Do we buy our Leicas new or pre owned?

[kenneth]

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I am interested to explore this question in the light of Leica looking to gain more market share by opening a boutique in London Mayfair- see Barnack Bar posting-

 

If we buy used or pre owned we generally don't know whether the original owner sold it to buy new unless we get to know the seller quite well.

 

In my case I bought all my M system kit pre owned but I happen to know that the original owner of one of my M6's sold it to me in order to fund towards an M8

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[rickp13]

kenneth,

if this is a "poll" question, i purchased my m8 new (online, canadian dealer) and an m3 and lenses all pre-owned.

the dealers i've visited have all been very knowledgable. one in particular is probably the equivalent of a leica-owned store in mayfair, with the added benefit of a huge assortment of used and historical leica gear.

greetings from hamburg

rick

[alun]

Everything I have -- with the exception of an M7 body -- has been bought used. And if I could have found the M7 body I wanted on the used market then that would have been secondhand too.

 

I have always assumed that the used Leica market is probably bigger than the new market, if not by value then at least by volume... But who know -- that could be way out.

[peter_n]

Both. Most of my lenses were bought new and so was my M7. But I bought the MP from a guy in southern Massachusetts and the used MP3 from my dealer here in Boston. The only Leica piece I have any real interest in is the 24mm Summilux. I have everything I need really.

 

 

[Shadow Blaster]

So far everything has been bought new.

 

John S.

[earleygallery]

My R3 was bought new for me by my generous parents (I don't think I realised just how generous they were being to me at the time) but most other items I've bought have been s/h apart from my PanaLeica digital and some small accessories.

[andit]

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I bought an M8 and a 90mm Macro-Elmar new. My other lenses were bought used - here I must say that you can also have bad luck. The 21mm Pre-ASPH Elmarit that I bought looked fine and the glass was clear, however, it must have been handled quite badly. It was impossible to get sharp images from this lens until it went for a CLA service to Solms.

 

The price between good used equipment and new equipment has shrunk quite a bit since the introduction of the M8 (especially in the last year and since the release of the Summarit Range). Used lenses are now in real demand and command high prices, with exception of those that you can not mount safely on the M8 (the 50mm DR Summicron comes to mind).

 

Andreas

[garyp]

Most pre-owned with exception of a 21 4.0 R, a RT 300 projector, and some small items.

[Michael Hiles]

I bought a 90mm (3 element) elmar, belows II and a focomat Ic new. All the rest - 2 bodies, visoflex II & III, other 5 lenses all used. To get my 65mm elmar, I had to buy the visoflex III with it. I actually like the II better.

[RITskellar]

I'd rather have a new body (just as I have done with my MPs) so that all the mileage on the camera is mine. I buy used lenses simply because I don't like the latest ASPH lenses, so I buy the nicest second hand pre-ASPH lenses I can find. That being said, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used older body, like the IIIf or g, or would love to get an M3 again someday.

[SJP]

New: M8, 28/2 ASPH coded

Nearly new: MATE - II coded (mint as new with unfilled warranty card)

Pre-owned: M2, summarit 35/2.8, TE 90/2.8 fat

 

Depending on how to count the "nearly new" WATE the ratio new/pre-used is about 2/1 in terms of cost.

 

The availability of pre-owned stuff that is excellent by all normal standards but at a (much) lower price is a major incentive. If the price is right then I would not really care if I was the 2nd or the nth owner.

[MPJMP]

Bought my first M6TTL in 2003 used from Jim Kuehl. Got a new 50mm 'cron to go with it.

 

One year later, I sold the M6TTl and bought a used M6 Classic (preferred the smaller body).

 

One month later, I sold the M6 and bought a brand new MP along with a brand new 35mm 'Cron ASPH. I had the expendable cash at the time and for once in my life splurged. The feeling of opening the box, seeing that pristine camera and knowing that it had never been through another owner's hands was an experience I still recall fondly. Seriously, I think the fact that I am the original owner of this camera has played a partial role in deterring me from parting with it. Every scratch on it is there because I put it there.

 

My 28mm and 90mm Elmarits were both purchased used on eBay. It's unlikely I will ever again be able to afford a new Leica product. The prices have virtually doubled since I bought that MP in 2004. Even if I had the money, it would be hard to justify the expenditure on something that is essentially a hobby.

[RachelR-UK]

NEW?? Am I a millionaire??

 

New Leica equipment is well beyond my pocket so all my gear is pre-owned.

 

But hey!! that's not quite true. I bought a NEW tele panel for my SF 24D flash ... a grand total of £17

 

Rachel

[E.M]

I bought everything new, 3 M6TTL , lux 35 asph and cron 50.

 

Etienne Michiels

[dpattinson]

All three bodies have been new (M6, M7, M8), but only the first lens (50 cron) was new - all the others have been second hand.

[louloumum]

I have a good local dealer whom I trust, so I bought a Digilux 1, a C-Lux 1, an M6 body with a 28mm Elmarit and a 50mm Summilux pre-owned from them. Never had any regrets about that.

 

The only new item I bought was the D-Lux 4. Never had a regret about that one either...

[nhabedi]

I bought my M8.2 new last year and a C-Lux 1 for my wife some years ago. The rest (M4-P and three lenses) was used, the oldest item (a 50mm Summicron) being more than twenty years old when I bought it.

[M Swartz]

I bought a M4-2 in 1978 new. Ten years later, it was stolen.I had a 50 summicron and it was bought new.It was in the bag with the M4-2, a long with a tele 90.The 90 was bought second hand. Since, I bought a ;M8, 28 cron asph,50 2.5 summarit,and a 90 cron.All new.I've sold the M8 and bought a new MP.( I don't like the M8 format ). When is the M9 coming?

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[jcraf]

A mixture for me.

 

But lately I've bought some ex-demo items with full 2yr Passports, including 2 M8 mint ex-demo bodies for way under list price (and got the 2 free filters with each body).

 

Seemed like a good compromise between new and used, with respect to price vs peace of mind.

[thomasw_]

Like most here, both new and used. I bought my Elmar-M 50, and my 35 50 and 75 summilux lenses new. I have bought MPs used and new; either way I have been very happy. For example, the MP .85x I use now was obtained by a straight trade for a ,72x MP that I had bought new. I bought my MDa, M2, and M3 bodies used, and my 21/3,4 and 35/2 IV lenses ere purchased used. I have not had any problems buying either way.