nunnzzzz Posted September 23, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 23, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Does anyone have any suggestions for buying used Leica Lenses? Any experiences on Ebay? I am located in Dallas Texas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 Hi nunnzzzz, Take a look here Buying used Lenses. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wda Posted September 23, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 23, 2009 Much depends on which lenses you need. Why not try your nearest Leica dealers to see what they have. At least you will be able to try them on your Leica bodies and get a benchmark for prices and condition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted September 23, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 23, 2009 In my experience you can end up with some real bargains via e bay, but you might also end up with a damaged / scratched lens an little or no come back. It's a lot safer - assuming you have to buy via mail order - to buy from a dealer with a g'tee and no arguments return policy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted September 23, 2009 Share #4 Posted September 23, 2009 I've been doing it for almost 40 years...the only body I bought new was an M4 around 1969 or so. Like anything else...you need to do your homework in advance or the lessons you learn will be "experience" - potentially painful in the pocketbook. You need to be prepared to check out lenses for flaws....mechanical and optical...don't rely on somebody else to tell you everything is fine. There's lots of threads here and on PN which deal with the specifics. You need to check current prices based on condition to know if you are being suckered...places like KEH and completed auctions on Ebay are good starting points, as are various photography forums specific to Leica gear. If you haven't bought on Ebay before, do a lot of reading on tips to avoid an unpleasant experience...learn to read the sellers' profiles/ratings and comments. I've bought and sold used Leica lenses and bodies and other gear on Ebay for over 8 years, in that time I've had only 3 "challenging" experiences...all worked out with no negative consequences (loss of money or equipment). BTW your question is so broad, most of us could use up a month's worth of bandwidth trying to fill in all the blanks for you. Do a search and you will find lots and lots of specific tips, precautions, guidelines, and helpful hints. Good luck, IMHO it is a great way to find (particularly unusual) gear at attractive prices in reasonable timeframes. If you're in a hurry, forget it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunnzzzz Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share #5 Posted September 23, 2009 I am sorry but what is IMHO? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted September 23, 2009 Share #6 Posted September 23, 2009 In My Humble (or honest) Opinion Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_n Posted September 23, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 23, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) In my humble opinion. I second what spydrxx writes, I have bought & sold on eBay, here, photo.net, and the RFF. You really do need to do your homework if you have the time. If your time is money, buy from a dealer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsh Posted September 23, 2009 Share #8 Posted September 23, 2009 Quality Camera in Atlanta is a really good to deal with. Sherry Krauter is a dealer and also has used lenses and likewise great to deal with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iShutterbug Posted September 23, 2009 Share #9 Posted September 23, 2009 Does anyone have any suggestions for buying used Leica Lenses? Any experiences on Ebay? I am located in Dallas Texas I purchased a lot of Leica equipment on eBay during the past year and I didn't have any problems. To be extra safe I would say make sure your seller has a 7-day return guarantee, ask as many questions as you want from the seller prior to the sale (auction ending), and since there might be a time factor with the return policy, purchasing from a state-side seller gives more cushion. As a "super seller" myself, I know there comes a time when the seller's feedback rating becomes more important than making one sale so a seller with a high positive rating should treat you right. For example, last year I put in a low bid on a Leica IIIg in "good" condition and woke up the next morning the new owner! When I got it I saw it had (has) dings and bumps all over it, and the viewfinder was dim, and there wasn't a return policy. I stewed and fretted about this for a couple of weeks--but knew from previous experience with DAG or Sherri that they could make it like new. I emailed the seller and asked what had happened to the camera body, did it tumble down Mt. Everest? He was a good sport and sent me (by PayPal) $160 or half what a CLA would cost. I had it CLAd and it is like new mechanically--and photographically, and viewfinder is clear--except on the outside it still looks kind of like it tumbled down Mt. Everest but I don't notice since underneath it's like brand new. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPS Posted September 23, 2009 Share #10 Posted September 23, 2009 For example, last year I put in a low bid on a Leica IIIg in "good" condition and woke up the next morning the new owner! When I got it I saw it had (has) dings and bumps all over it, and the viewfinder was dim... I'm just curious ... weren't these "dings and bumps" visible in the photographs of the item being offered for sale ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted September 23, 2009 Share #11 Posted September 23, 2009 ...firstly, try as much as possible to buy through you local dealer. If that is not feasible, use the internet or telephone, but be *extremely* cautious and make sure you question everything. eBay can be great if you know the landscape, but it is important to note that there will always be a degree of buyer exposure which can be exploited by unscrupulous sellers. Long story short, shop wisely and always protect yourself to the maximum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleskin Posted September 23, 2009 Share #12 Posted September 23, 2009 I have bought the following this year on Ebay: All prices in US Dollars 50mm Noctilux late 1990's $4600 Mint condition 50mm Summicron late 1990's. $740 Mint Condition 90mm Tele Elmarit 1979-80 $245 Mint Condition 135mm Elamrit with eyes 1980 or so $280 Mint Condition 280mm Telyt $260 Mint Condition Visoflex 2 Mint Condition $80.00 Visoflex 3 with prism Mint Condition $150 Note: My 50mm Summicron, 90mm Tele Elmarit, and 280mm Telys were bought by non camera dealers. They either came from estate sales or get this, a dealer who sells jewelry and watches. Look for the source of who is selling. You can get a steal if you buy from someone who does not sell photo equipment for their business but just happen to have the item you want. The Noctilux (not for the light hearted) was purchased from a pro photographer who had film M's and wanted cash more than the lens sitting around. I had an issue with proper focus on this beast, but the seller went out of his way to get Leica to adjust it for my M8 (it was under repair warranty). Now it is perfect. So in essence, I had no problems with ANY lens I bought on Ebay, or for that matter, anything else I bought. Even some Soviet era lenses I bought from a few Russian vendors were fine. I may have been really lucky. But remember this: A bad merchandise follows a sellers history on Ebay, and I am sure most will try their best to sell decent items, or at least be truthful on their condition. Also: Since you are looking at used Leica lenses, consider a new 15mm Super Wide Heliar for $540 or so. That price new is cheaper than alot of used Leica glass, and the vendor I used has a wonderful reputation (Stephen Gandy, Cameraquest. PS: Every lens I ever bought for a Leica since 1991 was used. My opinion is this. This stuff is so well made, that if in good shape, it is as good as new, and buying new is foolish. That money is better saved for a used film M, M8, or new M9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iShutterbug Posted September 23, 2009 Share #13 Posted September 23, 2009 I'm just curious ... weren't these "dings and bumps" visible in the photographs of the item being offered for sale ? Just barely, but holding the camera in front of you you could see them in the picture. I (still) do not think the seller was being dishonest, just that I was careless and wanted to see what a IIIg was like since I've always had a IIIf, he did remind me that the description he used was "good" condition. Nevertheless he immediately offered to pay half a CLA. DAG replaced the dented slow shutter speed dial, took the sunglass tint off the viewfinder, and maybe a couple of other cla-usual adjustments, but the little dents along the edges are impossible to fix. I have used every shutter speed since and they are right-on. There are still small dents along the top edges and one ding on top--which I never notice--but like Stephan Gandy of Cameraquest writes on his site, something to the effect that the best deal to get is a beat up body for a low price that is a good user and that's exactly what I have. The camera always worked great and took great pictures, actually it was the tint in the viewfinder that bothered me as I found it hard to focus indoors--that's where I got that it must have been used where it's very bright, like mountainclimbing in glaciers or snow, to merit putting the tint on the inside of the viewfinder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiel Fokkema Posted September 23, 2009 Share #14 Posted September 23, 2009 I've never bought anything new and loads from Ebay. The good thing of Leica is that it is so well built. Just make sure you buy from a seller with some good positive feedback. Cheers, Michiel Fokkema Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted September 24, 2009 Share #15 Posted September 24, 2009 Does anyone have any suggestions for buying used Leica Lenses? Any experiences on Ebay?... Yes buy to professional sellers, specially if they offer a warranty. May be a bit more expensive but they need good feedbacks so no problem generally. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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