[Leica] Leica Prices and that web site

[mak@teleport.com]

I shoot with Leica, Hasselblad, Nikon and CV stuff daily. I toss my stuff in Domke F2's and it develops a patina quickly (I ebay, consign or LUG the minty/rare stuff that comes my way so fear not...I am not abusing anything rarer than a IIIB or M4-2)

I am thrilled that user Leica M and SM prices have returned to realistic levels. I also travel endlessly for business and since 1999 have visited leading stores and pawn shops and swap meets in 43 states and 4 countries...the story seems much the same everywhere...

I have a number of friends that own/part own camera stores and they report reasonably strong (economic times considered) sales for good user M and SM bodies and lenses and decent sales of realistically priced collectible gear (Jake at Blue Moon Camera 503 978 0333 sells an M outfit and SM outfit a month and cannot get enough, Jim at Citizens Photo 503 232 8501 says the same thing.)

R sales (with the exception of the still in demand R6 R6.2 and SL2 cameras) are "not exactly robust...how many would you like" Citizen's has 2 or 3 electronic R's that have been there for months (ditto for Jake who also has a lovely black SL2)

MF gear (except entry TLRs and Holgas) ("it has been over a year since we sold a Bronica" said another local dealer with a case full of Mamiya Bronica and Pentax 645) film based point and shoots, APS and "old" AF Pro/Prosumer gear (F4's N8008 etc) seem to be taking huge hits from digital...the Canon AE-1 Program or EOS Rebel 2000 or N65 owner looking to move up moves to a Diaimage 7i or CoolPix rather than to a Mamiya 645...

Local dealers reported digital cameras outselling film cameras (ALL) 7 to 1 in 2001 (Christmas season) increasing to 9 to 1 in 2002 (Christmas season).

Of course much of this is from people like my mother-in-law. 75+ y/o (my wife came very late in her parents lives...14 years after her sister...honey you'll never guess what the Dr. told me today sort of conversation) ditched her Samsung PS for a Minolta Digital for photos of the grand kids.

My 2 cents...


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