Used Leica M's

[Zack]

It seems like, every leica i ever see, wether it be at a camera show or retail store, every single one is in mint condition, i just want one thats been well used, i couldnt care less if it was cosmetically rough looking, i want one that, was liek used professionally, with a million rolls of film through it. i just want one thats not a collectors piece. cameras were made for shooting, not to put up on a mantle, does anyone know of where to get one like this, because i wanna shoot with a leica but not for thousands of dollars.

 

[tedwhite]

Oak Park Camera sometimes has used ones at reasonable prices.

Ted

 

[erikhaugsby]

how bout one like this?

see: http://www.cameraquest.com/LeicaM4G.htm

 

[Zack]

Yeah, exactly like that , just for shooting, not for collecting

 

[sf]

KEH, Zack, KEH.

 

[Zack]

I checked even the bargain ones seemed high, has anyone ever bought anything ugly from them, if so how was it?

 

[f/stopblues]

If you give them a call they're usually happy to pull the item and tell you exactly why it's rated as it is. I'd give that a try.

 

[Zack]

Yeah, i guess ill just have to wait for an ugly m4 to come up

 

[wlewisiii]

KEH Bargain grade is your friend. AVOID UGLY. If they rate there, it has real problems. However, I have found serious bargains in thier bargain grade 🙂 Above ugly, the grading is purely cosmetic. As I learned while shopping for my Canon 7, an "Excellent" camera can be pretty but have major mechanical issues. By the same token, a "Bargain" can have perfect mechanicals and be fugly. "Ugly" grade gets the worst of both worlds... :bang:

Also, be willing to get a DS, or one that still has the glass pressure plate, etc. And if you have not used one before, borrow or rent an M3 for the weekend. I am in the minority that does not get all hyper over an M3. Yes, they are well made. Yes, they look acceptably well. No, I do not think they are god's gift to photography and I find them crampted to shoot with a finder no better than several others I've used. In the end it's a good tool - if it fits your hand and eye, grab it and run. However, you might find that it doesn't... 😱 heresy, I know, but IME it is true nonetheless.

HTH,

William

 

[Zack]

right now bargan m4-p for $789 thats still too much for me right now

 

[ghost]

voigtlander bessa, leica cl, hexar rf, etc. ugly, unmetered leica m bodies are very meh.

 

[sf]

right now bargan m4-p for $789 thats still too much for me right now

then buy a Bessa. There is no good reason not to, and if you have limited funds, you'd be MUCH better off spending your money on glass than on bodies.

 

[wlewisiii]

Well, that's supply and demand for you. There were, what?, 200k M-3's made over 12 years? And none of the rest have come close, IIUC. (BTW, in half the time Canon sold 160k Canon 7 cameras in thier variations to a public that was moving just as fast away from RFs to SLRs... )

So now you have all the collectors and all those who want to use the camera as it was intended to be used fighting for a small & finite supply of cameras. Surplus vs. Scarcity... Put more simply, for you to have a cheap M-3, Lieca would need to restart that line and sell more in a year than they sold in a dozen years the first time around.

OTOH, Nikon did do something like that and these days you are able to find an S-3 2000 w/ it's lens for a sensible enough price to actually use it. 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other...

William

 

[back alley]

what's your budget?

 

[SolaresLarrave]

For a nicely used M4, check Pacific Rim Camera. I think they still have an M42 with added self-timer for $750. I know they've been trying to sell it for a while, so they may want to go down on the price a bit. It even has a very slightly clouded viewfinder that's still usable (according to them!).

Now, if that's beyond your budget... keep trying! I got an M3 for $495 and free shipping but it didn't occur overnight. And yes, it has some marks, but after replacing the vulcanite it looks like a million bucks! 🙂

Good luck! 😀

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

For a less expensive Leica look for a Leica CL or a Leica Minilux.

Many people in here use the CL and love it.

I have the Minilux; the lens is not changeable but it's a wonderful 40mm f2.4 Summarit that I like to use. It's taken many great shots and is small enough to slip into my trousers pocket wherever I go.

Or pop down a few forums and talk to the guys who use Former Soviet Union copies of the older screw thread Leicas such as Fed and Zorki. I understand that Fedka is a reliable place to shop, but I've got no personal experience.

 

[laptoprob]

Leicas are increadibly expensive in the US as stated by the 'bargain' prices in this thread. I got Jimi (Jerevan) a very used but fully serviced M4 for 500 euros. That is about 630 US. I would not go any higher and it is not necessary to either.

 

[pvdhaar]

Same here, user M4 with new shutter and timer clockwork just under EUR 500.

Looking around auction sites, it seems that EUR 500 is about the maximum for a user condition M2/M3/M4.

What strikes me is that all the M6 models I see listed are always in excellent condition, with little or no use marks.. Makes me think they were bought by a different sort of customer than the earlier models..

 

[matt fury]

eBay is your friend. I was in a similar position, looking for a beat Leica user at KEH, etc, but couldn't stomach the prices. But on eBay I had lots of chances for a fairly priced M2-3-4. I finally ended up with a perfect working order M4 for less than I would've paid for a similar M3 DS at Keh.

 

[pvdhaar]

Trevor,

I completely agree that there's no point beating up a camera for no good reason. In fact I'd be hesitant to buy a really beaten up camera myself. It's a sign that the owner hasn't been carefull with it. But outer appearance isn't always representative of what the inside is like.

One of the recurring themes on the medium format digest is that people bought a nice looking camera only to notice that it functions erratically. Most of this stuff has been completely worn down in a studio environment. Perfect cosmetically, mechanically beyond economical salvation.

It's probably different for Leicas, which aren't really for studio use. But a recently serviced camera would seem a valid proposition to me, even if the outside has marks. Same goes for one like you bought lnib with a garantee, but it's in a different price range of course..