Why are used M240 so cheap?

[Lss]

Really, no sudden death in cold?

And I mean real cold, not California or Florida cold, like 15F degrees or lower, like what I am about to go out and shoot all day in right now, a high of maybe 7F.

Never an issue.

We sure do freezing temperatures being a bit closer to the Arctic Circle, although winter of 2015 has gone all El Niño on us so far.

 

[jsrockit]

Really, no sudden death in cold?

And I mean real cold, not California or Florida cold, like 15F degrees or lower, like what I am about to go out and shoot all day in right now, a high of maybe 7F.

I had it happen... more so with generic batteries than Leica brand, but it certainly happened with both.

 

[jarski]

Really, no sudden death in cold?

not a problem here. I did several day climbing trip to Kilimanjaro, with one brand battery and two Chinese ones. M8 was in cold all the time and I came back with lot of photos, camera still operating.

 

[Lss]

I wonder whether what some have observed is simply reduced battery life in the cold. When it gets between -20°C (below 0°F) and -30°C, I rotate batteries on longer outings. (When it gets colder than that, I don't really enjoy outdoors much.) I do this with every camera, and I have never had failures in cold.

 

[Mcary]

JMO but I think the fact there are four different, six if one counts the MP versions, models of full frame Leica M digital bodies on the used market today makes it more of a buyers rather then a sellers market. Yes I realize there are numerous difference between the M240,M262 and M9/Me but not everyone is going to see those difference as a reason to choose one model over the other. Example someone that doesn't feel video or live view is important may be looking at M240, M9 and ME at the same time and maybe decide an ME/M9 is the better choice for them now on the other hand a person may think why should I pay $4000 for a use M240 when I can get a new M262 for $5300 again this is assuming video/live isn't a key feature to them.

 

[Mcary]

I think that digital cameras without warranty are essentially worth nothing, so you might ask yourself, how come people still pay so much for these.

You do realize that most companies Leica included don't offer a life time warranty. Which means anything purchase with a warranty becomes worthless the moment the warranty expires whither it was purchased used without a warranty or brand new with warranty.

 

[willie_901]

That is certainly how I see Apple computers, ...

Just Apple computers?

 

[uhoh7]

I shot with the 240 unprotected in a blizzard for three hours at around 0-5F this week and got 300+ shots off and the battery still read 90% full. Both the M8 and M9 would have simply died because they often did.

I guess i've been trained by Sony. My M9 seems to have great battery life :angel:

And no shortage of cold weather work either, though it does usually travel between the jacket and inner layer.

ISO? A fast lens solves that. It took me a few months till I realized the M9 with CV 35/1.2 or 55/1.1 can go anywhere.

But the 240 has turned out to be bomber and I see wonderful work with it all the time 🙂

 

[KM-25]

I wonder whether what some have observed is simply reduced battery life in the cold. When it gets between -20°C (below 0°F) and -30°C, I rotate batteries on longer outings. (When it gets colder than that, I don't really enjoy outdoors much.) I do this with every camera, and I have never had failures in cold.

I generally do it too but with the M8 I had, it had this sudden death issue in the cold that made it only work about 20% of the total time I would need it swapping three batteries in and out. I think there was actual documentation of it in the early days which is when I had mine.

In contrast, I spent three hours shooting in moonlight last night with my D810 and in using live view to focus and having it do near constant 30" to 5' minute exposures, the battery went down to 2/3rds once the night was done. It averaged -10 below zero.

The battery life in all my digital gear, Nikons, M240 and my new Hasselblad CFV50c back are all excellent in prolonged cold. My iPhone 6 is another story, I think there might be an issue with the latest iOS...

 

[agoglanian]

I noticed the downward trend on pricing, which has allowed me to get the Leica lens kit I've been pining after for some time (though with all but the 28 Summicron it seems I should have waited a little bit and better deals could have been had. I'm not complaining because I've been using my equipment heavily, but even saving $100 is worthwhile to me.

The 240 has been surprising. I don't intend to sell mine any time soon, it's getting scratched up, used (often) and I love it. I bought mine in November of 2014 for $5400 from Tamarkin, and at that time it was a good deal for one with a warranty and in more or less pristine condition. Sure I would have loved to have saved a bunch of money by waiting a year, but the reality is that I got a year of wonderful images from it, and I don't regret it.

It sure doesn't look as pristine as it once did haha. I had to laugh too because in removing the rather large leica dot with nothing more than my fingernails I managed to take a nice chunk out of the surface layer of the paint. I don't mind it though, it's just a total joy to work with.

Maybe when the prices come down on the Monochrom I'll be able to get one of those!

 

[Roger Hicks]

No; not sure why you would make fun of somebody who might be in financial trouble. . .

Dear Roland,

Possibly because their financial troubles are of their own making, the result of hubris. "Hey, look at me. I'm so damn rich I can buy whatever I like [on credit]." A modicum of schadenfreude is hard to avoid in such cases.

Cheers,


R.

 

[Pherdinand]

why so cheap? They are not "cheap', they just devaluate rapidly and in absolute money it's a big decrease. In relative it is not so shocking.
Expensive stuff devaluate fast...

consider this: If i can afford to burn 4000$ on a camera body(which i don't), i probably can afford to add some more and get a new one. Or reversing the logic, there's no market for second-hand M240 unless you drop the price considerably to reach a market of another category.
It's the same as with expensive cars.

 

[D&A]

I too wouldn't describe the M240 as blowing off the doors of the M9. Operationally yes, differences are well documented but some like myself simply prefer M9 output and believe me I am well versed in making profiles and post processing, having shot digital professionally since the days of having owned and used the Kodak/Nikon behemoth DSLR's long before the original Nikon D 1 was releases. Just like different CMOS cameras have different image signatures, so too does the M9 vs. M240 and no amount of post processing eleiminates these differences entirely. Its no different trying to get two audio systems to sound identical or two different cars to feel and drive the same.

Sometimes image output for some superceeds operational and fuctional advances of another camera. Opinions will always greatly vary.

I think the drop in price of the M240 is a combination of factors, many of which have been stated here. A relative small number prefer staying with the M9 and have no desire to upgrade. Some like to always skip a generation beforw upgrading. Some sense the near end of the M240 productive run and want to sell their M240 before the new M model is announced. Currency differences. Some now orefer the SL as their platform for M lenses with its superb EVF and ability to use a variety of different mount lenses, eapecially those that have a collection of R lenses and lastly some saw the features incorporated into the SL and believe of the possibility some will be incorporated into the next M and want to sell in anticipation of a 2016 release of the new M. I'm sure there are othwr reasons for the M240 price drop but its not simply one reason in my opinion.

Dave (D&A)

 

[Huss]

Some now orefer the SL as their platform for M lenses with its superb EVF and ability to use a variety of different mount lenses, eapecially those that have a collection of R lenses ..

You can already do that w the M240. I love the option of having an optical RF as well as being able to use an EVF on the M. Which is why I have no interest in the SL.

The rest of your points are very valid.

 

[D&A]

Huss, yes you can already do that with the M240 but the consencious is (and I've used focus peaking with both), that the SL with its EVF is a distinct leap forward with regard to the EVF viewfinder and some have awitched from M240 to SL simply for its EVF. Of course unlike the M240, no OVF/rangefinder in the SL.

Dave (D&A)

 

[cz23]

One thing for sure; the used M240 market must be impacting the new market. Certainly some buyers will pay double or more for a new model, but these like new used prices can't be helping Leica's bottom line.

John

 

[oftheherd]

The economy aint so great in the US either..

What do you mean? Aren't you listening to our government?

Sorry. That's the best I can contribute to this thread since I don't own Leica and don't anticipate that I ever will. I'm mostly still stuck in film SLRs and old folders.

My personal reasons for not wanting Leica to begin with is that I don't see them as value for money spent. Could that be part of the problem for buyers of the M240?

 

[kermaier]

I would agree. However switching from the M9 to M240 will require a bit of work like getting the profiles right to get one's colour workflow up and running and that has probably put one or two users off the M240. Blowing doors off is a bit of a hyperbole though IMO; I have no qualms using the M9 next to the M240.

I'm using an M240 loaner while my M9-P is in for sensor replacement. The M240 is a more responsive camera (quicker shot to shot) and the LCD is much better; and yes, the shutter is quieter. But I don't think I'll be crying too hard when my M9-P comes back -- it's still a really nice camera.

 

[Roger Hicks]

What do you mean? Aren't you listening to our government?

Sorry. That's the best I can contribute to this thread since I don't own Leica and don't anticipate that I ever will. I'm mostly still stuck in film SLRs and old folders.

My personal reasons for not wanting Leica to begin with is that I don't see them as value for money spent. Could that be part of the problem for buyers of the M240?

Then again, listen to the UK government. They're even better. Just ask Call-Me-Dave Cameron, aka The Fish-Pointer General (don't mention the pigs...). Of course Trump knows more than anyone, ever, about everything. Again, just ask him.

But for me, an M9 is value for money. I just don't want to have to replace it for quite a lot of years.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Penceler]

Don't feel bad. I just saw a mint M6 TTL going for $1,500 vs its 2013 inflation adjusted new price of about $2,300.... oh... never mind.

Bama or Clemson?