[Leica] help urgent lens advice needed

[firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin)]

On 11/12/2006, at 17:24, G Hopkinson wrote:

> Folks I am looking to buy the 50 asph for my M7. These things are  
> not exactly thick on the ground around these parts (and my dealer
> is 1000 miles away).
> My dealer can source a new black chrome from the distributor at a  
> significant discount, being their only new stock right now. I'm
> not sure until the dealer receives the stock but suspect that it is  
> un-coded.
> I know that makes no difference at all on my M7 and I suspect  
> little on the M8. Would anyone like to hazard an opinion whether the
> built in coding is likely to make the lens more valuable/attractive  
> some years down the track.

bound to

> The other options are a demo chrome. Optically of course the same  
> but I think less desirable again in the future perhaps.
> The fly in the ointment is that they also have the black lacquer  
> LHSA version as a demo, offered for about 10% less than the new
> standard version. Anyone with experience with this one. I think it  
> uses 43mm filter/hood? What about the quality of the finish?
> Now I know the glass is the same, but I actually like the thought  
> of the focusing tab and locking small hood on the standard
> version. Still I would think some rarity component in this one.

I think chrome will have longer value, and the black lacquer one  
should be stored away and not used if you want it to be of benefit:  
in reality, it should come with the camera ;-). I like tabs on my M  
lenses especially the 35 and 50, so with the M8 the 28 and 35 I  
suppose ;-)

cheers

alastair