[Leica] re: scratched lens

[Summicron1@aol.com]

ah well, sir, it is apparent you and I have different uses for our equipment. 
I bought my summaron 25 years ago and hope to keep it another 25 -- it being 
a Leica product, I see no reason why this is not a reasonable expectation. 
The M3 I use it on, too.

If you buy a lens and can keep it so prestine it does not lose resale value, 
then, with no offense meant, you are not really enjoying your equipment. As 
the person after me said rather less well (english is such a terrible 
language) you seem to think of the lenses as an investment first and optical 
item second. This is sad.

I take VERY good care of my equipment, but over the years it has still 
attained the odd scratch here (elements and metal), the odd rub mark, and 
various and other little dings and scratches that show the trips to 
disneyland, germany, around the country, and on and on. All my stuff would 
sell now for pretty low prices because it is really not a lot above an 8 or 
so on a scale of 10, and the m-3 is "user" by anyone's measure. It's pretty s
cuffed.

But the insides are still pure leitz, lovingly maintained, and the images -- 
scratches on the lenses and all -- are pure gold.

And if the guy who sold this fell the lens only - from what I saw -- said it 
LOOKED fine, he was probably being quite honest -- most scratches are 
invisible unless you really really look for them. Why slam him for that? If 
he'd overlooked a huge chunk of glass missing it would be different, but 
we're talking a couple of mm each here.

So calm down, go take pictures. Leicas are, first and foremost, instruments 
for image making. This investment crap is spoiling it for the rest of us.

charlie trentelman
ogden
utah

you said:> Two little scratches will not hurt the images a bit.


Possibly, but it hurts resale value, and a lot of people are quite concerned

about that, and that is their business and no one else's.  I find if I buy a

piece of gear that is in exceptional condition, I can use it for a few

years, providing I take very good care of it, I can re-sell it for near what

I paid for it.