On Tue, 1 Dec 1998 16:56:16 GMT, tbg@world.std.com (Thomas B Gross) wrote:

>I think Leicas would have cost about as much as my Zeiss - I think I may
>have tried them in the store (I forget). All I know is that when I looked
>through the Zeiss Ikon B 7x42 it was a kind of religious consumer
>experience ("I have to own these..."). Are Leica photo optics considered
>better than Zeiss? How does Nikon compare? I hate to say "money is
>no object" but compared to buying a computer or a car, at least my
>investment in a really nice SLR won't depreciate the moment I buy it
>(not quite so much anyway). :-)

I have a story to tell in that regard...
I was offered a 250mm f4 Leitz (?) 2-pin lens once at what
seemed like a "steal" price (from a "starving student", rest
of outfit "lost in a car crash in Egypt"...), about $200
(when these were going for about $12-1400 NYC discount-price
[for 3-pin, but otherwise the same]). Well, I tried
unsuccessfully to find a private buyer or a dealer
who would give me a reasonable price for it... A couple
of years later, I felt lucky to finally get about $200
for it. Meanwhile, the Nikkor 200mm f4 I bought about
then cost FAR less new, was an excellent lens, and I got
virtually the same price for it when I sold it used.
Kinda shook my faith in the relative monetary value of
at least some kinds of Leitz gear...;-)