What camera shops to trust in Tokyo

Word on the street is that Sherry Krauter http://www.sherrykrauter.com/store/, is the person for M5 repairs. She has one for sale on her site at present. If I were sold on an M5, I'd buy one directly from her (you can then check what service has been done to it). $1050.
Otherwise you can google and find lots of discussions & opinions based on experience. about the M5.
As far as parts go, the M5 has many unique parts, & was only made from 1971-75.
 
Is Tokyo not a great place to look for a Leica, if I do not live in Japan? I take into account all opinions. I study in Melbourne and I can't seem to find a decently priced Leica M.
 
Itosanico, Japan is a great place to shop for Leica. Compared to online shopping, I think many will agree that nothing beats having the camera in your hands. There are many shops in Tokyo. If you have not already seen it...check Bellamy Hunt's guide to Japanese camera shops https://www.japancamerahunter.com/2013/05/the-complete-tokyo-camera-shopping-guide/
In the span of 45minutes I was able to walk around half a dozen shops in the Ginza area. I was looking for either a iiig or an earlier black paint iii. I was able to see & compare a handful of them in varying condition. I didn't want the cheapest one & i didn't want to have to send it away for a CLA. Nowhere i've ever been in Europe had that kind of concentration of Leicas. In the end i found a very clean & pretty iiiF black that works flawlessly.
In the big picture non-digital Leicas are sturdy machines. Over 30 years I probably owned a dozen of them & a recently acquired '68 black paint M4 is the only one I've ever had serviced & they worked flawlessly on high mountains and cold temperatures. That includes an M5, a CLE and maybe 3 CLs (when they were young). I think that's a pretty good batting average.
I do have one suggestion for you though, & that is to phone a Leica repair place in Australia and ask which cameras they service & have parts for. Since you mentioned that your in Melbourne, having to send a camera overseas for service would be a big cost and an even bigger inconvience. Best of luck with your search.
 
I don't know anything about buying in Tokyo but I purchased an M5 from Sherry two years ago and it has become my favorite film camera. I have been owning and using Leica's since 1974 and had always wanted an M5 since it was THE Leica to own while I was shooting Nikons in college. Well, I have owned all the other film M's except the most recent M7, MP and MA.

Talking to Sherry is always a hoot and when I found out she had a recently serviced M5 for sale, I had her stick a third lug on it and recover it. Then I had her send it. It is presently my only film Leica as I just sold a nice M2 I had purchased from her about the same time. If she has serviced it, it will last another 50 years. And just for information, I sold the M2 to a gentleman in Sydney and shipping and tracking from the US was $80 via USPS but delivered in five days from here in Texas with tracking info enroute.

As I explained over on LUF, the M5 just works for me being the last Leica M made to classic standard before the M4-2, having a TTL light meter like I was similar with back in the 1970's, modern film loading and a viewfinder whose clutter is more then the M2 but less then anything since the M4-P. As the head bartender says on his site, Leica spent years designing the M5 to correct shortcomings in the M2-M4 but they misjudged the market. And I recently acquired an MP240 and the M5 is not any larger. And with the 50f1.1 or 35f1.2 Nokton on the front, it is a formidable outfit both in weight and capabilities.

So, if you want an M5 I say go for it. If you don't need to purchase in Tokyo, I strongly recommended Sherry Krauter at Golden Touch Leica! Or have fun on your hunt for an M5 in Tokyo.
 
And if Sherry has serviced the camera, it has been returned to Leica specs. Also, she adjusts the battery to use the modern equivalent of the old mercury one's. I have been using my M5 about two years and have yet to replace the batteries.

The M5 is her favorite camera. I just wished I had not waited 40 years to get one. I think it will last as long as any other Leica. But it is not for everyone (actually what Leica is?) I ended up with a black chrome but I wish now I had purchased one in chrome. May have to sell this one for a chrome finish. I think I paid about $1100 for the M5 which had just been CLA'ed by her. Again, you can find them cheaper but if she has serviced it, it will be a good as new camera with a bit of character built in.
 
Taipei-metro said:
All of Tokyo camera stores are to be trusted... It's the Gaijin buyers are not to be trusted...
Click to expand...

Hahaha... Some stores sell on consignment and don't confirm the status... buyer beware is always the best approach. +1 for Bellamy Hunt's (JCH) guide to Japanese camera shops. The camera shows in Tokyo are historically good to check out because of the quantity, but in most cases the prices are higher than if you approach the shop directly.
 
"All of Tokyo camera stores are to be trusted"...
Definitely not the case. Been living in Yokohama for 8 years now, I've had and heard good and "not so good" buying stories coming from pretty much all the shops, including some of the reputable ones mentioned here.

To the OP...do you speak Japanese? Can you read at least the most important terms about camera conditions? In many of the shops the items will have tags with price and condition well stated but it's up to you to understand what you are buying. I don't mean to scare you: of course you can enter the shop with money and go out with a camera even if you don't speak the language but be sure to check everything you can.
From personal shopping experience in Tokyo and Yokohama and local M5 prices I'd suggest to stay away from anything below the 70-80k yen threshold just to be on the safe side but even then...check, check, check.

In my opinion camera shops in Shinjuku nowadays are always crowded and best avoided in favour of Ginza shops where perhaps the stream of camera shop tourists is a little thinner.
Camera Ohnuki in Yokohama is a great choice in that respect as well, on a weekday (and even week-ends) there are less visitors compared to central Tokyo area, the staff is great and they have good stuff.

Good luck!

Taipei-metro said:
Ohnuki in Yokohama City has some M5s
大貫カメラ Store in 横浜市

http://www.camera-ohnuki.com/netshop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12_13&sort=2a&page=8
(they advertised in Nihon Camera Magazine too, get a copy of Nihon and Asahi Camera b4 you go)

All of Tokyo camera stores are to be trusted... It's the Gaijin buyers are not to be trusted...:D:D:D

If in Australia, i'll buy Rode video mics, and not Senheiser...
Just reporting
Click to expand...
 
thanks for all the replies. These are really helpful! I do not speak Japanese, but will be joined by a friend who does. Hopefully, I would find one at a great price. Another alternative that I will be looking at too is the CL. Not quite an M, but seems like a great camera.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom