Would you sell your M2?

[ray_g]

I missed the black M3. Any chance of a black M2, Tom?

 

[Ororaro]

What's with this M2? You're all making me curious about it! Next thing I know I might end up with one... or 12!

 

[dostacos]

Yikes! In an exchange of mails today with a flickr buddy, there were a few moments, when I was considering selling my much loved Leica M2. See Link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegoldberg/303117092/in/set-72157594385553185/

Even my wife, who wonders about my collection of Bessas, Feds, a Kiev, Oly 35 RC... thought I was going "loco." Sell my M2?... No way, Hose!
mike

I buy 'em, and use 'em. I may GIVE some away [my son's all have cameras that have passed through my gear bags] gave an OM1 that I got here on a fund raising auction to a friend of my son so he would have a camera for his high school photo class but sell a camera no I don't think so

 

[dannynono]

here's an opportunity to trade a your M2 for an M5....

http://www.photo.net/gc/view-one?classified_ad_id=682762

-harland

*no connection to seller

 

[Michael I.]

or for my canon 7

 

[Tom A]

Isn't it a SIN to have 14 M2s sitting on a shelf & not in someones hands?

None of mine sit on a shelf for long. i cycle through them on a regualr basis - at least 3 are loaded at any time. usually with a 35 on one, a 50 on the other and the third one is always fitted with a 21 of one kind or another. Depending on my mood in the morning i grab two of them for the day.
As for the sheer volume of M2's - my excuse is that i make a Rapidwinder for the M2 and every winder that is finished is cycled through at least 2-3 bodies with film. This is my excuse for having them and i am sticking to it!
As for insuring them - not a chance. The premium would be staggering and by spreading them out in various locations, the chance of loosing them all is slim. Because I am classified as a profesional photographer by my insurance company, they want 4-5% of the insured value as premium/year - this means that i actually would have to add up all what I have in cameras and lenses and i would hate to do that!
Some of these bodies have been with me for decades and whatever they did cost when i bought them is long forgotten. I do have favourites, a black one from 1965 that is now on its third top-plate and brassing nicely, another black one that is a re-paint, but nice anyway. One of the chrome ones is just getting worn in nicely and reaching that smoothness in advance and release that only a 1000+ rolls can create. At the moment one is in for service (felt trap in the shutter track decided to fold itself and jammed the shutter and another one is in dire need for a CLA soon. So, it does make sense to have several doesn't it.
Please do not ask how many M6's there are or Nikon rangefinders!

 

[ZivcoPhoto]

Tom I also would be willing to let you refer to me as a friend....although all I have bought from you is a soft release for my M4.....since I too would like to replace the M2 I sold several years ago.....I'll let you know when my birthday is
close so we can arrange shipping....for one of your extras....it can be the worst of the lot!

 

[sockeyed]

Here's one of Tom's lovely black-paint M2's, along with some other goodies.

I'm glad Tom's a vigorous and healthy chap because he's going to pushing 80 when it comes time for me to receive my 'fiftieth-year' M2. Alternatively, I could work on the 'visibly salivating' technique.