Your Leica bargain stories

[farnz]

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...and I can tell you that the particular member who was on the receiving end of that particular deal can't thank Pico enough either for the wonderful camera or the generosity of spirit in which the transaction was handled on his end. One thing about buying Leicas used is that they come with the cachet of having been used by someone who has likewise appreciated the brilliance of design and function embodied in the gear. That M2 (and Summaron) is a very, very treasured piece of kit.

And put to excellent use in my opinion.

 

Pete.

[rrdiaz30]

Here is one of my Leica bargains.  I found this rare M-to-M (41mm) adapter also known as the 543195 M microscope adapter on eBay listed as a "Leitz extension tube".  I won the auction for $19.00 Canadian.  I am now using it in lieu of my Visoflex III on the M10 w/ live view.  

 

 

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[TommyPlouffe]

Here is one of my Leica bargains.  I found this rare M-to-M (41mm) adapter also known as the 543195 M microscope adapter on eBay listed as a "Leitz extension tube".  I won the auction for $19.00 Canadian.  I am now using it in lieu of my Visoflex III on the M10 w/ live view.  

Nice find! It looks very clean too!

 

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So the 35mm Summicron finally arrived. It is in mint condition! However, the lens seems to be filled with dust... But in the end it still takes very sharp pictures!

 

[d30gaijin]

Bought a Leica 1st generation 35/2 Summicron back in 2000 for $600. The camera store assumed it was an M version because it had the LTM to M adapter on it. They simply assumed it was an M version. I saw it and knew the difference. It was near mint condition: I bought it, photographed it minus the LTM to M adapter and sold it to a gent in Japan as what it was, a 1st gen 35./2 Summicron LTM for $2600.

 

Also bought, from the same camera store, a beautiful Leica 1930 vintage 73mm f/1.9 Hektor for $249. They had no idea what they had on hand. Sadly it was missing the lenshade but it is a beauty. That one I will never give up. Same with a 1930 vintage 50/2.5 Hektor. Bought that one for just under $175.

 

At one time they considered themselves as the know all of vintage cameras and lenses. That worked until my old friend Ken passed away. He knew vintage cameras and their value. He was Mr. Leica at Idaho Camera. He knew value. After his passing, I truly miss him, they handed it off to a know nonothing who pretended he knew everything about vintage cameras and lenses. He did not... hence some great deals for me based on his stupidity/ego.

[d30gaijin]

Serial Number? To help date it.

 

Nice find! It looks very clean too!

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So the 35mm Summicron finally arrived. It is in mint condition! However, the lens seems to be filled with dust... But in the end it still takes very sharp pictures!

 

[M9reno]

Some years ago a well-known UK dealer listed a 1930s black “Torpedo” viewfinder as a VIOOH and sold it to me for £30 or thereabouts.

[derleicaman]

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Some years ago a well-known UK dealer listed a 1930s black “Torpedo” viewfinder as a VIOOH and sold it to me for £30 or thereabouts.

This reminds me of one of the sleeper items I picked up with a lot of other stuff laid out on card tables in the auction where I picked up the Sabre Stock last summer. One of the small items was a mint condition VIDEO finder with case. So rare, and needless to say I was very pleasantly surprised when I went to pick up the items I had purchased and discovered this little gem!

 

Some years ago a well-known UK dealer listed a 1930s black “Torpedo” viewfinder as a VIOOH and sold it to me for £30 or thereabouts.

[harryzet]

a luftwaffenleica from a fleamarket in vienna: a guy was offering a golden "leica", which was a zorki-fake, and a real iiic luftwaffeneigentum (scratched out on the back) with fl.number and correct serial for 600 euro both. i could not "afford" the golden "leica", so i got the real deal for 100 euro - body only. it was working flawless

[mickjazz]

Not sure it was a steal though maybe the way pricing has changed in the past few years it was. Anyway I was in Beijing and following another Leica DRP auction. The seller like many had more images of the camera case, filter, strap and literature than of the camera itself which was a 1a. It was difficult to see the sn and I had questioned the seller without a reply.

 

I thought the sn was 1062 and started bidding. Couple other bidders climbed on and the bid went from 500 to 1825 in the last 25 seconds. I was the lucky winner with buyer's regret for paying too much. It's a beautiful example 1926 close focus.

Working perfectly.

[iphoenix]

Around 20 years ago, from the original owner a IIIc with Elmar 50 and Leitz flash adaptor for A$30, working perfectly and clear lens.

 

In 2016 an M4 with V2 (Wetzlar) 35 Summicron,  V1 50 Summicron, Leitz UV filters, Leitz hoods for both, MR4 meter, plus a few other minor Leitz bits and pieces, A$500 and all working well.

 

I no longer own that IIIC, but the M4 is most enjoyably, in use (love it).

[doubice]

During one of my weekly flea market hunts, I came upon a treasure…. There was a beaten up camera bag on the ground and as I started to open it (before I even had time to find out what was in it), the seller shouted at me “some photo stuff - that’s ten bucks!”. I briefly noticed the shape of a Leica body so, I quickly closed the bag, gave the man his $10.00 and hurried home to investigate.

 

Most of the equipment looked as if pulled out of a hungry dog’s mouth but there was an interesting Leica IIIf RD ST. The shutter did not work but, the all the lens glass was clean and that is all that counts. Well - it was ten bucks…….

 

The first photo shows the whole loot - IIIf with VIOOH, Summicron 50mm, nickel Elmar 35mm, Gossen Sixtar meter, Visoflex I, Hektor 135mm, the large lens is a Visoflex-fit Kilfitt Kilar 150mm f:3.5.

 

The second photo is the ‘pièce de résistance…… a IIIf made in Canada and actually engraved as Leitz Canada, Midland Ontario.

 

I sold the common items but kept the IIIf with the Summicron and the Kilfitt Kilar.

 

Cheers,  Jan

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[jaques]

OK- I can play- I've had a bit of luck:

 

Picked up a Noctilux f1 in perfect condition for $3000 AUD at an estate auction- only bid because I felt certain I would be outbid. Not the greatest bargain but not too shabby either.

 

Picked up a fine condition red scale Collapsible Elmar at a flea market for a measley $5. It was at the botom of a box of cameras odds and ends of no real value.

 

Purchased a V3 summicron 50 for just $600 off ebay- it was discounted as it had been modified with a focusing lever... Turns out the Focus Lever was a rare prototype leitz addition for the M4 Safari camera- possibly the onyl one ever made- as identified by the forums Luigi from an old Italian Leica collectors magazine from the late 70's that had a picture of my very lens (same serial number) mounted on the safari M4. I have no idea what it might be worth? But I just love that focus lever!

 

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The coup de gras: purchased an M3 with goggled summicron 35mm for $1200 USD off ebay... OK- that's decent but... BUT camera body was serial number 800001... sold it for $10,000 AUD to a Hong Kong collector 😉 Used part proceeds to upgrade from m9 to m240. Kept the Summicron!

 

Edited October 12, 2018 by jaques

[pico]

Injecting current deals - I paid $4,800 for a boxed M10. Sure, not a classic but of note.

A black enamel M4, $1700. Black M2, $1200.

 

Edited October 12, 2018 by pico

[Warszawa]

I just picked up a black paint Leicaflex Standard Mk II for 40 bucks, not working. Seller described as "cosmetically look not good", and it wasn't even listed as being black.

Corners missing paint with some reddish corrosion, 1st curtain stuck, second curtain appears to time correctly, mirror is stuck in the up position. No dents anywhere however.

Sending off to DAG for a complete overhaul, but I think even with that cost, it will be a very decent price for a black paint Leicaflex Standard.

[earleygallery]

My lllf RD and Summar bought for £149 in 1982, equates to a cost to me of £4 per year approx. and reducing further all the time.

More recently an R3 which came with a Tamron zoom lens, R adaptor, case and a Leica diopter lens (maybe I'll need it sometime) at an auction for £65.

Edited February 27, 2019 by earleygallery

[pgk]

On a more lowly note, I recently picked up a microscope adapter in an secondhand shop. It was in a 'photo bits and pieces' box and the price was 50p. After removing the Leica screw to M adapter from it (), I gave the adapter to a friend for use on his microscope. I reckon the screw to M adapter was worth an investment of 50p.

[Stuart Richardson]

Just saw this thread...

The best deal I ever got was for a 135mm f4 tele-elmar. It has a lot of wear on the body, but none on the glass. It was the latest version with the E46 filter thread and built in hood. I paid 250 dollars for it from a big camera store. I think the guy who sold it was somewhat disgruntled working there. He liked me, and he said that they did not buy it for much, so he could sell it to me for that price. I still have it...it is superb! The same guy sold me an Xpan II and 45mm lens near mint for 1100 dollars. Both of these sales took place in 2004 I think. Unfortunately for me, he stopped working at the store... 

Around that time I also bought a 75mm Summilux made in Germany for 1500 dollars in mint condition, and turned down a 2000 dollar 1.0 noctilux...I thought it was too expensive. I was an idiot. 

Edited February 28, 2019 by Stuart Richardson

[Susie]

Probably the best "deal" I have had was at a local auctioneers.  There was a IIIa up for sale, pretty clean with a really clean 5cm Summar  Just before the lot came up a guy walked over and started to rummage in the box of bits that were with the camera.  He went back to where he was sitting, browsed on ebay, and ended up as the only person bidding against me.  I bought the lot for £180.  What he didn't appreciate, presumably as he was going to buy to sell on without any knowledge of Leicas, was that in the box was a seemingly unused SCNOO winder!

Susie

Edited February 28, 2019 by Susie

[Biplano]

I think I was also a lucky buyer. I won an online auction of for two Leicas. One is a civil IIIc from WWII (S/N 38x xxx) with its original Elmar 5cm with S/N from near the end of 1940. The lens is in good shape but has some dust and the IIIc is also well preserved but needs a CLA (times are slow). The other camera is a very little used IIIg with an 9cm Elmar and an external 9cm viewer. I paid for both about 600€. I plan to use the IIIg with its nice viewer.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Pyrogallol]

I bought two 90mm Leitz New York Wollensak Velostigmat lenses for £30 each, kept the best one and sold the other for £140.

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