Orion Orion-15 · 28mm f/6

{"overview":"The Orion-15 28mm f\/6 is a wide-angle prime lens of Soviet origin, typically supplied in Leica thread mount (M39) and also found in Kiev\/Contax rangefinder fit. Produced from the mid-20th century, it was designed as a compact, modestly priced wide-angle option for rangefinder photographers.","market_narrative":"At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Orion-15 have sat in a narrow band: the two recorded results sold for £100 in August 2024 and £120 in November 2025, giving a median of £110. With only a pair of saleroom results on file heading into 2026, today's going rate for a clean user copy is best read as roughly the £100–£120 wholesale level, and condition, mount variant and the presence of caps or a finder can nudge what the lens is worth at the top of that range.","buying_guide":"Inspect the front and rear elements for fungus, haze and cleaning marks, as the small front group on this lens shows coating wear easily. Check that the aperture blades are dry and snap cleanly with no oil migration, and that the focus helicoid turns smoothly without stiffness or grease smell. Confirm the mount matches your camera (M39 versus Contax\/Kiev bayonet) and look for separation or balsam haze between cemented elements.","specs":"Key specifications on file are limited to the core designation: a 28mm focal length at a maximum aperture of f\/6, sold under the Orion-15 name.","faq":[{"q":"How much is an Orion-15 28mm f\/6 worth today?","a":"Recent UK auction hammer prices place the value between £100 and £120, with a median around £110 based on the two recorded sales."},{"q":"What does a 28mm f\/6 Orion-15 sell for at auction?","a":"Recorded hammer prices are £100 (August 2024) and £120 (November 2025), so clean examples tend to sell for roughly £100–£120 before commission."},{"q":"Is the Orion-15 a rare lens?","a":"Sales data is thin, with only two tracked UK auction results, so while the lens appears infrequently in salerooms it is not priced as a true rarity at the current level."},{"q":"What should I check before buying one?","a":"Look closely for fungus, haze, oily aperture blades, coating scratches and element separation, and verify the mount type matches your camera body."}],"confidence":40,"reasoning":"Only two unverified sales records and no SPECS or variant data were provided, so pricing is indicative and technical detail is kept minimal."}