Originally posted by JeffJS If I see one, VMC S1 105
I'll watch it out of curiosity. The last one I Watched went for $375 with the case and box. I thought it quite high especially when I paid $175 for mine, New (Old Stock from Trader Jim). Shortly after he sold his last one, prices began to climb considerably. Seems, as I remember it, for his last couple, he was no longer accepting offers and still sold them at asking price ($225 IIRC).
I think it's similar to the FA35 f2.0. A year and a half ago, they could be had brand new for less than $350. Now they are commanding that and more for used copies. It's a nice lens, I'll give it that (sold mine), but didn't impress me enough to pay the cult price it seems that some seem to be demanding.
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Except it's not really a 'cult price' any more than any item sold in any open marketplace is - rarity increases the cost. In this case, it's not a useless collector item, either, it's a well-dampened, solid, smooth-focusing, uber-sharp macro lens that doubles as a wonderful street candid and portrait telephoto.
If you've ever shot a Zeiss 100, Voigtlander 180, or the Viv S1/Lester Dine 105 (as I have,) you'll see that the 105 is cut from the same cloth. It's just a joy to shoot.
Is a collectable copy worth $700? Not to me, right now. $500? Possibly. $300? Most definitely.
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