Camera Stores with Leica M's

[iphoenix]

In Australia, Camera Exchange in Box Hill and Camera Lane in Spotswood sell secondhand and new Leica M cameras, digital and film.

Leica boutiques in Melbourne and Sydney have new M film bodies.

Until it closed in the last couple of years, Michaels in Melbourne was a licensed Leica dealer with a range of cameras up to the medium format S digital series. They also had a few secondhand M bodies and lenses. The first of four auctions took place in August 2022, with more to come in the following years. Some really interesting and rare cameras will be up for grabs.

Thanks Archiver, I thought they'd both vanished. I'll try to find them again.

Any clue about when and where the 2nd Michaels auction might be?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Regarding Camera & Darkroom in New Mexico: The Santa Fe store is wonderful, with a helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly manager. The Albuquerque store? Not so much!!! Locals are pretty much in agreement, and Yelp will confirm. The Santa Fe store is smaller with less inventory, the ABQ store has some used Leica odds and ends. No new stuff.

Do you live in Santa Fe? I lived there back in 2006 and 2007, and actually worked at their Santa Fe stores for a while. Back then, they had two stores in Santa Fe, but only one is open now. Is Vicki still the manager in Santa Fe?

 

[KoNickon]

It wasn't clear to me where the OP is. Not to helpful to suggest someplace nowhere near him, though this is helpful general information for all.

 

[Archiver]

Thanks Archiver, I thought they'd both vanished. I'll try to find them again.

Any clue about when and where the 2nd Michaels auction might be?

Camera Lane is in Hudson's Road, Spotswood. Camera Exchange is in Middleborough Road, Box Hill. I drive by Camera Lane every now and again, and Camera Exchange is the same Aladdin's cave of gear.

Not sure when the next Michaels auction will be, but the first was at Leski Auctions online:

THE MICHAEL FAMILY CAMERA MUSEUM - Leski Auctions

While it is sad when an Australian institution closes, in the case of this fabulous assemblage, it means that collectors and museums all over the world will be able to add a rare piece of history to their own collections. Truly, a once in a lifetime opportunity. Most Melbourne residents or...

www.leski.com.au

Digidirect are another licensed Leica dealer, and for some time they even had some a la carte demo bodies for sale.

 

[GMOG]

Is Vicki still the manager in Santa Fe?

Nowadays Vicki stays behind the scenes for the most part, handling the books. She fills in at the ABQ store for Art when he needs to step out.

 

[GMOG]

Regarding Camera & Darkroom in New Mexico: The Santa Fe store is wonderful, with a helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly manager. The Albuquerque store? Not so much!!! Locals are pretty much in agreement, and Yelp will confirm. The Santa Fe store is smaller with less inventory, the ABQ store has some used Leica odds and ends. No new stuff.

Camera & Darkroom these days pretty much limits itself to used film gear and related stuff. You might find an oddball digital camera at either location from time to time. They don't always have Leica gear in stock, but it does come in fairly regularly. I was in the ABQ location last week and got to check out a nice M5 with the box and manual that had come into inventory recently. They also have a Leica IIIa with collapsible Summitar in stock now.

The ABQ store is run by the business owner. I, too, had some not-so-fun experiences there a couple times in years past. When Kurt's Camera Corral closed shop a few years ago that left Camera & Darkroom as New Mexico's only dedicated camera shop. I decided to make another go of it, and have had good experiences there ever since. I've bought Nikkor lenses, vintage Leitz lenses, and my M6 there in the past few years. I usually check with them when I'm looking for something before I buy anywhere else.