Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/21

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Subject: [Leica] 75mm F/2 M lens?
From: bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Mon Mar 21 19:55:51 2005

No, Joseph, you don't need to visit a shrink, you only need to realize
that your perspective as a dealer is very different from mine as a
customer. I cannot for the life of me figure out why someone would buy a
Leica prime lens new when they can get the same lens used at a fraction
of the price. I don't need packaging. I don't need goofy little booklets
in Germlish. I just need a lens. And if the lens is in good shape -
which a quick inspection will tell me, why pay the premium? After all,
Leica lenses will outlive me - and without servicing.

Bodies, I feel, are a different matter - particularly when they have any
electronics in them. If I can afford to, I prefer to buy bodies new so
that I know I am not getting someone else's headache, and so that I can
get the ridiculously good Leica warranty.

But lenses? Come on. I repeat my statement that "anyone who goes out
today and buys a new 75 1.4 (even if they do buy it from someone as
reliable and delightful as you) is out of his or her mind." :-)

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Joseph Yao
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 2:15 PM
To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
Subject: Re: [Leica] 75mm F/2 M lens? 


on 21/3/05 2:02 am, B. D. Colen at bdcolen@earthlink.net wrote:

> As to cost comparison - anyone who goes out today and buys a new 75 
> 1.4
> - assuming he or she can find a used one- is out of his or her mind.
> $3000? Nuts. Pick one up used and save maybe $1K over the new
Summicron
> AND get an extra stop along with the $1K saving.

I may be nuts by your standard but why would I want to buy a used lens
when new ones are readily available?  The saving of $1k is nowhere
enough to offset my discomfort of such compromise.  This is not a case
of the R 35-70/2.8 ASPH when no new ones are available. ;-)

Firstly, the M 75/1.4 would not cost me US$3,000 as we do not have a
greedy Leica importer here.  Secondly and more importantly, I would
never buy used if the same is available new.  The same applies not only
to photo equipment, but also to cars, fine watches and just about
everything.  I find it very hard to accept something that has been used,
fondled and possessed by someone else.  The only exception is when the
item in question is no longer available new.  In such case I would only
consider 'new-old-stock', followed by LNIB, MIB and as a severe
compromise, 'mint-'.

Perhaps I need to see a shrink, but then I did not marry a divorcee
either.

Joseph - overworked ER doc with OCD regarding new Leica toys  ;-)



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Replies: Reply from grduprey at aol.com (grduprey@aol.com) ([Leica] 75mm F/2 M lens?)
In reply to: Message from joseph at yao.com (Joseph Yao) ([Leica] 75mm F/2 M lens?)