If money was not an issue...

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nickchew

Guest
HYPOTHETICALLY of course
If money was no issue... would u still buy a Leica new? (this of course does not apply to all you guys who actually bought new Leicas)

I once owned a new Leica. I sold it in 2 months. I was so fearful of scratching it or bumping it that it stayed in the dry box for the most times and only came out for a careful fondle now and then. :bang:

My second hand old FM2 on the otherhand was used and brought everywhere. I was not bothered if I scratched or bumped it. The end result was that the FM2 "took" better pictures than the Leica simply because it went out of the dry box more!

I think I can't bring myself to buy a new or mint leica. I would really prefer ones that had some brassing on them so that I would actually use them!

nick
 
I've had three Leica M3s over a 30-year period and never hung onto one more than a year. I love the smoothness of the film advance and the sound of the shutter. But I can get so much more equipment for the price of a Leica. Traded my last one (which worked great but had some major cosmetic problems) for a like new Nikon F-100. That being said there's a really nice M2 shooter with the DR Summicron at a local camera store........Naw!
 
Well, if money was not an issue, sure, I would get an Ala Carte deal with that paint that rubs off and looks terrible, to the uninformed :D.

Heck, I would take pride in scuffing it up as quickly as I could.

My intention would be of course to keep the camera forever, so resale value is of no concern to me.

Again, if money was not a concern.
 
Honestly, nope. If i would get one for free, i would sell it.
Why? It has too high a fame and value. On one hand, just as it happened to yours, might happen to mine too. On the other hand, i really don't want to hang around with a Leica. A new looking, expensive Leica, it's just too screaming, like a status symbol. I am a somewhat shy guy from this point of view.
Maybe - maybe - i would use the black tape trick to cover signs like the red dot:)

OTOH, i'd probably like to use a well working but tattered, scratched older version, or, even more likely, a fifties contax (yeah what a coincidence), with a few years of history behind it, and a less luxurious look.

Sorry, i mean no offense to anyone buying/using a new Leica. I would have answered the same about a red ferrari, a golden rolex or a parker pen. It's just about myself, not you, guys.
 
If money were no object... I'd have no fun.

But I could use a faster 50mm lens.

However, right now, I think I'd like a meterless Leica body. Just for the heck of it.

And, as to scratching it... Like a guy said to me once, that's how cameras show they have a history. Ever since I heard that line, I'm no longer concerned about the shape of my camera bodies.
 
Well, I probably would not buy a new Leica. I'd take (i.e. buy) a used M7, though :)
If the money is not an issue, as you say.
Still, it's a simple economy - even if the money is not an issue, I'd go for slightly used camera - no visible marks, scratches, perfectly working. Basically, like new - and I would expect to pay at least 30% less than the shop price. It's only logical, isn't it?

ALL 3 of my Leicas are users - not kept in a safe, under controlled conditions.
I toss any of them into a bag, and carry around, and shoot - and I'm not being too anal about how I handle them.
This is not to say that I bang them around carelessly. But, I stay within the limits of "reasonable care" - meaning I'm not going to leave the camera in the sun for too long, I'm not going to leave it in the rain, will take reasonable precautions to protect it from the hits, sand, sea spray, etc...
Well, sea spray.... Perhaps I'd take another camera to the seaside :)

The point is, camera for me is not really object of adoration, a fetish... I enjoy using them for what they were made to do - shooting - even if it means getting them a bit dirty sometimes - or even slightly scratched.

Anything that gets in the way of taking photos is not really acceptable.

When I got my M6 a few days ago (almost "like new", mind you), I just tossed it into my bag and took it "for a ride"... No special precautions, excessive fondling, etc.

Would you buy a Ferrari and keep it locked in the garage? That's a blasphemy! Just like Ferraris are made to be on the road, Leicas were made to take photos... Simple as that. If you're uncomfortable about it being scratched, etc. - get yourself a cheaper camera, like you did. Simple as that.

Or loan it to a friend until he gets it scratched a bit, get over it, and continue to use it :D

Denis
 
Well said, Denis.

If money were no object I would still not buy a new Leica, unless it was one of those M2, M3, or M4's bought new, never used, and squirreled away by some sick collector. If money were no object, I would buy one of those AND USE IT! I've already made my view known that the older M leicas are the best.
 
Pherdinand said:
Sorry, i mean no offense to anyone buying/using a new Leica. I would have answered the same about a red ferrari, a golden rolex or a parker pen. It's just about myself, not you, guys.
Click to expand...

I missed these comments while I was writing my reply, and only saw those when I posted mine.

Funny you should also mention a Ferrari.. Don't know, I wouldn't put it in the same basket as a golden Rollex, or a Parker pen. I never drove one, and don't think I would ever own one. Not interestd, that's all. I'd never wear a golden Rollex, either. The stuff you mention are all status symbols - and I'm definitely not into that. I ride a bicycle, ferchrissake! :)
Well, I do own a car, but drive only when I have to.
OTOH, Leica for me is not a status symbol. I love photography, I love rangefinders, and the Leica cameras are generally held to be the best ones ever made. It's a hobby, guys! And hobbyists usually do not measure the joy they get from their hobby through money...

Still, thinking a bit more about what I said in my previous post, I don't think I'd buy an M7, not even used. Perhaps I would, just to try it out, but would probably go back to M6 - or my trusty M2 (which I already have).

But, I would buy an MP - used. The one from Jorge looks nice :)
But, the money IS an issue, so....

What I said above still stands - I would not buy new. No point in paying 30-40% more, just to be able to unwrap it from the package yourself.
Thinking about it, I just realized that I NEVER bought any of my photo gear new. :D

Denis
 
nickchew said:
HYPOTHETICALLY of course
If money was no issue... would u still buy a Leica new?
Click to expand...
No. I bought an ex-demo mint- M6TTL almost 2 years ago, and I'm hoping to buy a used M7 next. Will probably have the funds to buy new but like Denis I take reasonable care, but I am not overly cautious with my M6. Have bought both new and used lenses though.
 
I guess I would be like Nick if I have a pristine Leica.It would sit in the dry box and taken out occasionally to be admired and fondled. If I want a Leica I would get a user body that I have no fear of scratching it. But I have 3 R2s and that deter me from getting a Leica, just does not make any economic sense to get another M system. I would rather use the money to get more lenses, films and a much better scanner than my current Minolta SD IV. After all, a camera is for capturing images or is it? :rolleyes:
 
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Unlikely. I don't like the film loading or the 1/1000 top shutter speed. And I don't find myself in situations where the quiet shutter matters.

I do like the longer base line & built-in 28 mm frame lines, so I would & will consider the Zeiss Ikon, which also has these features, when it becomes available this spring.
 
Wasn't the original question, "If money were not an issue, would you buy a new Leica or a used one?" (assuming same model etc.)

To which my answer would be: If money were not an issue, of course I'd choose a new one. The only reason for buying a used one is to save money, no? So if money is not an issue, that's not a reason.

Buying a new one gets you a warranty, and helps an RF manufacturer stay in business. Those are good reasons for me.

In the past, I've bought Leicas both new and used. I'm not going to do it again anytime soon, but if I were - and, per the original question, money were no object - I'd buy a new one.
 
I guess I am the only potential abuser.

Huck, funny you should mention the film loading. Outside of the fact that you have to remove the bottom plate, I find loading the Leica easier than loading the Bessa, and I was really stressed out about that. We will have to get together soon and I will let you play.
 
I would buy a new one and use it a lot, and soon it would be used.

I bought an XPan not long ago, and I use it, that's why I bought it.
 
i doubt i'd buy another leica even without a money issue.
i had an m4-p years ago, bought brand new.
i was not ready for a camera w/o a built in meter and sold it.

to be honest, i was more impressed with myself for having a leica than i was with the leica.

not a knock but leicas are not for me.

i honestly see a used canon p or 7 as being in the same league as an m2/m3 and way cheaper. i could have 3 p's for the price of one m2/m3. and i would never have to change lenses again.
speaking of lenses, i love hearing how much better the german glass is, especially from those who can't take a decent photo. if you want the best then use a tripod for every shot. not really why 35mm is around, imho. and really, if sharpness and tonality is your thing what are you doing shooting 35 and not medium or large format?

i'm too poor to be caught up in equipment snobbery. i want you to like my photos not my cameras.

joe
 
Money does not influence my camera decisions and I choose not to own any Leicas, except for a spotting scope and pair of binoculars that are both superb (I had an M4 that I gave to my Dad; and a number of "R" series SLR's -- all nice enough cameras but the brand just doesn't excite me). I prefer to concentrate on Contax cameras that are essentially handbuilt by Henry Scherer; to me this represents a better value than any Leica, old or new. This is my preference; I hate built-in light meters and will not use them even if a camera is equipped with one, likewise I shun electronic shutters -- I like fine built mechanical cameras and nothing built today approaches the quality from the "Golden Age."
 
Honu-Hugger said:
Sorry, I digressed. My answer is neither :D :D :D
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Yeah, but I liked it anyway!

Interesting notion, this idea of using what are essentially new cameras hand-built by Henry Scherer using 70-year-old parts! (well, almost... hard to believe, but the Contax II design will see its 70th birthday next year!)
 
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