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FS: (EU) ALPA Kern Macro Switar 50/1.9

Jonas

Active member
ALPA Kern Switar 50/1.9 Macro



This is one great great lens. Made in Switzerland in a very limited series, for the prestige brand ALPA we here have a lens that optically and mechanically is among the very best ever made.

This copy is in very good condition. I have seen a couple of these, owned two of them, and this copy is the best one one of them all.

The outside is looking very good. Have a look at the images and you'll notice the scratch-free barrel and the clear print.

The inside is equally nice. There is virtually no dust inside and the aperture blades are dry and clean.

The lens elements are fine. The front and the rear element are both free from scratches or damages. There may be a very faint cleaning mark on the rear element. I have checked it carefully (reading glasses on) in bright light and wiped it of taking some care. Hard to say, I don't think it really is a cleaning mark but I won't clean it more than done. That's a lot of words but I want to describe the lens properly.

The aperture blades close down, and open up, as expected, the aperture rings works OK with clear click stops, the focusing ring goes smoothly from one end to the other.

The Kern Switar special Visifocus depth of field indicator works properly.

All in all, finding a better copy won't be easy.

The lens will be shipped safely packed and the parcel will contain:
The lens itself of course,
An original ALPA 50/1.9 hood
Two ALPA skylight filters
The green lens hard case
Front and rear lens caps
A Metabone ALPA -> µ4/3 adapter

There are more images of the lens available here.

Price: EUR 1.400 (bank transfer) or EUR 1.450 (PayPal)
Shipping: Insured and signed for shipping is EUR 25

If interested send me a PM.

Thank you,

/Jonas
 

apicius9

New member
Out of my range, unfortunately, but from everything I read there aren't many better 50mm lenses out there. Great to see one up close. Good luck with the sale,

Stefan
 

Jonas

Active member
Hi Stefan,

Yup, the lens may not be known to the masses but it surely is a very very good lens. When comparing to the Leica Summicron-R for example this Macro-Switar made for ALPA is better, optically and with a smoother mechanics. Focusing is a joy compared to, for example, the excellent Olympus OM50/2 Macro.

If you folks think EUR 1.400 is too much please send me a PM and tell me why.

Cheers,

/Jonas
 

Jonas

Active member
Too expensive?

New price: EUR 1.350 (bank transfer) or EUR 1.400 (PayPal)
Shipping: Insured and signed for shipping is EUR 25
 

Ron (Netherlands)

New member
Too expensive?

New price: EUR 1.350 (bank transfer) or EUR 1.400 (PayPal)
Shipping: Insured and signed for shipping is EUR 25
Indeed might be too expensive if the below is in fact the 'same' lens, of course yours is black all the way (btw I don't know anything about alpa).

 

Jonas

Active member
Indeed might be too expensive if the below is in fact the 'same' lens, of course yours is black all the way (btw I don't know anything about alpa).
Hi Ron,

1) The question was kind of rhetorical - next time I will phrase myself differently. It was not meant to invite people knowing nothing about alpa jump in to announce their opinion on the price or anything else. It is usually considered a no-no to comment on seller's prices in the public. Now I don't mind that much but I know forums and sellers where this would cause some discussion. That said let's go on:

2) The f/1.8 version is not the same and usually sells for considerably less money

3) Some more information on the lens can be found here.

regards,

/Jonas
 

Ron (Netherlands)

New member
Thanks for clarifying Jonas, and its not my habit to make comments on prices, but this time just responded to your 'question'. Your lens indeed is quite different. Best luck with the sale.
 

Jonas

Active member
Ah, it's OK Ron. And I shouldn't have written "Too expensive?" there. I often forget that writing posts is not the same as sitting at a café discussing with somebody.

Cheers,

/Jonas
 

Jonas

Active member
The lens is available again, it took some time but so it is.

New lowered price:
EUR 1.325 (bank transfer using SWIFT/IBAN codes) or
EUR 1.375 (PayPal),
insured and signed for shipping included in both cases.

/Jonas
 
6

68anco

Guest
Hello Jonas i'm new in forum, i'm italian man, and sorry for my english!
I'm very interesting to the kern in object. Can you send me some photo of the lens, i'm not interesting to the signs of use but i'm looking for the lens.
My email is [email protected]
Best regards
Antonio
 

Jonas

Active member
...and Antonio got a PM back.

The lens is still available, I'm thinking of sending it to the big auction site this spring.
 

awslee

New member
Jonas, I thought this lens was sold a long time ago, if it is still available, what is the Ser# of the lens and can you post photos? The previous links do not work anymore. The one shown above is the 1.8 version (silver and black).
 

Jonas

Active member
awslee,

the depicted lens is an image Ron posted trying to help me lower the price, or something. The lens I have here is indeed the Macro Switar 50/1.9 for ALPA.

Now that is academic. Some time ago I had some discussions with two interested guys, one from Hong Kong, one from Japan. As the lens is not in perfect condition and the exact status is hard to describe I decided not to sell it but instead wait and eBay it to somebody in the EU (making a return possible). I took the images down.

I need to take a new series of images showing some details before putting up the ad so it will probably end up at eBay some time around April. My lens look like this:



Oh well.
Thank you for asking.
 

Hacker

New member
I can vouch for the quality of this lens. Just played with one not too long ago, and it was only the f/1.8. The f/1.9 is a legend indeed. Good luck on the sale Jonas.
 

Jonas

Active member
Thank you Hacker. Yes indeed, the lens is a wonderful piece of good craftsmanship and a joy to use. Optically it leave very little more to wish for.
===

The lens is not available right now.
There are some micro scratches (visible with a loupe, reading glasses only isn't enough) on the front/rear element. I'll have to take new photos of the lens, describe it properly and then I'll eBay the lens some time April or May.

I'm sorry for all the fuzz here,

Jonas
 
6

68anco

Guest
Hello Jonas if you possible to send the object in swiss?
best regards.
Antonio
 
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