rfaspen
[insert pithy phrase here]
No joke. My enjoyment of Leica cameras and lenses has made me a criminal -- and I had no idea!
How did I find out?
For starters. My wife and I have a policy that we each attempt to fund our own hobbies. She is a photographer and sells prints for her "fun money". I do woodworking commissions and buy/sell photo equipment to get fun money for my hobbies.
Summer of last year, I decided I really want a Leica M10, M10-R, or even an M11. My dream is a Leica M10-R. About the same time, I decided it was time to finally liquidate my camera collection (I did save favorites and sentimental items). So I began posting a little more than 500 cameras and lenses on craigslist to sell and make money for a Leica M10,M10-R,M11.
I wasn't prepared for what happened next. So many young enthusiastic people (I call them kids at my age) clamouring to come over and purchase my stuff. It was mostly common film cameras/lenses, but some high-end stuff too (Leica). I sold all my Argi C-3, Brownie Hawkeyes, Hi-Matics, and similar. And also sold Nikon kits F2, F3, D700, FE, FE2, FM, and more), Olympus OM, various M42, Rolleiflexes of all kinds, you get the idea. Also some Leica copies and a few Leica lenses.
After the hoards of kids came by my house and left with their very own box of cameras, I was left with empty space in my various closets, bookshelves, garage. Kind of a good feeling to know that all those young super-excited kids will actually use my cameras. I simply could not use them. They just sat and got sluggish -- very sad.
Also, after the hoards of kids, I found myself with a substantial stack of cash! You see....each one of those kids (some were older) gave me cash for their goodies and before long I had quite a stack. Let's say, I definitely have enough to buy that M10,M10-R or M11 at used prices. At new prices, maybe not the M11.
So, how did I become a criminal? It became clear I am a criminal when I went down to my bank (of 30+ years) to deposit my cash. I figured I would deposit my money, then I would then hop online and find myself my dream Leica (M10-R) and order it. But no!
I walked into the bank and told the teller I would like to make a cash deposit. She said, "OK. How much do you want to deposit, and which account?" I said, "I want to deposit [large amount] to my checking account". That's when she started acting strange. She proceeded to hem and haw, typed a lot on her computer, and then started asking a lot of very probing questions. Very probing, and very strange. I stopped her and asked what the heck is going on.
She informed me that she has to submit an SAR. An SAR is a Suspicious Activities Report. They are required to submit an SAR for any *cash* deposit greater than $600. I asked her just what this SAR will do. Well, apparently it goes to corporate headquarters and they make a decision whether to close your account. With the amount of cash I was intending to deposit, she said they would likely close my account. They would also freeze the cash deposit and make it unavailable until they finish "an investigation". This would apparently involve DEA, ATF, and IRS. And regardless, I would receive a form in the mail from the IRS to fill out and pay taxes on the cash deposit.
So it seems I have suddenly joined company with drug dealers, gun runners, and money launderers! It feels rather unexciting to become a criminal. I always thought it would be more like Thelma and Louise.
I told her to cancel my deposit (hopefully she didn't submit anything anyway) and I left with my stack of cash thinking I could still get my dream camera. I would just have to buy one the same way all those kids came to buy my cameras and lenses.
That was June 2023.
Since then, I have been searching for an M10, M10-R, or M11 offered for sale anywhere within driving distance of my home. Every day, I check. Every single day. I have not yet been able to find a camera for sale within driving distance. I live in western Oregon. Portland OR is 80 miles away, and about the limit I consider practical to go buy a camera. One M10 came up early in my search, in Portland. I didn't pursue it because it was chrome, and I wanted a black one. I figured I could pass and plenty of other cameras will come up before long. Well, now it looks like that was my only chance regardless of finish.
I'm so frustrated because I could order my dream camera from Roberts, Tamarkin, or so many private offerings on Fred Miranda and elsewhere, but I am unable to do so because I'm stuck with a giant stack of cash that doesn't fit through the electronic copper cables and those cameras are located far away from me.
So. Are there any other criminals out there?
I took a complete bath on most of the gear I sold. Only a couple Leica items sold for more than I paid for them. I'm clearly not a money lauderer, and obviously not a gun runner or drug dealer. But, here I am unable to buy a stupid camera because of banking laws and our society's move toward an completely electronic commercial space (apparently easier to track everyone?). Cash is not as nice as it used to be.
What do you guys do? What would you do? It's been several months and I'm beginning to think there will never be a Leica M10-R offered anywhere in Oregon again.
How did I find out?
For starters. My wife and I have a policy that we each attempt to fund our own hobbies. She is a photographer and sells prints for her "fun money". I do woodworking commissions and buy/sell photo equipment to get fun money for my hobbies.
Summer of last year, I decided I really want a Leica M10, M10-R, or even an M11. My dream is a Leica M10-R. About the same time, I decided it was time to finally liquidate my camera collection (I did save favorites and sentimental items). So I began posting a little more than 500 cameras and lenses on craigslist to sell and make money for a Leica M10,M10-R,M11.
I wasn't prepared for what happened next. So many young enthusiastic people (I call them kids at my age) clamouring to come over and purchase my stuff. It was mostly common film cameras/lenses, but some high-end stuff too (Leica). I sold all my Argi C-3, Brownie Hawkeyes, Hi-Matics, and similar. And also sold Nikon kits F2, F3, D700, FE, FE2, FM, and more), Olympus OM, various M42, Rolleiflexes of all kinds, you get the idea. Also some Leica copies and a few Leica lenses.
After the hoards of kids came by my house and left with their very own box of cameras, I was left with empty space in my various closets, bookshelves, garage. Kind of a good feeling to know that all those young super-excited kids will actually use my cameras. I simply could not use them. They just sat and got sluggish -- very sad.
Also, after the hoards of kids, I found myself with a substantial stack of cash! You see....each one of those kids (some were older) gave me cash for their goodies and before long I had quite a stack. Let's say, I definitely have enough to buy that M10,M10-R or M11 at used prices. At new prices, maybe not the M11.
So, how did I become a criminal? It became clear I am a criminal when I went down to my bank (of 30+ years) to deposit my cash. I figured I would deposit my money, then I would then hop online and find myself my dream Leica (M10-R) and order it. But no!
I walked into the bank and told the teller I would like to make a cash deposit. She said, "OK. How much do you want to deposit, and which account?" I said, "I want to deposit [large amount] to my checking account". That's when she started acting strange. She proceeded to hem and haw, typed a lot on her computer, and then started asking a lot of very probing questions. Very probing, and very strange. I stopped her and asked what the heck is going on.
She informed me that she has to submit an SAR. An SAR is a Suspicious Activities Report. They are required to submit an SAR for any *cash* deposit greater than $600. I asked her just what this SAR will do. Well, apparently it goes to corporate headquarters and they make a decision whether to close your account. With the amount of cash I was intending to deposit, she said they would likely close my account. They would also freeze the cash deposit and make it unavailable until they finish "an investigation". This would apparently involve DEA, ATF, and IRS. And regardless, I would receive a form in the mail from the IRS to fill out and pay taxes on the cash deposit.
So it seems I have suddenly joined company with drug dealers, gun runners, and money launderers! It feels rather unexciting to become a criminal. I always thought it would be more like Thelma and Louise.
I told her to cancel my deposit (hopefully she didn't submit anything anyway) and I left with my stack of cash thinking I could still get my dream camera. I would just have to buy one the same way all those kids came to buy my cameras and lenses.
That was June 2023.
Since then, I have been searching for an M10, M10-R, or M11 offered for sale anywhere within driving distance of my home. Every day, I check. Every single day. I have not yet been able to find a camera for sale within driving distance. I live in western Oregon. Portland OR is 80 miles away, and about the limit I consider practical to go buy a camera. One M10 came up early in my search, in Portland. I didn't pursue it because it was chrome, and I wanted a black one. I figured I could pass and plenty of other cameras will come up before long. Well, now it looks like that was my only chance regardless of finish.
I'm so frustrated because I could order my dream camera from Roberts, Tamarkin, or so many private offerings on Fred Miranda and elsewhere, but I am unable to do so because I'm stuck with a giant stack of cash that doesn't fit through the electronic copper cables and those cameras are located far away from me.
So. Are there any other criminals out there?
I took a complete bath on most of the gear I sold. Only a couple Leica items sold for more than I paid for them. I'm clearly not a money lauderer, and obviously not a gun runner or drug dealer. But, here I am unable to buy a stupid camera because of banking laws and our society's move toward an completely electronic commercial space (apparently easier to track everyone?). Cash is not as nice as it used to be.
What do you guys do? What would you do? It's been several months and I'm beginning to think there will never be a Leica M10-R offered anywhere in Oregon again.
