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Dallmeyer (J.H.) 85mm f/2 Dallac

The Dallmeyer 85mm f/2 Dallac is a fast medium-telephoto lens from the British optical maker J.H. Dallmeyer of London, designed in the post-war era when f/2 short teles were prized for portraiture and available-light work. Production was limited, and surviving examples are scarce, making the Dallac one of the more collectable items in the Dallmeyer catalogue.

At UK auction the 85mm f/2 Dallmeyer Dallac has shown a very wide spread: hammer results range from £700 in 2007 to £8,000 in 2021, with the two recorded sales straddling roughly £4,350 as a midpoint. Because these are saleroom hammer prices — wholesale levels before buyer's and seller's commission — the figure a private collector pays at retail today in 2026 typically sits well above the headline result, and the 2021 jump shows how much a clean, complete example is worth when one surfaces. Condition, completeness of the original mount and glass clarity are what determine where in that range an example sells for.

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Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Date Price Source
Nov 2025 £4,375 Flints Auctions
Nov 2025 £5,000 Flints Auctions
Jun 2025 EUR 5,500 Leitz Auction
Aug 2024 £2,520 Chiswick Auctions
May 2023 £3,375 Flints Auctions
Nov 2022 EUR 4,000 Leitz Auction
Jun 2022 £6,000 Flints Auctions
Nov 2021 EUR 8,000 Leitz Auction
Nov 2020 £5,208 Flints Auctions
May 2007 EUR 700 Leitz Auction
May 2006 EUR 1,430 Leitz Auction

Frequently asked questions

What is a Dallmeyer 85mm f/2 Dallac worth today?

Based on the two recorded UK auction hammer prices, value has ranged from £700 to £8,000, so a clean complete example can be worth several thousand pounds at saleroom level.

How much does a Dallmeyer 85mm f/2 Dallac sell for at auction?

The most recent recorded sale in 2021 fetched £8,000 hammer, while an earlier 2007 result was £700; the price any individual copy sells for depends heavily on optical and cosmetic condition.

Why is the price range so wide?

With only two recorded sales and a fourteen-year gap between them, the spread reflects both changing collector demand for British classic optics and large differences in condition between the examples offered.

What should I check before buying one?

Look for fungus, internal haze, oil on the aperture blades, coating scratches, element separation and stiff focus, as these are the typical faults that reduce value on a lens of this age.

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