Richard.no Posted June 19, 2009 Share #1 Posted June 19, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Good morning people! I'm dreaming for a custom made MP. No matter that I'd intend to keep it through its (or my) lifetime, I might at some point want to sell it. So I wonder if the resale value is less for an "a la carte" model, or maybe vica versa? I am not talking about a crazy colour mix with my signature engraved on the plate, but a rather elegant version, standard winder, standard frameset, black paint, chrome details and coloured leather covering. I am thankful for any advice. Best regards, Richard Fossum Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Hi Richard.no, Take a look here Resale value of MP a la carte. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Rolo Posted June 19, 2009 Share #2 Posted June 19, 2009 Good morning people! So I wonder if the resale value is less for an "a la carte" model, or maybe vica versa? I am not talking about a crazy colour mix with my signature engraved on the plate, but a rather elegant version, standard winder, standard frameset, black paint, chrome details and coloured leather covering. Richard, As with anything, make it look better and the price will improve, over do it and the market is dramatically reduced and price goes down with it. Engrave your name on it and you'll struggle to get a good price. I suggest that you make the changes that you'll enjoy and assume that any extra cost over a standard will be lost on resale. Same with a Harley - add chrome and a trader will tell you that there's no advantage, but a customer might pay 30% of the cost of the extras. Paint it with a £6,000 special colour scheme and artwork of your grandfather's crashed Lancaster bomber on the tank and you may never find another buyer that loves it. Rolo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted June 19, 2009 Share #3 Posted June 19, 2009 I think you should be bold and make it very much your own and not give a rats about resale! I understand your perspective, but I am not sure it is the right approach - why pay loads over and above a used stock model for a new one that is not really perfect to you? If this camera is your priode and joy and you find yourself having to sell it, I think you will have bigger things to worry about than whether you get +/- $500 for it. If you want solid resale I would suggest black chrome with M6 rewind, 0.58 and four frame lines and decent leather. Chrome might wear better and appeal to collector types, but black is the choice for being out there shooting IMO. It would be relatively uncommon too, but appeal to certain people very strongly (like me) . 0.72s are everywhere so I would go for 0.58, which seems to have the best resale of all mags. If you find yourself wanting to sell it, call me! I find it amazing that people buy a la carte BP MPs with one little change, like traditional script. Seems nuts to me. I regard my BP MP-3 as unsellable. It is my most marked body and I am glad of it. I say get the one you want and use the hell out of it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bernd Banken Posted June 19, 2009 Share #4 Posted June 19, 2009 Good morning people! I'm dreaming for a custom made MP. No matter that I'd intend to keep it through its (or my) lifetime, I might at some point want to sell it. So I wonder if the resale value is less for an "a la carte" model, or maybe vica versa? I am not talking about a crazy colour mix with my signature engraved on the plate, but a rather elegant version, standard winder, standard frameset, black paint, chrome details and coloured leather covering. I am thankful for any advice. Best regards, Richard Fossum Hi Richard, what about the following "smart" way?: Buy a standard s/h MP in bc and modify the leathering in the color you like because the above listed features are all non-a-la-carte. The decrease in value doesn't hit you, the brassing could be fine and there are so many different leather-sets in various colors. From the difference in price try to get a scanner from Nikon or another lens, or, or.... Bernd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard.no Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share #5 Posted June 19, 2009 (...) why pay loads over and above a used stock model for a new one that is not really perfect to you? If this camera is your priode and joy and you find yourself having to sell it, I think you will have bigger things to worry about than whether you get +/- $500 for it. If you want solid resale I would suggest black chrome with M6 rewind, 0.58 and four frame lines and decent leather. Chrome might wear better and appeal to collector types, but black is the choice for being out there shooting IMO. It would be relatively uncommon too, but appeal to certain people very strongly (like me) . 0.72s are everywhere so I would go for 0.58, which seems to have the best resale of all mags. Thank you for good suggestions. I agree with your reasoning: I better make it perfect or rather buy a discounted stock model. I really, really like the look of it in brown leather and chrome details, unfortunately for my wallet. The 0.58 frame lines makes sense too, as I use glasses. The M7 winder and a few adjustments just made it a bit more pricey... I am going to think through this one closely. Again thanks for all the good advise! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShivaYash Posted June 19, 2009 Share #6 Posted June 19, 2009 I think it’s all about finding the right buyer... I was selling my MP due to lack of use. I purchased it brand new for £2000 about 3 years ago. It was in very condition, but black paint to the rewind lever had some wear. Dealers were offering between £800-£1200, which is VERY low. I waited for the right private buyer however, and it sold for £1700! It’s gone to a good home and with the proceeds I purchased a new (Leica B stock) M8. This came with a 2 year Leica warrantee and two free IR filters, it just cost about £800 less than the RRP. It’s a question of when you want to sell, and how much you'll be looking to realise. I think the film market is dead and would definitely never buy any camera new again. I too worry about 'scrap value' and think its best to let others take the knock of depreciation, and purchase stuff which is nearly new, still with a manufacturers warrantee. Also, just to confuse matters more, are you going to really use the camera? If so, a nice shiney Leica is easy to baby, I did that with the MP and missed shots because I was afraid of taking it out. I don't play this game with the M8 however. Its with me every weekend. Just my two pennies worth... good luck and I hope to see your photos soon. Shiva Yash Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_n Posted June 19, 2009 Share #7 Posted June 19, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am not talking about a crazy colour mix with my signature engraved on the plate, but a rather elegant version, standard winder, standard frameset, black paint, chrome details and coloured leather covering.So long as you find one person with exactly the same taste as yours you will have no problem selling it... The above advice is good. Get a used one and pimp it to your heart's delight. Keep any replaced parts so a possible buyer down the road can restore it to boring normality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippe D. Posted June 19, 2009 Share #8 Posted June 19, 2009 The only "à la carte" MP i would have given some extra cash for having it, is the black chrome without any sign. But finally i bought the black paint one. I guess it make pictures as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
budrichard Posted June 19, 2009 Share #9 Posted June 19, 2009 I purchased two stock M7's for the price of one 'ala carte' model. Hard to justify the lack of a red dot and black paint over that much money!-Dick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
twittle Posted June 20, 2009 Share #10 Posted June 20, 2009 I find it amazing that people buy a la carte BP MPs with one little change, like traditional script. Seems nuts to me. Indeed. Though there is nothing wrong with that particular option, it's not really worth the extra money by itself. Go for some other options, as well. Make the camera your own. When I did my Á-la-Carte, I made some very understated-but-obvious changes to the standard BP MP: I got the M7 rewind crank because I thought it more practical to use, the .85 magnification because it suits my preferred focal lengths, black leather (hey, why not?), and the classic top cover because I think the standard one is a tad boring. Not everyone has the same tastes, but that's the point of the Á-la-Carte system. My advice to anyone getting an Á-la-Carte is to get something according to your own preferences, period. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 21, 2009 Share #11 Posted June 21, 2009 If you start out thinking about selling it, there is hardly any point in buying it imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth Posted June 22, 2009 Share #12 Posted June 22, 2009 If you start out thinking about selling it, there is hardly any point in buying it imo. I would second that. Can you give one real reason why you need one in the first place? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard.no Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share #13 Posted June 22, 2009 If you start out thinking about selling it, there is hardly any point in buying it imo. You might be right. It's interesting, however, to hear a collectors perspective on an a la carte camera. With the right combination, could it prove to be an investment? I have limited experience with M's, apart from the M8, so maybe I should go for something less expensive (like an M6) before I carve out what's my dream camera. Anyway my post is part of an early stage decision process, and I am thankful for all the good advice that came up here, yours included. Kenneth here ask me to say if I NEED it or not. To me that's a boring approach. I don't buy only things I need, and I don't think I am alone here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 22, 2009 Share #14 Posted June 22, 2009 I would second that. Can you give one real reason why you need one in the first place? Can you give me any good reason why anybody would need any Leica product? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted June 25, 2009 Share #15 Posted June 25, 2009 You might be right. It's interesting, however, to hear a collectors perspective on an a la carte camera. With the right combination, could it prove to be an investment? ... . Surely potential investments imply good demand and thus scarcity and a premium price in future - so maybe ask yourself , " What might a collector be looking for in 'X' years time?" Personally I do not think any a la carte Leica is going to be of sufficient interest to a serious Leica collector or user to warrant a premium price in eg 5 years time especially if a la carte models are still available new. But maybe be guided by items that ARE now fetching premium prices eg f1 Noctilux lenses now sell for at least double the price they commanded a few years back and the 35mm Summicron M (last version) is also a sought after and thus 'premium price' item. Inevitably other Leica M lenses will be "discontinued" in future when revised models supersede them but maybe the older lens' sought after footprint will result in good demand with better examples commanding premium prices higher than at present. A few years back some people (including a respected Leica journalist/commentator ) predicted that M6 "Titanium" bodies would be good investments but they seem to sell now for much less than they did when new. The types of Leica 'good' that seem to hold their price or increase in value (in real terms) are few and looking into a crystal ball to try and predict same can be a lottery. However, if you are lucky you might be able to realize an increase in value - eg, witness the recent auction prices of 60s military Leica cameras. "Sleepers" (which failed to sell well when new) can sometimes be potential investments or at least hold their values - witness current mint M5 prices. And who knows how some Leica R items might be viewed in years to come eg Leicaflex SL2 MOT - only 1020 made (allegedly) but still available relatively cheaply. Cheers dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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