Ever bought a NEW Leica body or lens.

Ever bought a NEW Leica body or lens.

  • yes in the last 10 years

    Votes: 302 45.6%

  • yes more than 10 years ago

    Votes: 75 11.3%

  • No

    Votes: 285 43.1%
  • Total voters
    662
Elitist Bottom Feeders

Elitist Bottom Feeders

So we are aging elitist bottom feeders? yours FPJ
 
FPjohn said:
So we are aging elitist bottom feeders? yours FPJ
Click to expand...

Not sure I'd call us that, I've spent a LOT more on other RF stuff and a bit of that was used Leica gear.

At this point in time Leica doesn't make anything I want to invest that much money into.

B2 (;->
 
Elmarit-m 28mm 2.8 asph lens, purchased new, soon after it was released. It made for a very nice combo when paired with the CLE. Long since sold. My first and presumably my last purchase of a new Leica product.
 
I bought a used Leica M8 that was a Code U from Leica that had been a Leica reps camera. My local camera store and Leica dealer got it for me. It was refurbished and came with a new warranty. It was like new. I saved about $2,500.00 to $3,000.00 by doing that. No way would I buy a new one since they are just out of my price range. I have always bought good used Leica gear and only a couple of older lenses. - jim
 
I bought my M6 new in 1986. A few years later I bought a 90mm Elmarit-M but sold it recently in favour of a Tele-Elmarit because I prefer smaller lenses (and like to stay with one filter size).

cheers,
clay
 
Yes, in 1985: M6, 35 Summicron, 90 Thin Tele-Elmarit (all else below in sig, used)
 
M6, Summicron 35mm pre-asph, Summicron 35mm asph, M8, M8.2, 21mm Super Elmar.
I sold some of the above equipement already.
Most of the Leica gear I bought was second hand.
 
Well, if I were alive in the 30s and 40s I'd buy new, but frankly I find M and Later Leicas about as visually appealing as an old East German government building. Leica, as I see it, peaked in 1938
 
I neved did. And I don't see myself doing it anytime soon. All used from decente dealers:

Leica Shop Vienna
M6 Classic + 50mm Elmar-M

Japan Camera Hunter
35mm Cron Asph

Ken Hansen
M9

Tamarkin
50mm Cron Rigid

KEH
M3 DS



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
New: M9 (2x), MP (2x), MP3 50/2.4, 28/2.8 ASPH, 75/2.0 AA.

From Freestyle (via the education discount program), Photo Village and ebay.
 
I'm not buying new. Any camera, lens maker. Makes no sense financially.
My M4-2 does exactly the same for me as brand new film M something will do.
I also believe what esthetically camera has to match with lens.
For example, I could buy new Ultron, but most likely going to get Canadian Cron for M4-2. Or I could sell like new Bessa T with perfectly matching almost like new 25 F4 M. And buy Canadian Lux for the price of new German Summarit...

Wait!!! I purchased new Holga Pan 135 :)
 
M8, M6, Cron-M 50, Cron-M 90, Elmar-R 180, Summitar 5cm, C2

Formerly: Digilux-2, Cron-R 50, Cron-R 35, Elmarit-R 35...


None of those I bought new.
 
Yes.
Three Leica bodies and one lens.
A chrome M6 in early 1990s and a black M6 .85 in the late 1990s and a matching 50mm f2.8 Elmar. Also a MiniLux. I guess that would be a lens and a body? :D

Everything else has been used.
I got a 85mm f1.5 (actually the first thing I ever got).
Shortly after, the chrome body, then I got a 35mm 1.4 Summilux.
These, with the .85 vf M6, worked well for me for quite a long time. And in fact, still do to this day.

I used a new MiniLux (40mm lens) with them. This was stolen. It was a great little point & shoot camera with a very quiet shutter. Still have the box for some reason...

Regarding buying new for work and the warranty:
A couple years later while working outside all week, one day the black M6 got it's shutter burned through by the sun.

I sent it to Leica under their Passport Warranty and they repaired it for free.
I still have the original boxes and receipt for the repair.

Regarding resale and used market value:
New the M6 .85 cost almost $2000. $1895. or something like that.
The used 85mm cost about $1200. as I recall.
So if I was going to sell these two what do you think the profit or loss would be? Used but no brass showing condition. The camera base plate still has the clear plastic that it came with. So it's probably not even scratched under there.

Do you think Leica cameras and lenses have a reputation for being tough and dependable? If so perhaps that would add value. Which may translate to justifying higher prices.
My gear has been drop onto concrete floors, kicked, etc. I used to take pictures at clubs and some of the bands had some aggressive fans. Once my sister accidentally knocked the .85 from a table onto the hard floor when we were attending a wedding of a mutual friend. It landed on the lens (the 35mm Summilux) and sort of caved in/ bent the vented aluminum hood. :bang: I gently bent it back out of the way to round(ish) and kept on shooting. Did not affect the camera or lens as far as I could tell. Now I look at the slight wave in the hood and laugh. :) What if that had been a camera and lens with more plastic parts? Electronics and micro motors?

I eventually sold the chrome M6 and the black 50mm.

A few years ago I picked up a 135 f2.8 and I also have a 50mm collapsible Summicron (LSM).
 
One new lens. Summarit 35 2.5. But once I took it out of the box, it is not new anymore...
 
I always buy bodies new. Except of course old collectible ones.Lenses mostly as well, but I don't mind a used one. after all, many nice lenses are not in the catalog any more.
 
Can't afford to. All my Leica bodies and lenses were bought used, and they are all vintage or older models, nothing newish.
 
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