Is it worth buying analogue in 2021

[Reactivestills]

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Just on cost and timing of CLA with Leica Germany. 

What are the time frames to get this done? Are there intervals or wait until the unit is having an issue and what is the cost for standard CLA for MP/MA bodies these days?

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[a.noctilux]

12 minutes ago, Reactivestills said:

Just on cost and timing of CLA with Leica Germany. 

What are the time frames to get this done? Are there intervals or wait until the unit is having an issue and what is the cost for standard CLA for MP/MA bodies these days?

I can not answer for service delays.

Since I use many MP, for many years, they never needed repair or CLA !

Now with two M-A from late 2014, never need to send them for service.

Before that I used some M and they do need to be serviced from time to time,

some old M even had more than doubled their values in service costs.

I still keep one old M4 (shutter failure) and one older M3 (VF black out! ) which need repair but refuse to do so for cost and planned lack of use.

Why I had bought 2 x M-A but in reality one would be enough.

Edited August 7, 2021 by a.noctilux

[Reactivestills]

One reason on buying two bodies is from using primes with my current Fujifilm system and also the turnaround times from Leica are extremely slow when needing service. 

 

[a.noctilux]

Or each one with one prefered lens, no need to change lens.

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[Reactivestills]

I was also looking the Q2/Monochrom - dust on sensors, scratched EVF glass when using glasses, dust inside viewfinders, Hot pixels on a new sensor above 800iso - swayed my decision on that one.

[Reactivestills]

 

2 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

Or each one with one prefered lens, no need to change lens.

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I'm thinking of the 35 Summilux, 75 1.5 Voigtlander and 21mm 1.4 Voigtlander.

Edited August 7, 2021 by Reactivestills

[a.noctilux]

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2 minutes ago, Reactivestills said:

 

I'm thinking of the 35 Summilux, 75 1.5 Voigtlander and 21mm 1.4 Voigtlander.

You need three M then 😁

[Reactivestills]

I think a lot of people who are purists so to speak want to be able to catch the “decisive moment” on film and know with the skills they have learned over the years of practice that once caught on film and the timing was right, the reward is better than digital. 

why Leica M cameras are so popular. It’s a fun game. 

Also the anticipation is a lot of fun with film 

 

Edited August 7, 2021 by Reactivestills

[a.noctilux]

For decades, I could not choose between Leica R or M, so we took them along R + M.

Then digital period came, we (also my wife as excellent photographer) navigated toward Canon/Nikon/Sony/etc. as attemps to 'replace' R Leica.

We failed but gained some experiences with those systems.

Now we use only Leica M happily.

 

An idea concerning film like attitude in digital M :

Leica M-D can be good candidate, or the closest, ...but not for everybody, "film is not replaceable" as state truely some of us.

Monochrom (for me) is good teacher for better use of film.

Edited August 7, 2021 by a.noctilux

[AndreasG]

vor 12 Minuten schrieb a.noctilux:

For decades, I could not choose between Leica R or M, so we took them along R + M.

That reminds me when I decided 1985 to buy my first Leica, either a R or a M. The Leica shop owner kept it simple in those days: It is not the question whether R or M, only which first. I bought a R4 and one year later a M4-P, followed soon by a M6. Since then, the R4 got neglected almost completely. I am happy with my M cameras.

[250swb]

3 hours ago, Reactivestills said:

 

Seems the MP has had a few issues from posts I’ve found on here - What’s your thoughts? 
 

Thanks

If you listen to people on the forums it's only those with problems that complain, but have you considered the hundreds of thousands that don't complain and never get the chance to say 'mine's ok'? My MP is one of the very first, made in 2002, next year it has it's 20th anniversary, and it has never been serviced nor does it need a service.

Edited August 7, 2021 by 250swb

[ianman]

2 hours ago, Reactivestills said:

One reason on buying two bodies is from using primes with my current Fujifilm system and also the turnaround times from Leica are extremely slow when needing service. 

 

In that case I would buy three, just in case two need servicing at the same time.

ok, let’s use a bit of common sense here. Do you buy two cars in case one needs a service? Ovens? Got two of them? etc. Why, right from the outset, do you think a Leica M would require a service, CLA or whatever you want to call it. Read Arnauds post, and Steve’s just above. Of course on a forum like this you will usually only read about people who have are having problem. These are a tiny fraction of all film M owners. Yes, you get strange people who will tell you that your Leica will stop working if it does have a full CLA every 768 days... I get the feeling these are the same people who put one roll of film through their camera every 10 years, if that.

[rossawilson1]

I really don't understand that reasoning; if say for some reason in ten years film disappeared are you really going to look back and curse yourself even though you had ten years of happiness with what you wanted to use? Just because you can't sell what your cameras for what you paid for them or close to? Are you having fun, making art or making a business investment because if it's the later you need to buy rare Leica's and not use them.

See the tools as a sunk cost and enjoy what you bought them for. I can assure you that whatever digital you buy will more likely to have problems and have less value in ten years. 

I very much doubt film will ever go away, it's what many people enjoy and desire, it's not a scientific or technical / practical thing, it's an artistic / emotional thing. The medium matters. 

[logan2z]

5 hours ago, Helge said:

If you decide later to use a separate meter (I.e. for indecent measurements)

What kind of photography are you doing?! 😁

[Reactivestills]

6 hours ago, ianman said:

In that case I would buy three, just in case two need servicing at the same time.

ok, let’s use a bit of common sense here. Do you buy two cars in case one needs a service? Ovens? Got two of them? etc. Why, right from the outset, do you think a Leica M would require a service, CLA or whatever you want to call it. Read Arnauds post, and Steve’s just above. Of course on a forum like this you will usually only read about people who have are having problem. These are a tiny fraction of all film M owners. Yes, you get strange people who will tell you that your Leica will stop working if it does have a full CLA every 768 days... I get the feeling these are the same people who put one roll of film through their camera every 10 years, if that.

With Leica’s 1- 6month service turn around times - 2 bodies would be a must. Never can understand how such a premium brand can’t have a camera back in 2 weeks like all other companies when sent for service. 

[Mute-on]

29 minutes ago, Reactivestills said:

With Leica’s 1- 6month service turn around times - 2 bodies would be a must. Never can understand how such a premium brand can’t have a camera back in 2 weeks like all other companies when sent for service. 

This is precisely why you would be better off buying a second hand body (M-A, MP, M6, M4, M3, M2), and having an independent repairer service it, if needed. Leica is no longer a film camera company, but a digital camera company that happens to still make film cameras.  
 

If you own a Leica digital camera, then of course you must have Leica repair it.  

[Helge]

vor 6 Stunden schrieb logan2z:

What kind of photography are you doing?! 😁

Damn auto correction 😳

Edited August 8, 2021 by Helge

[ianman]

2 hours ago, Reactivestills said:

With Leica’s 1- 6month service turn around times - 2 bodies would be a must. Never can understand how such a premium brand can’t have a camera back in 2 weeks like all other companies when sent for service. 

If this really is what you think, my advice would be to forget about Leica.

We see this quite often, people wanting to buy a Leica and are certain that it will need to be serviced or repaired every year. They always seem to be wearing blinkers and don’t heed the advice they sought.

You’ll find that many people here have two or more M bodies, but not for the reason you think. There are also members,  professional photographers, who only have one M body and have been using it for decades.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Reactivestills]

2 hours ago, ianman said:

If this really is what you think, my advice would be to forget about Leica.

We see this quite often, people wanting to buy a Leica and are certain that it will need to be serviced or repaired every year. They always seem to be wearing blinkers and don’t heed the advice they sought.

You’ll find that many people here have two or more M bodies, but not for the reason you think. There are also members,  professional photographers, who only have one M body and have been using it for decades.

Thanks for your input Ian.

It’s giving me more of an insight into the brand before I part with cash.

Sadly it’s not what I just think as you say. It’s a fact that Leica has very slow service times hence why I would opt for a 2nd body. In the event I have to send one in for 1-6 months due to whatever reason. 

This is not only in relation to film bodies, other with digital have said the same. If you spent 5-10k on a device and it had to be with a company for such a long time would you be happy? I doubt it. Of course this is worst case scenario but I am querying and researching on here before making a decision. 

 

[Matlock]

5 hours ago, Reactivestills said:

With Leica’s 1- 6month service turn around times - 2 bodies would be a must. Never can understand how such a premium brand can’t have a camera back in 2 weeks like all other companies when sent for service. 

What absolute garbage.