Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/03/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Mar 10, 2011, at 12:43 PM, Philip Forrest wrote: > I don't know where one can find a rigid Summicron, 35 Summaron AND 90 > Elmar for $500 total. Maybe 10 years ago but not today. Please let me > know! hahahaha. I've been looking for another rigid 'cron for about a > year and the least expensive user I've found so far was just over $500. try here for a cheapo... http://www.collectiblecameras.com/home.php?cat=380 Steve > Missed that one by a few minutes. Summarons go for between $300 and > $800. 90 Elmars run about $100. > I haven't seen a $500 M body that didn't need significant repair in > years. Maybe the odd yard sale find that we only hear about on the > internet, but realistically speaking, if one shops around for a month > or two and buys the best working user bargains you can, the would-be > Leica shooter is still in around $2000 for a M body and 3 lens kit. > > As for the collectors, I know one man who has 11 M3 bodies in vaults. > Those re just his M3s. He has a collection of every other production > Leica made and a few bodies apiece. There is no reason for that, small > run production numbers or not. If all of the cameras in vaults suddenly > appeared for sale at reasonable prices, the price of our regular pool of > used gear would have to go down. > I see this every day with fellow students who ask to borrow my M4 and a > lens. A few of them desperately want to get into Leica but they just > can't afford it. They're not poor, either. Most of them are waving > around D300s and EOS 5d IIs with pro level lenses on them but can't > justify the still high prices on used, sometimes beaten Leica gear. > > Phil Forrest > > > On Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:42:06 -0500 > Ho-Tak <junolau at gmail.com> wrote: > >> Where can I find those stores? >> I am still new to NYC and really only know Adorama and B&H... >> >> Juno >> >> >> On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 10:44 AM, Lawrence Zeitlin >> <lrzeitlin at gmail.com>wrote: >> >>> Frank Dernie is right. You can get into the Leica system for the >>> price of a digital Canon Rebel. But you have to forget about >>> appearances. A stroll through the NYC camera stores revealed that >>> you can buy a functional M body, >>> either a M2, M3, or M4 for less than $500. Sure the vulcanite may be >>> chipped >>> and there may be small dents and scratches on the body but, what >>> the hell, its a user, isn't it? A first or second generation 50 mm >>> Summicron, a 35 mm Summaron, and a 90 mm Elmar will collectively >>> set you back another $500. Or you can go even cheaper, and some say >>> better, by picking up Canon lens equivalents. A few years back, I >>> bought a Leica IIIc in good working condition from a NYC pawn shop >>> for $150. It even came with a nice f3.5 50 mm >>> Elmar. I got viewfinders and brass Leica cartridges out of camera >>> store junk >>> boxes for the price of a couple of Big Macs. Treasure hunting >>> through old well established camera stores and photo district pawn >>> shops is fun. You never know what you will discover. It's easier to >>> find good, functional Leica gear than it is to locate the Holy >>> Grail or the Ark of the Covenant. But, remember, if you buy into >>> the old Leica system, you have to use film. Larry Z >>> - - - - >>> >>> I just wish all the collectibles would flood the market one day >>> instead >>> >>> of sitting in vaults. Maybe it could bring the price of Leica >>> products >>> >>> down far enough that people who have wanted to get into the system >>> could >>> >>> actually afford to do so. >>> >>> >>> Phil Forrest >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information