GTM Posted February 23, 2010 Share #1 Posted February 23, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Just a quick question - feel free to tell to mind my own business but it really intrigues me. How the hell do people manage to a) afford and justify the (ballpark) £5000 for a Leica M9 and a lens... Do most people purchase for work and see it as a relevant cost? And for enthusiasts how did you even manage to justify stumping up the spoondoolies? Just intrigued, like I say feel to tell me your money is your business and you don't wish to explain yourself to a cad like me, good day sir... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 Hi GTM, Take a look here Finding The £££'s.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted February 23, 2010 Share #2 Posted February 23, 2010 Ski mask - local branch of Barclays - run from the Fuzz... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTM Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share #3 Posted February 23, 2010 (strokes beard even though he hasn't got one) Interesting... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yanidel Posted February 23, 2010 Share #4 Posted February 23, 2010 Some spend €150'000 on car, others €20'000'000 on a painting and some eat spaghettis all year to save for a one week vacations. There is no answer to your question except that it depends on one's disposable level of income or priorities. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted February 23, 2010 Share #5 Posted February 23, 2010 Some spend €150'000 on car, others €20'000'000 on a painting and some eat spaghettis all year to save for a one week vacations. There is no answer to your question except that it depends on one's disposable level of income or priorities. Quoted For Truth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box Brownie Posted February 23, 2010 Share #6 Posted February 23, 2010 And some people spend £30,000 on a Patek watch. Compared to such items, an M9 and a couple of lenses seems cheap.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delander † Posted February 23, 2010 Share #7 Posted February 23, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Of course if you are broke then no way but otherwise it is just a matter of spending your money in a way that will give you the most enjoyment. I like my Leica stuff but have economised in other ways. No new car for 8 years, not a lot of travel, no subscription to SKY, only a very cheap mobile phone (I hardly ever use it) etc. It is those little monthly outgoings that add up and drag you down financially. And when you come to sell your Leica gear you wont lose too much money. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickp13 Posted February 23, 2010 Share #8 Posted February 23, 2010 sell all the extra bits here on the forum, leaving just enough for an m9 and 3-4 lenses . there seems to be a lot (LOT) of closet cleaning going on right now, some which will benefit m9 sales. greetings from hamburg rick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroma project Posted February 23, 2010 Share #9 Posted February 23, 2010 get a job, a good one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted February 23, 2010 Share #10 Posted February 23, 2010 I'm a rank amateur and this is just a hobby. It's all a matter of priorities. I couldn't justify to myself spending that kind of money on a camera that I know won't be with me in 10 years time. On an MP, then maybe, but not on a digital, where the write-off period is so much shorter. How much do people spend on golf club membership? Or on fishing equipment? Or on clay pigeon shooting? Or any other significant hobby? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted February 23, 2010 Share #11 Posted February 23, 2010 well paid job and no time to spend it (or use my camera as much as I should for that matter), plus my car is > 10 years old wreck:D From a decision making point view it is good that at least the lenses keep their value very well especially if you buy 2nd hand/demo. Lenses typically increase in value over time, digital M's (M8) has decreased but if I loose ~2000 euro in 5 years then it is money well spent IMHO. I would not be surprised if it lasts longer & then the annual cost goes down. But this is all rationalisation - these Leica things are addictive for emotional reasons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted February 23, 2010 Share #12 Posted February 23, 2010 Some people smoke. Some people drink. Some people gamble. Some people buy expensive cars, expensive watches, golf or country club memberships. Some people have horses. Some people have trophy wives, girlfriends, herds of kids, school fees, expensive vacations, trophy homes, eat out at expensive restaurants regularly etc. Some people choose a Leica. Don't overlook also that it is common for people to amass a Leica outfit over time too. Not many people go out and buy a complete M9 & new lens outfit all at once. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 23, 2010 Share #13 Posted February 23, 2010 Some people do all of that Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdtaylor Posted February 23, 2010 Share #14 Posted February 23, 2010 Have built a successful company for 20 years, don't spend much money non-essential things (houses, cars, club memberships, etc.) except camera equipment. Hence, I have money to spend, and when I get time to use it, brings immeasurable joy. I also do use my equipment for work, but that is just a side benefit and not a reason to purchase it in the first place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted February 23, 2010 Share #15 Posted February 23, 2010 Some people do all of that Hee hee - and many other vices too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted February 23, 2010 Share #16 Posted February 23, 2010 ...and some people make a living using their camera Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgio Posted February 23, 2010 Share #17 Posted February 23, 2010 A matter of priorities, exactly, that's what it is. Well said. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayham Posted February 23, 2010 Share #18 Posted February 23, 2010 Leica is not about common sense, it is about feelings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Åmund Posted February 23, 2010 Share #19 Posted February 23, 2010 Me, I had a sort of damascene conversion when my daughter dragged home a Dane which she declares shall be the father of her children (only joking of course, he is a splendid fellow). He is a musician but had to change track due to a whiplash and has started a photographic career, a very promising one. His images left me speechless and as I´m approaching retirement and been wondering what to do with all that spare time, I wanted to to the same. But I am a little scared of the enormous Canikon gear with all those buttons and one of my female friends declared that she gets the angst when he points "that thing" in her direction. So it had to be a Leica and after saving for a year I am finally in the waiting room. But THEN I shall have a better camera than him :D Åmund Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas_thomsen Posted February 23, 2010 Share #20 Posted February 23, 2010 20 years ago when i studied fine arts at the university in hamburg/lerchenfeld i wanted to have an M6 for my work. honestly i had no money at all. i had a part time job at a bar and some money from the government. i could hardly pay my rent and the underground ticket every day. crazy times!!! so i went to a bank for a credit - i had nothing to prove that i am an honest guy. so i showed them my work at the university -crazy!!!!!( imagine to do that today!!!!!) but they gave me the money - the monthly rate was 45 deutschmark!!!! for 8 years !!!! i will never forget that!!! i still have that M6. today i have a communication company, pay my employees fair and treat them well. don't need money from the banks as we do good jobs ( pay my tax without tricks). so the 45 deutschmark monthly rate was a big deal for me. the M9 isn't at all, because i know that i have the money to spend. cheers andy (today i still work with with the same guy from that bank!!!! next time i see him, i wil talk to him about the old times- should be fun.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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