Voigtlander Nokton 25mm f/0.95 Availability?
Discussion in 'Native Lenses' started by bullmrkt, Feb 19, 2011.
I've had one pre-ordered for a little over a month now from Adorama, and they were expecting to receive a large shipment around now. But I just went to Adorama's site and they removed the product! I'm hoping there's not something going on with production. Has anyone heard anything?
I ordered the Nokton from Mainline here in Australia in late January. They rang on Friday to say the latest shipment had arrived and mine was being sent to me. They seem to get shipments on a monthly basis next one due March/April.
Thanks Gillymaru! I just pre-ordered one from this site. The price was quite a bit lower than the prices on eBay ($863 including shipping compared to $1,100 and $1,600 for the two current auctions). I'll keep my fingers crossed!
They retail for $900usd everywhere I've seen them available. Ill have to check out this Aussie store, thanks.
Mainline Photographics is the sole distributor for the MFT lenses as far as I am aware. The couple of other places that stock Voigtlander lenses don't seem to have them.
Australian price has always been $895 including GST. I believe Mainline Photographics can only supply Voigtlander to Australia and New Zealand.
If Australian GST is like Canadian GST/HST, sales to people out of country are zero-rated, which explains why they charged me $813.64 AUD (ignoring the $50 shipping). That's a difference of 10% from the $895 AUD you mentioned, which I assume is your GST rate?
All of the above ignores currency conversion because the CDN and AUD dollars are more or less at parity. I think the conversion goosed my cost to $880 CDN including shipping. This is because all intermediaries (like banks, PayPal, credit card companies) take a percentage for providing the conversion service.
Sadly, when the lens arrives, I'll likely have to pay 13% Canadian HST. This will bring my landed price to about $995 CDN, which I guess isn't too bad.
Photovillage (one of the two authorized Voigtlander dealers in the USA) sent an email last week that they are expecting 20 pieces in about 20 days and are accepting pre-payments at $899.00 US.
When I rang them (Wednesday) they said the allotment was quickly selling out. My current budget can't afford it so I will put myself on the next round.
My guess would be that since B&H nor Adorama are listed as authorized dealers they are buying them as gray imports and their supply has dried up.
Here is the "official" list of distribution partners.
Leica Boutique, Montreal has the lens listed for CAD 949.00, shipping in three weeks.
I have received an email from Cameraquest regarding my pre-ordered 25/.95. I paid the remaining balance for my lens and was told that the lens will begin shipping on Feb 21. Money has been taken out from my account. Btw, I paid a $100 refundable deposit in December, 2010.
Your interpretation isn't correct. Voigtlander authorizes distributors/importers, not dealers, in the US. Both Photovillage and Cameraquest import their lenses. Some allocation of those lenses go to authorized dealers like B&H or Adorama, and some to the importers' direct customers.
According to the latest estimates from the manufacturer we hope to be able to fill this order by ____2/28/11_______."
I ordered one just after Christmas from Robert White in the UK, paid in full early January and received it finally Friday last week. It was worth the wait. A fabulous lens that is huge fun to use.
I received my Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95 from Photo Village over two months ago about a week after getting my GH2 and it looks like I was lucky to get both so soon back then.
So, 25mm f/0.95 - how would that compare to a 50mm lens on a 35mm camera in terms of DoF? f/2.8?
The comment about shipping to other countries, I think, came originally from another post in this thread and I believe was the message provided by Mainline to a telephone enquiry. The policy seems consistent with Voigtlander's requirements to distributors in some other areas. What happens in practice, who knows.
You are correct re the GST which is 10% (or 1/11th of the inclusive price).
At the moment, we don't have GST applied to private imports under AUD1000 but a number of very wealthy local retailers who delight as selling overpriced imports want GST to be applied to all private imports to prop up their excessive margins. Hopefully the government will not waver as there is precious little retail competition in Australia to start with.
Here you go. A few snaps from my first weekend with this lovely lens.