How crucial to try before you buy?

[Iggy]

Within the next couple of months I'm going to be making possibly my final serious camera purchase. I've more or less narrowed my options down to two bodies, namely the Leica MP and the Zeiss Ikon. As my home city of Manchester has a Leica dealer (Jacobs - very patient & helpful staff) I went along to try an MP for size and it felt great in my hand and better up to my right eye. The problem is I can't go ahead without at least trying out the Ikon.

You can read & ruminate all you like on advice & opinion aired on wonderful forums like this one but in the end don't you have to try before you buy?

 

[jano]

The only two cameras I have NOT tried before buying were the Zeiss Ikon and my Iskra II. I would *HIGHLY* recommend you try the ZI first, before buying, if at all possible. I got lucky in that it's my favorite camera to use now, HOWEVER, I can see how certain items would not necessarily jive with some. Make sure you try the camera when a lens is installed on it. It's foolish otherwise, because I don't think I've seen anyone use a camera without a lens (except for silly pinhole in lens cap stuff, but then, a matchbox would make a better body 😀).

 

[sunsworth]

Stephens in the Barton Arcade advertise the Zeiss on there rather crappy website - http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/theleicaman

Although they're no longer a Leica dealer they also may have some second hand Leica stuff for you to look at, and they are literally just around the corner from Jacobs.

To be honest if you like the MP now, and can afford it, you aren't going to be disappointed with that.


Steve (a fellow Mancunian)

 

[raid]

I have never tried any camera or lens before buying it.
I have no regrets.
However, I was reading and reading about every item before buying it.

Raid

 

[Iggy]

Tried Stephens in the arcade and the proprietor said he could order an Ikon for me for £1,699 with the 50mm planar which seems a little steep (Robert White has the same for £200 or so less) but he doesn't keep them in stock anyway. Stephens is more of a second hand classic camera dealer/repairer, and a very good one from what I've read.

I know I'd be more than happy with the MP but if I was happy enough with the Ikon (tested with lens attached 😀 hee-hee) then I could get myself an extra lens or two for the same price as an MP + 50mm (cron or lux) kit. Kit seems so inappropriate a term here.

 

[sunsworth]

So Stephen's probably buy from Ffordes who I think are the official importer ;-)

Does it have to be a new camera? You could get a used M6 TTL and Summicron for less than what Stephens were asking for the Zeiss - and IMHO that would be no contest!

Steve

 

[OldNick]

I would agree that one should at least get the hands-on feel of a camera, even if one does not have the opportunity to take and evaluate photos. Some just don't feel comfortable.

Jim N.

 

[back alley]

hands on is best but these days that is tougher and tougher to do.

 

[colyn]

My personal preference would be the MP but if you are anything like me You should try both before making up your mind.
I will be trading up one of my M3's this fall for the MP and a couple of new glass.

 

[peter_n]

You do need to try the ZI first if you are serious about it Iggy.

~Peter (another fellow Mancunian)

 

[sf]

Try it before you buy it. Try anything before you buy anything.

I always research the thing, then go and try it out, then spend a week before putting any money down for it.

I spent a month researching digital cameras before buying a little P&S. A month. I even went to the store, bought a memory card (so I could see images from all the cameras), and shot test shots with all the cameras before making my decision.

With something like a $1000+ RF camera, being careful and deliberate about the purchase is very important.

 

[ywenz]

I question the idea of trying before buying. I mean how many stores out there will let you take an MP or Ikon home for the weekend for a test drive? If you do get chance to see both camera in person, your "trying" will consist of fondling both of the camera for 30min or so at the store. I'd much perfer to use owner's feedback to determine the camera to get.

 

[BillBingham2]

Iggy,

I am somewhat in a similar spot with thinking about picking up a Nikon SP. I am hard pressed to plunk down over $1,000 USD for something I have not held in my hand. I love my S2, want to think the SP is a great step up, but I see a few comments that make me question if the S2 is not a better user.

That said, I wanted to feel the M6 in my hand before I got one years ago. Ken H in NYC was the only one who had one to touch and feel, but it made a difference. While I was not able to wait for one from them to come in, I got a lot of other stuff there after that.

I have got a lot of cameras without holding them from that point on, but nothing more than $300 USD. For me that is the point where if I make a mistake I can take the hit on resale.

What about a day or two day trip to London? Bring the family and kick the tires!! The difference in price between the two might be worth it.

B2 (;->

 

[rolo]

Iggy,

which side of the city are you on ? I'm on the south and you're welcome to put a film through my MP.

Rick , a top man, in Jacobs would surely allow you to try the used M6 he has in stock if you're serious about the MP.

If David Stephens has a used Leica on hand, he will do a sale or return deal, allowing you a week to return it. That's assuming it's not a mint condition camera.

If you buy 'very' used, bear in mind that it might need a service costing £1-220. David will guide you on this. He has a very loyal customer base.

 

[chug]

Sometimes you cant try a camera before you buy it if you are getting it from interstate or OS. I had never handled an M6, but I had handled a friends M3, so I bought it and had no regrets when I did so. Heh, I did the same with my 40mm cron and Bessa L as well. 🙂

 

[ghost]

it's important to try before you buy if it's something very different from what you have experience with.

 

[mike marlow]

Try before you buy - getting harder and harder

Try before you buy - getting harder and harder

Was in the same position and wanted to at least hands-on a ZI - it was a new ZI ore s/h M6. Every dealer i spoke to in London replied that of course I could do that but they needed to know I was going to buy the thing as they didnt carry any stock any longer - one even said that 'now the leica people had had their say nobody was carrying stock'!! Implication that there had been some kind of wispering campaign against the ZI. Anyway whole situation resolved when bought the M6 from Aperture Photographic in Museum Street. More happy than there are words for.

 

[mike marlow]

Try before you buy - getting harder and harder

Try before you buy - getting harder and harder

Was in the same position and wanted to at least hands-on a ZI - it was a new ZI or s/h M6. Every dealer i spoke to in London replied that of course I could do that but they needed to know I was going to buy the thing as they didnt carry any stock any longer - one even said that 'now the leica people had had their say nobody was carrying stock'!! Implication that there had been some kind of wispering campaign against the ZI. Anyway whole situation resolved when bought the M6 from Aperture Photographic in Museum Street. More happy than there are words for.

 

[StuartR]

Trying before you buy is nice, but not always possible. I was never able to try the Hexar AF before I bought it, but reading about it gave me the information I needed to know. It worked out great. On the other hand, I did the same thing with a Fuji G690, and it did not work out the same way. I just did not like its monstrosity.

As for the MP and ZI, they are slightly different. A ZI is more comparable to an M7 since it has an electronic shutter and AE. In any case, the MP feels more solid and better built (whether that is the case or not), its shutter has a more mechanical thump than a metallic click. They each have their own look. In my opinion, the ZI's rangefinder window is larger and brighter than the MP's, but I prefer the LED and Rangefinder patch in the MP. I think the rangefinder patch moves with the framelines in the MP, which works better for me. Also, I don't like the whole "shutter speed down the side of the frame" thing. Every camera I have had that features this (Mamiya 7II (in the bottom in this camera) and Hexar RF) has been very difficult to read the shutter speed in diverse conditions. But anyway, unless you find some in person, I think you can reasonably buy something site unseen. As long as you have a return policy...or at least that would help...

 

[normclarke]

Iggy,
I think that you should at least compare the viewfinders, the problem with the Z.I. is that the rf patch does not move with the parallax frames this to me would be crucial. Also the heft of the two cameras could be a deciding factor. I have 3 Leica's and a thing that bugs me is the later m6ttl is not as accurate in framing as the M4 and M2. When I recently tried an R2 the framing was again not up to the standard of the earler Leica models. Though I must admit I was quite impressed with the general quality on offer. I must admit to not having tried the ZI, most people have endorsed this as being a very capable machine. The mistake in my eyes is that this camera is not a Leica!
Cheers,
normclarke.