what's a good price for a user M4-P these days?

[ampguy]

Seeing many sold in the $700ish range with warrantly on a recent CLA, is this just a fluke, or are the prices dropping in anticipation of M8's or whatever? Thought??

 

[jan normandale]

they aren't making M4P's any more, each time one bites the dust there is one less M4P in the world. Like vintage wine guess what happens to prices as there is reduction in supply..

 

[ampguy]

Ok

Ok

Thanks for that nugget of wisdom 🙄

they aren't making M4P's any more, each time one bites the dust there is one less M4P in the world. Like vintage wine guess what happens to prices as there is reduction in supply..

 

[Nick R.]

There seems to be a group of Leicaphiles who run down Canadian made bodies and lenses. For that reason, the M4-P will always be the bargain Leica. However, I believe that whatever up or down trend Leicas prices follow in general, the M4-P will also follow. In other words, I don't think that M6's will go up in value while the P's go down but that relative to each other's prices, they'll go up and down together.

 

[Grober]

I sold a clean M4-P in March '06 for US$785 to a happy buyer.

I miss the camera but found the lack of a meter to be decisive, causing me to sell it.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks Nick and Grober

Thanks Nick and Grober

Grober, sounds like a fair price, and good deal for both of you.

I sold a clean M4-P in March '06 for US$785 to a happy buyer.

I miss the camera but found the lack of a meter to be decisive, causing me to sell it.

 

[Dfin]

Absolutely nothing wrong with Canadian M4P`s, a good solid working Leica. I bought mine new in 1984 & it`still going strong. It`s not mint but , I call it Pro- Finish, after all I did shoot the odd wedding with it . $700-$800usd, sounds about right ,good clean M4P`s are around $1400-$1600ausd here in Sydney.

 

[Andrew3511]

I bought one here in the UK 3 weeks ago for £499.00 complete with 40mm Summicron-C. The rangefinder is not as good as on my M2, I have had some problems with flare that I had never experienced with the M2, the camera is in well-brassed condition with a couple of small chips out of the vulcanite, but it works entirely as it should and I think I got a bargain.

Ideally I would like a built-in lightmeter but it's not worth the extra £250 or so and anyway I have a couple of lightmeters, so I can justify spending the "savings" on more lenses

 

[Andrew3511]

I'm not at all convinced about the later Canadian leicas being worse built or the wind-on feeling rougher BTW and loading and rewinding are a great deal easier than the M2. The flare I experienced was in a heavily backlit situation but it was very frustrating as I just couldn't focus the camera at all, had to move, focus and reframe. Other than that I am a very satisfied customer, and it had a 6 month guarantee, the lens is excellent.

I gather rangefinder flare is a well-known problem that wasn't solved till well into the M6 production run.

Cheap Leica? yes, as much as they ever are. Film camera prices generally are plummeting and I guess the less popular Leicas are becoming harder to shift.

 

[Ben Z]

I bought an M4P from a local Leica dealer a couple of years ago, just after it had returned from an overhaul. Right away I noticed that my slides were being under- or over-exposed and took it to a local repair shop who put it up on their tester and gave me a printout of the speeds, which were 1/2-2/3 stop off, some fast some slow. So I took it back to the store and they called the lady who had done the overhaul and she (allegedly) told the store owner that M4Ps were all "pieces of #$%&*" and that I was "lucky" she was able to get it to work as well as it did. The store gave me my money back, and I believe sold it to someone who only shoots wide-latitude print film and wouldn't notice the shutter speeds. At one point a few months later I happened to be speaking to DAG on another matter and told him about the M4P and he said they were fine cameras, at least as good as the M6 or MP and that he has never had trouble setting the shutter up to the 10% tolerance Leica specifies. So I guess a lot depends on who has overhauled the camera as to what kind of experience you're likely to have with it, rather than where it was originally built.

 

[nightfly]

I bought one recently from Photo Village fresh from a (forget the name of the person but I've heard it bandied about in Leica discussions, Sherry somthing? Shirley something?) CLA for around $800.

I love it. It works flawlessly, the vulcanite looks like it was re-done recently. There are some marks near the lugs and the paint on the back door metal is worn.

I really dig it and having not handled any other Leica's extensively find it very smooth.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks all, great info.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

When it comes to these cameras, prices are capricious and the demand is really whimsical. As noted before, some Leica users deride the M4-P and the M4-2 for being Canadian, having plastic guts, not being quite well-built and other nonsense, and that reputation has turned them into the bargain Leicas (the most expensive ones among the discontinued bodies are the M4 type, and I'm not talking about the original MP or the black M3 bodies).

So... right now, the body you ask about is in the high $700s, close to the $800 level. Seems expensive? A used M4 already goes for close to $1000. At that point, you're better off slapping on some additional bucks and nabbing an M6 instead. But then, there's something nice about those old bodies of yore... 🙂

Good luck with your search! 🙂

 

[Kim Coxon]

I tried to sell my M4 here for $825 including shipping but no takers. 🙁 So it is now a decision whether to put it on the auction site or keep it and perhaps send it to CRR for a black paint job. 😕 http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23520

Kim

So... right now, the body you ask about is in the high $700s, close to the $800 level. Seems expensive? A used M4 already goes for close to $1000. At that point, you're better off slapping on some additional bucks and nabbing an M6 instead. But then, there's something nice about those old bodies of yore... 🙂

Good luck with your search! 🙂

 

[ywenz]

825 is too much for that M4

 

[ampguy]

I disagree

I disagree

Assuming Kim's M4 is in perfect working condition, the price is in-line with past auction sales of M4's. Great camera for someone not needing 28 lines and into that Germany is better than Canada thing.

I hadn't really noticed Kim's ad, because 1/2 the the pop up random ads or even ads I browse are of stuff that sold, some of it over a month ago.

Hello?? 😛

825 is too much for that M4

 

[a.black]

I also wouldn't say that $825 is a high price for a M-4, from what if seen for one in good condition it's on the cheap side.

my own M4-2 was around $670, with only the plastic cap on the advance lever missing, otherwise in good (though used) condition. Around 700 - 800 should be fair, for one in good condition.

 

[Kim Coxon]

It's allright. ywenz is entitled to his opinion and has a right to express it even if it might just be affected because I had to move a thread he started. 😉

Kim

I also wouldn't say that $825 is a high price for a M-4, from what if seen for one in good condition it's on the cheap side.

 

[marcust101]

I bought Kyle's M4-p a few months ago and it has worked perfectly since, it's in good nick with little serious cosmectic damage. I paid $750 for it and felt it was a good price. My two c