Seeking Advice: What to Buy

[rfaspen]

I remain confused, but I'm suspicious of the whole process of "family" and inheritance, and the implied concepts of maximizing monetary value, etc. Every family is different, but I just cringe at some of the scenarios I can envision. And, some of that is hinted at in the confusing OP.

I'm hoping that you have received the M6TTL free and clear. That is a really nice film M body (happens to be the only film M I would actually buy today).

While it would be wonderful to receive some or all of the lenses that were listed in the OP, I worry that any maneuvers to "buy" one or more of them for yourself could trigger some of the family scenarios I mentioned above. So I guess it would be best to practice the Buddhist detachment and let the lenses go. Let the family do whatever they will with them and leave you out of it all.

If by some lucky circumstance you could have a couple of the lenses listed in the OP, I think the summilux 50 and summicron 28 are good all-around choices and excellent lenses.

 

[Godfrey]

Dealing with a partner or spouse's family when it comes to settling estate matters is something I would say well away from. That gear doesn't belong to you, evidently your wife is only its custodian until the rest of the family weighs in ... so just forget about that. Forget about money from it too until a windfall comes "as if by accident."

So, with that said: you have an M3 body and you have a CV35 lens. Of course you know you can use those two together, just buy a 35mm optical finder and stick it on top of the M3 if you like that body.

Personally, I never really liked the M3 and prefer the M4-2 or M4-P in a meterless body, or the M6 for a metered body. I'd sell the M3 and buy one of those. Then you don't need an auxiliary finder for the 35mm lens. Then I'd add a Summicron 50mm lens to what I had and go out, take pictures. An M with 35 and 50 lenses is just about perfect.

Film vs digital? Eh, .... whatever. I use an M-D body about 10,000% more frequently than my M4-2, but I'm not selling my M4-2 either. Whatever you like is all that matters. Nothing to debate about. But if I were buying a digital body in your situation, I'd buy an M-D in a heartbeat. That's my favorite M body of all. It's exactly like using an M6 (M7 actually, because it has auto-exposure if you want to use it) but produces raw image files rather than consumes film. Best of both worlds: all the simplicity of a film M without the cost and tedium of buying and processing film. Just charge up the battery every 400-500 shots and make photographs.

G

 

[Bingley]

Based on your original post, I'd say one option is pretty simple:

Use your share of the proceeds from the sale to buy another M6, which you've said you really like. The CV 35 goes on that camera. Then buy a nice 50 and/or 90 for your M3, assuming you want to keep that camera. Done. I'd recommend deferring consideration on the Leica Q. Godfrey has a good suggestion if you want to try digital Leica.

 

[mpaniagua]

Dealing with a partner or spouse's family when it comes to settling estate matters is something I would say well away from. That gear doesn't belong to you, evidently your wife is only its custodian until the rest of the family weighs in ... so just forget about that. Forget about money from it too until a windfall comes "as if by accident."

...
G

Highly agree with Godfrey.

Was in a similar situation with my late father's cameras.


I came to an agreement with my brothers (3) and my mother. But my brothers wives just think I cheated (which I didn't. Researched a fair price for the equipment and paid that to my mother. What she did to the money is her business not mine).

Family business are dangerous. I wouldn't take a cent from your wife share. Too dangerous, especially if you value family ties.


With that on mind, and if your relatives warm to you (like some bonus for helping them with the sale 🙂, I would go the MP-4 or M6 routes. Seems you like the M6. I mostly use those too, great cameras. Have one with 400 film (M6 most of the time) and the other with 100 film.

For lens, VC lens are great.

Marcelo

 

[mpaniagua]

Another option is to propose your wife relatives to allow your wife to keep the M6 and 50 Lux. I would think the rest of the lens will get them more than half the total sale price of the lot.

If you are used to the M6 and it has been CLA, I would try to keep that camera at least.

Also, if you keep the item instead than the cash, you keep face in front of the family 🙂

Keeping and using your wife money could get frowned on, while keeping the camera will create the idea it went to a nice home.

Best regards

Marcelo

 

[dribelin]

Thanks to all. This feedback is exactly what I was looking for; something that would help me distance myself from the process. At the request of my sister-in-law, I've provided a list of estimated prices (lowest price found and highest price found) for her to review and come up with her own thoughts and estimates. Based on some thoughtful advice from all of you, it's now out of my hands unless explicitly asked for help.

Also, as generous as my wife is being by offering me her half of the proceeds, I'm starting to agree that using it to purchase more equipment could create tension.... but maybe just one 50mm for the M3 wouldn't ruffle too many feathers.😀

Thanks,

Austin

 

[Steve M.]

Since you like film, that makes it easier. Buy a nice camera and lens or two of your choice, and put the rest into film. You can also buy darkroom stuff for a song if you look carefully these days, so that would be my other recommendation. I wasted 10 years sending out stuff to be developed, and then printed the negs on inkjets myself. When you develop your own film and print your photos w/ your own equipment, it's a totally different level of photography. No need for a darkroom either, a dark garage or even a bathroom or bedroom work fine.

Don't forget to take your wife somewhere w/ some of the money, or buy her something special. A small donation to an animal rescue place would be nice too.

 

[noisycheese]

... My wife inherited a M6ttl a while back and I've been using it for about a year now and love it. Unfortunately, her family has decided to sell the photography equipment which also includes:

Noctilux f1
90 Summicron APO
50 Lux V2
50 Elmar
28 Summicron ASPH...

So let me see if I understand this -
First off: Your wife inherited the M6, which means it is hers to keep. Is that correct?
Secondly: The family has decided to sell the five lenses which you list, meaning those were not inherited by your wife, correct?

What makes it even more painful is that i just had Youxin Ye perform a CLA and an MP finder/window upgrade on the M6.

If your wife actually inherited the M6 and it is hers to keep, the CLA and upgrades to the M6 are not an issue.

If your wife did not actually inherit the M6 and the family expects it to be sold, you have money invested in the M6. The first step should be to make certain the family commits to reimburse you for the cost of the CLA and MP finder upgrade, if they insist that the M6 be sold. I do not know what Mr. Ye charged you, but the cost to do the same work to my M4-P 10 years ago was $600 USD, which is not pocket change. The work you paid for on the M6 will cause it to sell at a higher price than a straight M6 TTL would go for; no way should you be expected to eat the cost of the CLA and MP finder upgrade.

If you want to keep the M6, call around to Leica dealers and get an accurate estimate of what the retail price of the camera would be based on its condition and serial # - with the CLA and viewfinder upgrade. Subtract the price you paid for Mr. Ye's work and tell the family that is what the camera is worth at retail (let's say $2000 for the purpose of discussion).

If the lenses sell for $10,000 add in the $2000 value of the M6 to get the total ($12,000). Your wife's half of the proceeds would be $6000 minus the M6's value, or $4000.

 

[teddy]

The man wants advice on what gear to buy. That's it.

Well my advice is:

For your M3 get a 50 Summicron, preferably a 50/2DR. Or a Type 3 or 4. Why? Because the DR is a classic suited to the M3, and the Type 3 and 4 are sharp for everything.

Then, buy a 90 Tele-Elmarit. Compact and sharp.

Then get a Summaron 35/2.8. Great with colour but mostly superb for black and white.

That's it. Then one day, save $5 to $10 bucks a week. Put them in a jar and in one or two years before you know it you will have enough money for an M2, M6 that will go well with your CV 35/2.5.

Summary: A Leica M3 with a 50 Summicron, 90 Tele-Elmarit, and a 35/2.8 Summaron.

Then slowly get an M2/M6 for your CV 35/2.5.

Perfect. Uncomplicated.

 

[Fraser]

Why do you not just keep using the M6ttl with the 35mm?

 

[Chuffed Cheese]

It's really too bad the Noctilux isn't available to keep.

 

[noisycheese]

It's really too bad the Noctilux isn't available to keep.

@Austin,

If you want the Noctilux and the entire kit is worth around $12K in value, perhaps you could keep the Noctilux and the M6 and then settle up with the estate for any amount that goes over your wife's half of the value of the kit?

Just a suggestion...

 

[rfaspen]

Thanks to all. This feedback is exactly what I was looking for; something that would help me distance myself from the process. At the request of my sister-in-law, I've provided a list of estimated prices (lowest price found and highest price found) for her to review and come up with her own thoughts and estimates. Based on some thoughtful advice from all of you, it's now out of my hands unless explicitly asked for help.

Also, as generous as my wife is being by offering me her half of the proceeds, I'm starting to agree that using it to purchase more equipment could create tension.... but maybe just one 50mm for the M3 wouldn't ruffle too many feathers.😀

Thanks,

Austin

But we remain quite confused of your precise situation....

As I said. Families can get really weird about this kind of thing. Its unfortunate and we don't know what your relationship is with them. I'd be careful.

Again, the way I understand the OP, you (your wife actually) inherited the M6TTL. Clearly, you should keep that because its an awesome film M camera, and you have $$ invested in it. That should be that.

As for the lenses. Once they all sell and there is a pile of money, your wife can do whatever she wants with her half. That should be that. So, if she wants to give you the $$ and you proceed to buy lenses, who the heck should care? That should be that.

As an aside, it seems a little cruel to have you deal with valuation and how to sell the gear. As I said before, you're probably better off with complete isolation from the whole deal -- as hard as it might be to watch "the family" flounder and potentially make mistakes. I don't envy that position. I find it hard to watch gear of known condition, that I would love to have, get pawned off by others who have no knowledge or interest, and are oblivious that you might actually appreciate the gear and the opportunity to do something nice for you.

Many people are selfish and ignorant (sorry, had to say it).

 

[michaelwj]

Dealing with a partner or spouse's family when it comes to settling estate matters is something I would say well away from. That gear doesn't belong to you, evidently your wife is only its custodian until the rest of the family weighs in ... so just forget about that. Forget about money from it too until a windfall comes "as if by accident."

Even when it's not your spouses family...

When my grandmother died (1983) she had a house and four children. My dad wanted to live in the house and offered to buy the other three children out of their share. It was valued independently (at about $200k) and he paid them their share. 20 years later and he sells the house for 900k and one of his siblings asks for the rest of their share since the house worth more now (1/4 of 900k less the original payment). It is now another 15 years later and the slighted sibling still will not talk to the other three. It caused so much pain in their family that my parents have decided that none of us children (there are four of us) will inherit any object with significant monetary value - it will all be sold and the money distributed evenly. If one of us wants to buy the house they can do it on the open market.

Anyway, moral of the story is inheritances are a PITA.

To the OP, best to steer clear and see what comes out in the wash. I think you're making the right choice in stepping back. In the end, it's only money. Family is priceless.

For specific advice: I'd sell the M3 and buy an M2 (could almost straight swap), use your 35 on the M2 and save up for a 50 and 90 (they are the cheapest focal lengths for Leica)

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

The original post was clear to me.

1) Assess whether you really need all of those focal lengths/lenses. Look at the images you've already made that give you the most satisfaction. Maybe concentrate on just one or two lenses. And do you really exploit the f1, and do you really want to carry that lens?

2) Decide whether the CV has been as good a performer as the Leica-branded stuff for the material you shoot and the way you use it. If Yes, don't bother spending thousands on that same glass. I once had a 50ASPH Summilux, a current 50 Summicron, a DR Summicron, and a Zeiss Planar. And then, later i bought a $40 Nikon 50mm Series E lens and preferred it to all of the above.

3) I would have suggested you try a Zeiss Ikon instead of an M6/MP, but you probably have your mind set on the Leica body.

4) Remember that none of the buying decisions you make now are permanent. And if you buy used gear, and take care of it, you can pretty much buy/sell with zero financial loss as you further experiment toward figuring out your eventual 'kit.'

 

[traveler_101]

I don't see any reason to give up the M6 you are now enjoying - the one that you have in your hand and have found perfect. Your wife (you) already owns half of it!

Let your sister-in-law set her fair price for the M6 and agree to give her and the family one half of that price from the proceeds of the sale of the rest of the equipment. Depending on the values of the lenses, you might be able to keep one of the lesser valued lenses as well - if you wish. No money need change hands and when the lenses sell the final adjustments can be made. One thing for sure is that you will walk out that arrangement with your M6.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Let them sell it all and bid or buy anonymously...

Regards, David

 

[Tompas]

Hmm...

I think my wife's family would just give me the equipment, saying "Thomas, here's some photo stuff, maybe you can use it."

Then I'd sell the Noctilux (nobody wants a Noctilux, right?) and give them the money. But of course they would not take it.

(No, they are not rich. Just very nice.)

But I see the problem. There is an old German saying that goes: Bei Geld hört die Freundschaft auf. Roughly translated (by me): Money is where friendship stops. Or, according to dict.cc: A debt paid is a kept friend.

I have two M6 'classic', one with the standard finder, one with a 0.85 finder, and I like them both very much. But if I'd buy a camera today, it would be either a Fuji X100F or a X-Pro2 with one or two lenses.

 

[mpaniagua]

I hate that this is my first post to the forum, but I've been around reading for a while and generally appreciate the advice given out to folks.

With that said, I'm looking for some advice on what camera/lenses to buy. My wife inherited a M6ttl a while back and I've been using it for about a year now and love it. Unfortunately, her family has decided to sell the photography equipment which also includes:

Noctilux f1
90 Summicron APO
50 Lux V2
50 Elmar
28 Summicron ASPH

....

Thanks,

Austin

He is implying that the photography equipment (M6) also includes the lens. The equipment (along with the M6) was inherited to his wife and family, not just her.

Regards

Marcelo

 

[edodo]

Old thread but I'm would advise to sell your m3 too. Get an m6, summicron 35, a summarit 90mm, get a 21 super angulon 3.4 and be happy! Or switch the 35mm for a 50mm cron ... YMMV