Where to get a Leica M9

[ckuang]

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone knew where I could possibly get a leica M9?

Everywhere i have called, from B&H to Camera West, have all told me the wait list is 9 months to a year. :bang:

I was hoping to get an M9 to for my work as I have these beautiful Leica lenses that i really want to use. And even worse, fuji just announced they've stopped production on some higher speed film stocks like the 800z limiting my use of the my m even more. grrr! all in all, not a good week, for film and leica users like me. 😛

Any help would be great

CK

 

[JSPhoto]

Adorama has my order and said that it has consistently been about a 4 week wait from order to delivery. I ordered mine about a week ago. Adorama takes your card info but doesn't charge you until the M9 ships.

 

[mikesrc]

Golly, there are a lot of good cameras out there. From what I have read the M9 is a good camera, but not a super camera. Canon, Nikon and even the little Contax g2 are all good. g2 lens are as good as the Leica's and penny's on the dollar. I shoot Nikon and Contax. So far I've been able to buy all the film I can use forever. Of course the digital stuff is super cheap. Hell if you want an M9 that bad fly to Germany go to the factory and I would bet you could buy one right there.

Good luck

 

[proenca]

CK,

book a cheap flight to Europe.

Europe has good availability of Leica M9's. I got mine in 24 hours. My shop is getting a second batch the end of this week.

Other users reported that M9's are up in the shelves around Europe ( at least Italy, Austria to the far extent of my knowledge ).

USA seems to be suffering though.

Instead of agonizing for the wait, book a low cost flight to Europe ( 500 usd or so ? ) , take a week off, buy one here ( warranty is international for Leica ) , take some pictures and go back home happy.

 

[ckuang]

Hey guys, thanks for the heads up. I'll check out Adorama, otherwise, if I don't get it by then, I'll be in Prague in June, maybe I can pick one up in europe since there are some on the shelves there.

As far as shooting other cameras, I do have other cameras, but i always shoot my leica MP on assignment as well. The lenses like the 35 summilux asph and 75 summilux really dont have any other lenses that compare. Plus the small light weight of the leica system. Unfortunately with the demise of the 800z and neopan 400, i really need to be switching over to a full digital workflow as much as I hate to.

 

[nksyoon]

When buying in Europe remember that local VAT/sales tax can be quite high so you need to claim a VAT/sales tax refund at the airport before leaving.

 

[Riccis]

CK:

It was great seeing you in Vegas... Contact me at your convenience and I'll see what I can do about finding you an M9.

Cheers,

 

[jaapv]

Try Schiphol if you pass through- you can order beforehand with Capi, and they are reputed to have the best prices.

 

[ckuang]

thanks for the heads up guys, really looking forward to getting my hands on an M9.

 

[Gilles L.]

Everywhere i have called, from B&H to Camera West, have all told me the wait list is 9 months to a year. :bang:

CK

Did Camera West really told you this? I inquired last week and waiting time was under 8 weeks... I checked with another dealer and got the same timeframe. 4 weeks with Adorama sounds pretty good.

 

[zeitz]

CK, I am also sckeptical of your account. I also contacted Camera West recently. They told me a time of 8 weeks, perhaps less. I'm now on their waiting list. Did you talk to Sean? If not, who did you talk to?

 

[gdi]

Get on a couple of lists - my name has come up twice (but I passed each time.)

 

[rya]

Only forty minutes passed from the time I called a dealer to the time I was told there was one with my name on it. I live in a small town in the USA and called a store near me using the dealer finder on Leica's website. He overnighted the box for free so I didn't have to drive. My case might be rare but it shows that M9s are not unobtainable.

 

[Gilles L.]

Only forty minutes passed from the time I called a dealer to the time I was told there was one with my name on it. I live in a small town in the USA and called a store near me using the dealer finder on Leica's website. He overnighted the box for free so I didn't have to drive. My case might be rare but it shows that M9s are not unobtainable.

How long ago was this, Rya?

 

[rya]

About two weeks ago.

 

[swoop]

I was on a waitlist for about 10 weeks.

 

[ckuang]

I was talking to Hal out of the Walnut Creek store. Anyway, as a precaution, I bought up the 400 film stock and I have a couple of blocks of 800z stock so this should last me awhile. I'm sure there are M9s out there, that's why I was asking on this forum. It's funny though, ETA varies so wildly. Leica rep at WPPI said 2-3 weeks, B&H said at least a couple of months, some pple on this forum say immediate... others say good luck if you dont have your name on a list. who knows.

Talking about the M9, this is a little off topic, but how important is lens coding now for lenses 35mm and above? I know on the M8, you could get away with not coding 35mm lenses and beyond. is that still the case?

 

[Roger Hicks]

Golly, there are a lot of good cameras out there. From what I have read the M9 is a good camera, but not a super camera. Canon, Nikon and even the little Contax g2 are all good. g2 lens are as good as the Leica's and penny's on the dollar. I shoot Nikon and Contax. So far I've been able to buy all the film I can use forever. Of course the digital stuff is super cheap. Hell if you want an M9 that bad fly to Germany go to the factory and I would bet you could buy one right there.

Good luck

Depends on what you read, and where. Actually using an M9 is also a more reliable guide than reading about them. Likewise the lenses.

Assume the OP wants an RF camera. The cameras you list are old, unsupported, and without a good choice of modern lenses. G2s aren't rangefinders, have a very limited choice of lenses, and are far from universally loved. Yes, I had a G2 outfit. I prefer Leicas.

Assume he wants digital and the choice is even smaller.

Cheers,

R.

 

[ckuang]

Hey Roger, yes, you're right, I'm looking for a digital rangefinder. I'm already running some Mps for my film work. And es, I agree the G2s have amazing lenses, but the thing that drove me crazy about the G2s (i used to use them for awhile in my newspaper days back when they still shot film) was that I could never tell if the image was in focus if I focused and recomposed. Just release the pressure on the shutter button just a little and that lens would reset itself and it drove me crazy.
I do miss the G2 lenses though, but thankfully i can access the m mount zeiss lenses.

 

[furcafe]

I believe 800Z & NP 400 are only discontinued in 120, so your MP should be fine.

Unfortunately with the demise of the 800z and neopan 400, i really need to be switching over to a full digital workflow as much as I hate to.