Looking for info about my 1958 made M2 ELC

[Dennycat]

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I recently purchased a M2 camera from an estate..doing a Google search of its serial number its a 1958 model.The chart says its a ELC model apparently assembled in Canada. Now a guy I know says because it's a Canadian model I paid too much,another guy tells me it's quite rare and worth more than a standard model...I'm not trying to determine its value simply want to know if a ELC is a good,  bad or it doesn't matter issue...thanks in advance for anyone with info

[frame-it]

you can email Leica with the serial number and get a full history of the camera if they have it

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[Shac]

An ELC M2 is as good as one from Wetzlar as far as I've heard. I assume you'll be sending it for a CLA seeing as it's 1958 and an estate sale.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Shac

[luigi bertolotti]

Here you can find the Numbers of M2 Made in Canada (identified as "ELC"=Ernst Leitz Canada) : https://cameraquest.com/mtype.htm 

As you can see, there ar much less Canadian than Germans... at the same aesthetical and mechanical conditions, by logic a Canadian has a slightly higher value as a collectible ; as a user camera, as above said, it's the same : a fully usable and maintenable item which can be very satisfactory to use : is a lens included with the item you bought ?

To compare with the price you paid, look at ebay... : M2 is a camera which has always a certain market ; you can also check specialized dealers in US or Europe... a number of auction prices can be found here : https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by luigi bertolotti

[Dennycat]

Yes..I got 4 lens all dated to 1958 so I assume they were bought with camera when new,a leica hard brown leather case,a larger leica brown leather case for storage..a leica light meter .a few extra leuca lens covers and brown cases for the lenses. 

[luigi bertolotti]

An M2 ELC, 4 lenses and cases !! A nice set !! You are fully entitled to be a member of our community... 😎 (I forgot in my previous post : "Welcome to the Forum !")  If you like to join us regularly, more details on lenses are welcome... 😉 Here in the Forum we are regularly well disposed to share infos, questions, impressions, images from our gear... and in this "historica" section there is a widespread knowledge about anything related to classic Leitz items.

 

[Al Brown]

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18 hours ago, Dennycat said:

because it's a Canadian model I paid too much

Please do not fall for this elitist crap. "Made in Canada" is just as worthy as cameras inscribed with Made in Wetzlar, Solms or Germany. In your case, due to the small volume of M2 being made in Canada, it could actually be worth a bit more.
Dont forget, virtually all new Leica M bodies after 1976 were "Made in Canada" for a while (M4-2 and M4-P). Before that, a few original M3s, M2s and M4s were made in Canada, and the transition from Midland to Solms/Wetzlar in the 80's was extensive.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Al Brown

[willeica]

22 hours ago, Dennycat said:

I recently purchased a M2 camera from an estate..doing a Google search of its serial number its a 1958 model.The chart says its a ELC model apparently assembled in Canada. Now a guy I know says because it's a Canadian model I paid too much,another guy tells me it's quite rare and worth more than a standard model...I'm not trying to determine its value simply want to know if a ELC is a good,  bad or it doesn't matter issue...thanks in advance for anyone with info

I assume your camera is not marked Midland or made in Canada. Such cameras fetch quite a premium. Some of the cameras from Canada were also made with Wetzlar top plates. See here. You should send a query to info@leica-camera.com.

https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Leitz/M2-Midland-(Canadian).html

William