M8 < £2000 in UK ?

[Kevin]

I've been hearing rumours lately that prices for pre-owned mint Leica M8 cameras have (in some cases) dropped below £2000 in the UK. Whether this is true or not, some buyers on the internet have reported making such a purchase.

Does anyone know of any stores in the UK with online shops which might have such an offering, preferably with some kind of extended (or better still international) warranty? I live in Germany and the prices here are still kind of ridiculous imo.

Best Regards
Kevin

 

[jaapv]

They'll soon catch up - it is just the Pound slipping against the Euro.

 

[jaapv]

Come to think of it - why should you shell out 2000 GBP for a used one, when you can get a new one and all four Summarit lenses at Leica bei Meister for just 5000 Euro.

 

[chikne]

5000 Euro is a little more money =)

 

[yanidel]

Actually, around 100% more ...

 

[lemos]

yeah... like the double

 

[jaapv]

And four great lenses thrown in.....

 

[sol33]

Come to think of it - why should you shell out 2000 GBP for a used one, when you can get a new one and all four Summarit lenses at Leica bei Meister for just 5000 Euro.

Not all four, but just one of them...

 

[jaapv]

Really!!!??? I misread then😡. Makes it less of a bargain.....🙁

 

[Paul Kay]

Take a look at http://www.jonathanharris.co.uk/leica.htm where you will find two used M8s at £1979 each. This dealer is pretty reputable - I've bought from him in the past - but you'll have to ask about the warranty.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks for the tips and the links.
Jaap, I already have 9 lenses which could mount to an M8 ... do I really need more?

 

[jaapv]

You ALWAYS need lenses 😛

 

[Kevin]

Come to think of it, I don't have a single 50mm lens in either ltm or m-mount! And I know some members here have at least 10 of this focal length.

Seriously, if I get an M8 I think I'll add a 21mm or a 25mm to the collection.

 

[Nigel Meaby]

Thanks for the heads up there Paul. I just bought the black one he has and the chrome one had sold already!

 

[jaapv]

That is assuming that 1000 flipflops produces twice the result of 500 flipflops.
However, the law of diminishing returns will show that the improvement decreases on a logarithmic scale. So 1000 flipflops is only 1.4 times better than 500, not twice.

 

[wintoid]

You can't quantify it like that. That would be like saying a 645 used camera should cost 2.7 times the cost of a 35mm camera. They are both 100% capable of taking a good photo, just as both computers are 100% capable of looking something up on google.

An item's value is, and always has been, what you're prepared to sell it for, and what someone else is prepared to pay for it.

On the other hand, I agree we're all encouraged to treat goods as disposable. Thank god for eBay, the great recycler!

 

[Nigel Meaby]

Well here is some information about the camera I mentioned above to have bought from Jonathan Harris. I feel the price I paid is fine knowing this about it
I quote Jonathan from a reply to my email enquiry concerning the M8

"I know the original owner very well and he is very particular about his equipment. Before selling it to me he sent it back to Leica in Germany to have the sensor cleaned (he didn't trust Leica UK to do it). Any upgrades would have been carried out.

I'm selling it with a six month guarantee although it has also been registered with Leica in Germany and has a little under a year to run on its original cover. It may be an idea (although not essential) to phone Leica in Germany when you receive it to register your details with them."

I don't consider myself to be a fool in fact I'm very careful as to how I spend my money!

 

[Kevin]

Lucky you, Nigel!

 

[Paul Kay]

Jonathon Harris has a good reputation! However if you buy from a UK dealer you are protected by pretty potent consumer law - I assume wherever you live as the transaction is carried out in the UK - and products must be 'fit for pupose', as described, warranty explained, etc.! This is enforcable by means of the small claims court - a proceedure which I have seen to be relatively cheap and actually viable - I don't know whether it would be possible to utilise this from afar but my guess is that for a £2k product it might even be worth attending a hearing (?).

I doubt very much that many of the UKs 'better' dealers (ie those who have been in business for a fair time and whose reputation can be checked by queries on several web fora) would be difficult over anything they sell with a good warranty on it - certainly I've never had problems personally and a friend who used the proceedure above against what I would now describe as a dodgy dealer, won with costs and more!

Glad you got the camera Nigel - they (JH) have been operating a long time, I've bought from them and can't see you having any trouble - doubt most of the ramblings above is all relevant but its worth considering by anyone buying in from the UK.