M4 current prices

[zauhar]

Well aren’t you clever?

I guess you are in daily communication with Sherry, unlike me. My hats off to you. I always enjoyed talking to her.

I would still advise the OP to send her an email and see what she has.

Another place that people overlook is Camera West. Hopefully their website is not a complete hoax

 

[David Murphy]

You will typically pay less per item for a camera + lens combo if the item is auctioned (which best reflects the market price). Buyers do not pay a premium for sets - they pay less for larger quantities of goods - that's also basic economics, and my personal experience. This is why dealers usually separate sets (part them out). Here's another way to think about this: Would someone want to buy a new car if they only needed a carburetor? Would that buyer pay a premium price for the car + carburetor, or just the carburetor if both were available? This is an extreme example to make a point, but the same logic applies.

Expect any decent M2 or M3 to start at about $900 and up, and M4's are getting at least $300-$400 on top of that. Of course there are exceptions for the lucky, but you might be waiting a long time to get lucky while watching prices soar even more. I'd expect to pay at least $1200 for a good M4. That's what they cost now, and prices will probably just continue to rise. Furthermore, what were once slightly less expensive alternatives such as the M4P and M4-2, are now just as expensive.

Regarding Japanese sellers on eBay, I've had almost uniformly good experiences with them, and I'd not hesitate to buy a Leica or any other camera from one if I thought it was market priced and met my needs. Why limit ones's options?

Another way to possibly save a few bucks to is to buy off eBay if you can. eBay and PayPal together skim 15-20% off a sale now, and thus lower prices can sometimes be found from competitive sellers selling on other venues (like here on occasion!).

Good luck in the hunt!

 

[Bmoze]

Zauhar - I had called her earlier this year about one of those listings that interested me, so that’s how I learned. Worth checking with her, for sure.

 

[David Murphy]

Well aren’t you clever?

I guess you are in daily communication with Sherry, unlike me. My hats off to you. I always enjoyed talking to her.

I would still advise the OP to send her an email and see what she has.

Another place that people overlook is Camera West. Hopefully their website is not a complete hoax

Camera West is a reliable dealer - based on personal experience.

 

[JeffS7444]

Still not quite as crazy as the mid to late 80's when there were people in the US at shows and advertising in publications like Shutterbug buying only to send off to Japan and resell for super-duper crazy prices to Japanese speculators/collectors. I can remember when M4's were unobtainable for less than $2,000.

Oh yes, the great Japanese bubble-economy years, they really seemed to bring out the worst in some people. I also seem to recall Tamarkin & Co ads in Shutterbug listing Leica 3Gs for almost 2x of what they're asking for today.

 

[NaChase]

Well aren’t you clever?

I guess you are in daily communication with Sherry, unlike me. My hats off to you. I always enjoyed talking to her.

I would still advise the OP to send her an email and see what she has.

Another place that people overlook is Camera West. Hopefully their website is not a complete hoax

I go to Camera West's physical location all the time and can assure you they're legit. I will typically spend an hour or so in there chatting with the exceptionally knowledgeable sales people and playing with the latest and greatest from Leica only to sheepishly buy a roll of film or two before leaving.

 

[valdas]

US dealers or repair shops is not a viable option- due to import VAT and duties I would need to add about 30% on top (and shipping is much more expensive). But as said - I already bought this combo for 1650€.

 

[Beemermark]

Still not quite as crazy as the mid to late 80's when there were people in the US at shows and advertising in publications like Shutterbug buying only to send off to Japan and resell for super-duper crazy prices to Japanese speculators/collectors. I can remember when M4's were unobtainable for less than $2,000.

I was doing the camera trade show route in those days. Don't remember M4's going for that price but they were in strong demand. Not too many people looking for an M5 and the M4-2 had a really reliable issue so everyone was looking for M4's. Doing shows in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, maybe Chicago I do remember the Japanese buyers traveling to these shows buying everything they could. I think they are trying to sell it back know -🙂

 

[Bmoze]

Valdas, congrats on your purchase. The m4 with the new 35mm is a great setup.

 

[valdas]

Valdas, congrats on your purchase. The m4 with the new 35mm is a great setup.

Thanks. I hope it’s a good purchase - I think I asked all the right questions about the condition, so in the worst case I will be able to return.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Still not quite as crazy as the mid to late 80's when there were people in the US at shows and advertising in publications like Shutterbug buying only to send off to Japan and resell for super-duper crazy prices to Japanese speculators/collectors. I can remember when M4's were unobtainable for less than $2,000.

Maybe in the USA, but in the '90s i bought an original black paint M2 in
Paris for $700 canadian..... & it was sitting in the display window.

 

[muser53]

M prices are crazy high right now but...there is nothing like an M so if you really want one bide your time. In the long run the price will seem insignificant to the joy you get from using it to make photographs.

 

[Guth]

I have had only one experience with Camera West and that was just recently when they screwed up an order that I placed with them. Accident's happen, I get that. However, I was less than impressed with their effort (or lack thereof) involved in correcting the situation. Beggars can't be choosers as the saying goes, but that doesn't make it all that much easier to accept the reality of the situation when so few retailers have what you want and/or need.

As far as the prices of M4 cameras are concerned (or any other camera models for that matter), there might be other factors at work beyond the typical supply & demand factors as they apply to film cameras in general or Leica M cameras specifically. For example, the collector/enthusiast/classic car market has seen an incredible jump in values ever since the pandemic hit. Please don't ask me to explain the psychology behind this, but if this is possible when it comes to cars I wouldn't think it to be out of the question when it comes to any other sort of collectible or otherwise hard to find item including film cameras.

 

[gaheris]

After looking at the prices for a couple of weeks I have decided to walk away from the GAS and just try to enjoy what I have at the moment.

It's not the right time to buy. Prices have gone up everywhere — US, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, etc. I wanted a M4 chrome so bad as a backup camera but I am not paying 1500 for a banged up copy.

 

[Rob-F]

There is a way to get an M4 without taking a hit on price. That's if you have another Leica model you no longer want. Say you have an M3 or M6, or whatever, and its price has gone up since you bought it, by about the same amount as the M4 price. If you sell it to get the M4, then it's a wash and you are not out anything.

Or you could write a nice article and submit it to a photo magazine. That should earn enough to cover the difference!

 

[Rob-F]

I bought an M4P a few months ago for a lot less than an M4 would have cost. I sent it off to YYE for a refresh. The M4P can do everything an M4 can do, after all (and a little more).

 

[Ambro51]

I had $$$$ in hand and before hitting the button on a mint + Bell and Howell Foton I briefly considered an M4. But, I thought, these M4s are common, basically nothing special and will always be around. The Foton is a marvel with a better lens and very rare. I bought the Foton.

 

[jmonat7]

FYI, Sherry hasn’t maintained that part of her site for a long time. Those listings are from years ago and no longer exist.

I called Sherry in 2017 about the M6 listed on the site for $1050 and she said it was no longer available. That same M6 is still on the site. So I double up on your statement and totally agree. With the rapid increase in prices of M's, the prices on her site seem great but are actually probably just outdated by 5-10 years.

 

[splitimageview]

Yes, Sherry’s ‘inventory’ hasn’t been updated in years.

 

[steveyork]

I have had only one experience with Camera West and that was just recently when they screwed up an order that I placed with them. Accident's happen, I get that. However, I was less than impressed with their effort (or lack thereof) involved in correcting the situation. Beggars can't be choosers as the saying goes, but that doesn't make it all that much easier to accept the reality of the situation when so few retailers have what you want and/or need.

As far as the prices of M4 cameras are concerned (or any other camera models for that matter), there might be other factors at work beyond the typical supply & demand factors as they apply to film cameras in general or Leica M cameras specifically. For example, the collector/enthusiast/classic car market has seen an incredible jump in values ever since the pandemic hit. Please don't ask me to explain the psychology behind this, but if this is possible when it comes to cars I wouldn't think it to be out of the question when it comes to any other sort of collectible or otherwise hard to find item including film cameras.

Ha, ha, with zero percent interest rates, maybe classic cameras are a better investment then money in the bank.