spent 100s of K$ on camera greed, I saw stuff that I had never seen before except in auction catalogs, but all I bought was my targeted 50 mm F2 1950s thorium summicron and I got a got a good copy at MAP. This is a radioactive lens, thorium has distinctive warm tone, the lens is collapsible even on modern Ms and renders like film. Thorium was replaced with lanthanum like in the original rigid summicron and in so many of the wonderful LLL lens a company that has embraced lak glass giving a render so many of us cherish. I had a counter to confirm thorium as the serial number correlation of these lenses is widely inaccurate to what is posted on the web.... proving it is better. The lens puts out 15X background in clicks.
Pics show my new treasure, and a quick shot in the subway as I returned to my hotel after my camera hunt outing.
Maybe I will make it back to Japan and do another round, I can think of a few other covets without going overboard.
The camera hunt in Tokyo is much recommended ! If you want a guide give Bellemy Hunt, Japan Camera Hunter an inquiry.
I can comment more if there are some specific questions.
