50mm Summicron KEH vs. MPB

[Nimar]

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Am on the hunt for a used summicron and both KEH and MPB (UK) have ones for sale but the MPB are about $500 cheaper.  Are there any good reason's for paying the KEH premium?  Do they do more extensive checks? Eg. Check for focus alignment etc.  Or it is simply because MPB is the underdog and perhaps the UK market has lower prices (because we are all poor).  

Including tax it looks like

New summicron ~$3.1K
Excellent+ from KEH ~$2.5K
Like New from MPB ~$2.0K

 

[Nimar]

After posting this decided to cancel my KEH order and do one from MPB.  It means waiting two months instead of one to pick it up but that's probably good for the GAS and $500 will buy lots of snacks while out on trips.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Nimar

[spydrxx]

Ratings aren't the same (like new vs excellent),; price differential probably reflects a combination of factors such as which Summicron series, perhaps color, whether or not there is any sign of haze, cosmetic condition of the mount, whether it is a collapsible or rigid mount, etc. Since it appears you are in the UK perhaps you can visit or telephone MPB to address any concerns you may have

[Nimar]

I'm actually in Canada so in the great desert of photographic equipment but I have a friend visiting from the states in one month and will be in the UK in two.

 

I appreciate their ratings may not exactly aligned but"Excellent+" on KEH is unlikely to be better condition than "Like New" on MPB.

 

I purchased an M10-M from MPB marked as "excellent" and its pristine, also a 35 summicron from KEH marked as "Excellent+" and its also pristine.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Nimar

[adan]

Hmmmm....

I live in North America also - and get lenses from KEH in 4, 2 or even 1 day(s).

It's called UPS (or Fedex) shipping (and free for the ~4-day Ground service).

[Nimar]

59 minutes ago, adan said:

Hmmmm....

I live in North America also - and get lenses from KEH in 4, 2 or even 1 day(s).

It's called UPS (or Fedex) shipping (and free for the ~4-day Ground service).

North America != Canada, things cost roughly 10-20% more here.

Or in some cases they just don't ship to Canada at all.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Nimar

[250swb]

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I can’t imagine why it takes two months for a parcel to get from the UK to Canada, unless you ticked the box for it to be rowed across the Atlantic in a canoe.

[Nimar]

MPB (uk) won’t ship outside of the UK. Am going there for work. 

[Punkrockemo]

I am not sure i would expect a product to be same price in two diffrent countires.   Exchange rates my partly explain the diffenrence too

[archive_all]

I think MPB is the better choice. I'm not a fan of KEH and in the US they don't even show you pictures of what you're actually buying. At least MPB does that, again at least here in the US. I always feel KEH is a bit overpriced comparing to other places, sometimes higher than used from Leica stores.

[gotium]

I really don’t like KEH - have bought from them two or three times and sold once and every time the experience with either unpleasant or there was some problem. 

Have bought and sold with MPB with no issues. 

[adan]

8 hours ago, Nimar said:

North America != Canada, things cost roughly 10-20% more here.

Or in some cases they just don't ship to Canada at all.

A poor way to treat the country that was Leica's "home away from home" for ~30 years. (BTW, I personally seek out "Leitz Made In Canada" lenses wherever possible.  )

[RayD28]

12 hours ago, Nimar said:

MPB (uk) won’t ship outside of the UK. Am going there for work. 

If you pickup at the store won't VAT be applied, and if so have you factored that into the price comparison? 

[archive_all]

1 hour ago, RayD28 said:

If you pickup at the store won't VAT be applied, and if so have you factored that into the price comparison? 

I think I've read that VAT doesn't apply to used products since it was already paid. Good point and maybe worth checking though.

[Nimar]

3 hours ago, RayD28 said:

If you pickup at the store won't VAT be applied, and if so have you factored that into the price comparison? 

Unlike the US/Canada listed prices in the UK generally include VAT (if it's applicable) so the prices you see are the total you pay.  

[kivis]

Bought from KEH many times. Only once was an issue, they gladly offered me a refund. So a plus up for KEH.

[Chris W]

I bought once from MPB and it wasn't a great experience.

It was an 'excellent' condition Leica SL. It took them days to get it to me (I'm in the UK too). Once it arrived the sensor was covered in dust spots. It very obviously hadn't been checked before sending out. I thought about trying to clean it, then  just decided to return it. To be fair MPB were fine about me returning the SL and I gio a full refund (minus my return shipping), but it made me vow to never buy from MPB again. There are some great Leica dealers in the UK: Robert White, The Latent Image. I've always had a great experience with Wex.

[Chris W]

On 2/7/2023 at 12:46 PM, archive_all said:

I think I've read that VAT doesn't apply to used products since it was already paid. 

VAT applies if you buy from a dealer/store. If you are leaving the UK you can get a VAT refund at the airport. There is usually a very long queue.

[Harout62]

On 2/6/2023 at 1:56 PM, Nimar said:

I'm actually in Canada so in the great desert of photographic equipment but I have a friend visiting from the states in one month and will be in the UK in two.

I have no Idea where in Canada you live ? But here in Toronto there are at least 4  50  Summicrons  V4. And v5 for sale in the Local Kijiji, another 2 at Downtown camera.. Alex at Sadadle has at least half a dozen  and they all range from 1800- 2500 Cnd .  And you can touch feel and test them before you drop your cash.

Every lens and every body I have purchased in the past 44 years have been local here in Toronto Canada, we have just about anything you want. In fact one of the top on line sellers lives 30 minutes from my house and he has more Leica gear in stock and some of the hardest to find gear then anywhere on the planet. 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Harout62

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[Nimar]

11 hours ago, Harout62 said:

I have no Idea where in Canada you live ? But here in Toronto there are at least 4  50  Summicrons  V4. And v5 for sale in the Local Kijiji, another 2 at Downtown camera.. Alex at Sadadle has at least half a dozen  and they all range from 1800- 2500 Cnd .  And you can touch feel and test them before you drop your cash.

Every lens and every body I have purchased in the past 44 years have been local here in Toronto Canada, we have just about anything you want. In fact one of the top on line sellers lives 30 minutes from my house and he has more Leica gear in stock and some of the hardest to find gear then anywhere on the planet. 

About 3 hours from Toronto, I was referring to the high postage / duty we pay when buying from abroad.  
 

I learned the hard way the keh is highly over priced. Items on mpb are better but FredMirinda is a gold mine, even items in Canada.