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Lost/stolen Leica M240 with 35mm pre asph lux and 50mm pre asph Lux


russell

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I am travelling in Hong Kong. I left my Billingham bad with a M240 (a silver M-P) and two lenses on the Cathay Pacific flight on the 22nd Aug (yesterday) from Manila to Hong Kong on seat 69k. I didn't notice until the flight was leaving the gate to Singapore. I filed the form with Cathay to start the search. Vote bag came back today but no camera and no lenses. The lenses were a 1980s pre asph Lux and a 1990s pre asph Lux, both black.

I have the serial numbers at home so not to hand.

 

I'm anyone comes across these please know that they are mine and should not have been taken from the bag I left behind.

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Leica Shop Vienna was good enough to look up the serial number for me. It's:

4905566

 

It was not insured. It was full of pictures of my three year old and her mothers family including pics of the first flight, etc.

At a minimum it speaks to Cathay Pacifics control structure as the ground crew and cleaners didn't see it. And the next set of passengers couldn't have taken it as the plane was notified before landing in Singapore. Also we we one of the last people off the flight which was scarcely popupulated. That's he bag turns up without the camera means someone found it and took it. The bag had my ID tag on it.

 

I will fall back on my M9 when I get back home. But it's giving me pause to stop with cameras of value. I am focuses on out little one when travelling and can become forgetful.

I might also get out my M3 and try some black and white like that I used to shoot before digital.

 

So the current status is that I've lost a lot of money but the risk is I let it effect my mood and it destroys other things as a consequence. So I am trying to not get angry.

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I'm sorry for your loss, but this is another reminder that insurance is critical and pretty darn affordable. (I'm not saying that to criticize you, but, instead, to encourage others to get insurance today. I have had insurance on cameras since 2008, never needed to use it, but content with the peace of mind it has provided.) I hope your missing equipment finds its way back to you, somehow.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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I filed a police report in Hong Kong but don't hold out much hope.  I got the empty bag from Cathay's baggage department.  No SD card so the thief also took my memories.

 

The insurance question is interesting and has to be evaluated on a cost/benefit basis which will be different for each individual.  I do carry insurance for the life changing stuff, e.g. health, life, house fire, etc...

 

The serial numbers for the lenses:

50mm pre-asph Summilux 3902385

35mm pre-asph Summilux 3395192

 

If those numbers turn up at a dealer, know that are are stolen.   Where else can I list these serial number?

 

I will revert to my old M9 and just use one lens for the near future.

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I will fall back on my M9 when I get back home. But it's giving me pause to stop with cameras of value. I am focuses on out little one when travelling and can become forgetful.

I might also get out my M3 and try some black and white like that I used to shoot before digital.

So the current status is that I've lost a lot of money but the risk is I let it effect my mood and it destroys other things as a consequence. So I am trying to not get angry.

I have 2 yo daughter and I can feel you sometimes so focus with my kid and had forgotten around. Sorry for your loss but I have tips for the future, it worked for me.

 

First don't carry bags more that your hands can handle, bring as little as you can into cabin. Second, I assigned what bag I'll carry and what bag my wife will carry, don't switch, so in your conscious you'll always know what's missing if you left the bag behind. Third, when I bring my expensive cameras and lenses, I always treat them as my kid, booked hotel with good security, and bring with me anywhere I go.

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Arai, yes, your advise is good.  It was a camera bag that normally sits within a larger Samsonite carry on bag.  I never use the Leica or take the camera bag out during flights.  I did this time as the wider family was with me and I wanted to get the unique pictures.  So it was out of a normal usage pattern.  Hence the idea to only stick to a normal usage pattern as I'm prone to be forgetful with little ones and family around.   Also one lens and one body.  I might ditch the bag and go for a case instead.  That way it spends more time around the neck and therefore more often used as well.

 

To be honest, I'm kind of hoping some dealer, most likely in Asia, reads and takes notes of the serial numbers and reports the guy to the HK police.

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  • 2 months later...

Just to follow up...

I filed a police report before leaving HK so I had some paperwork.  It turns out that through my HSBC premier account, I had travel insurance.  The good news is that they ended up covering around 25% of the cost, so at least it wasn't a full loss.

 

The upshot is that I've used this time to get back in touch with film shooting my M3 and Rolleiflex.  After doing this for two months now, I'm settling on the Rolleiflex for film -- if you're going through the extra hassle, you might as well get the bigger negative. With the M3 you get too many negatives to scan and process.  Also I'm back on the M9, but stopped mucking about with swapping lenses and settled on my silver chrome 50mm pre-lux as on that body for whatever reason I get in-focus shots at f1.4 and f2.8 which works out as two good apertures with different qualities owning to the older lens style, i.e. f1.4 is more soft/dreamy and f2.8 is sharp and rich details.  So I'd carry the Rolleiflex and M9 as a pair around town.  For travel, maybe only the M9.

 

What do I really miss with this set up?  The video!  We have a young child so I used to use the M240's video to quickly grab short videos when I was shooting stills.  Now I've less of those.  You shoot what you have with you so with still cameras only you're just going to miss those moments.

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So sorry to hear your news; I know how you feel having my camera bag, a Monochrom and four lens stolen from the car whilst on the Leica Forum Challenge in Portugal last month. My NatWest Black Account insurance covered approximately 50% of the new replacement value.

 

I emailed all the Serial Numbers of the equipment involved to the Leica factory and they came back asking for a copy of the police report, which I then supplied. Would suggest you send Customer Service the Serial Numbers of your gear as it may turn up for repair someday.

 

Good luck in the recovery.

 

Best regards, Tom

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  • 1 month later...

Just to follow up...

I filed a police report before leaving HK so I had some paperwork. It turns out that through my HSBC premier account, I had travel insurance. The good news is that they ended up covering around 25% of the cost, so at least it wasn't a full loss.

 

The upshot is that I've used this time to get back in touch with film shooting my M3 and Rolleiflex. After doing this for two months now, I'm settling on the Rolleiflex for film -- if you're going through the extra hassle, you might as well get the bigger negative. With the M3 you get too many negatives to scan and process. Also I'm back on the M9, but stopped mucking about with swapping lenses and settled on my silver chrome 50mm pre-lux as on that body for whatever reason I get in-focus shots at f1.4 and f2.8 which works out as two good apertures with different qualities owning to the older lens style, i.e. f1.4 is more soft/dreamy and f2.8 is sharp and rich details. So I'd carry the Rolleiflex and M9 as a pair around town. For travel, maybe only the M9.

 

What do I really miss with this set up? The video! We have a young child so I used to use the M240's video to quickly grab short videos when I was shooting stills. Now I've less of those. You shoot what you have with you so with still cameras only you're just going to miss those moments.

Stick with whichever gear you have with you.

In the end Leica or not, digital or film are all means we use to freeze time and memories.

Enjoy the moment and look ahead.

The M10 is around the corner :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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