Beginner RangeFinder ( Used Leica or New Bessa)

[wahidkarim55]

I have 3 choices
1. Leica
2. Leica
3. Leica

no regret man, its a Rolls Royce of camera,like a wine , price will go up with age....
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[XXX Boy]

I have 3 choices
1. Leica
2. Leica
3. Leica

no regret man, its a Rolls Royce of camera,like a wine , price will go up with age....
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

You are a smart guy! I agree with you totally! :thumbsup:

 

[szekiat]

i'm not sure i'll agree with you. The leica is rather pricey, even off the net. As to whether the price will go up, again it depends. If you wear out your leica, the value will fall. I actually reckon that when more people start producing digital RF, which really is a matter of time, the value of leicas might take a plunge as well.

 

[XXX Boy]

i'm not sure i'll agree with you. The leica is rather pricey, even off the net. As to whether the price will go up, again it depends. If you wear out your leica, the value will fall. I actually reckon that when more people start producing digital RF, which really is a matter of time, the value of leicas might take a plunge as well.

I not quite agree wif you upon that.
I think otherwise, just look at the manual rangefinder in the age of AF cameras, they still fetch a very good price due to its unique and classic.

 

[kiwitan]

buy leica if u are a collector not a photographer

I have 3 choices
1. Leica
2. Leica
3. Leica

no regret man, its a Rolls Royce of camera,like a wine , price will go up with age....
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[student]

buy leica if u are a collector not a photographer

Tell that to Eugene Smith and Cartier-Bresson.

Oops sorry, kind of difficult to do that!

Ok, tell that to Marc Riboud & Sebastio Salgado. Just to name two.

 

[ricohflex]

Tell that to Eugene Smith and Cartier-Bresson.

Oops sorry, kind of difficult to do that!

Ok, tell that to Marc Riboud & Sebastio Salgado. Just to name two.

I do not think that one needs Leicas to take good shots.
However famous photographers may use Leicas as these will usually be given to them or maybe even paid to use them as a marketing tool.

Eugene Smith shot with Minoltas too and lots of other cameras.
Best shot - B+W photo of Japanese mother bathing brain damaged daughter (after eating mercury tainted fish from polluted river) as a protest against big industry. It was written that he got beaten up by gangsters hired by big industry for taking that shot.

 

[XXX Boy]

buy leica if u are a collector not a photographer

Seems like you have a dislike on Leica.

 

[student]

I do not think that one needs Leicas to take good shots.
However famous photographers may use Leicas as these will usually be given to them or maybe even paid to use them as a marketing tool.

Eugene Smith shot with Minoltas too and lots of other cameras.
Best shot - B+W photo of Japanese mother bathing brain damaged daughter (after eating mercury tainted fish from polluted river) as a protest against big industry. It was written that he got beaten up by gangsters hired by big industry for taking that shot.

Of course! One can take good photos with any camera!

But please understand that my comments were directed to the stupid statement "buy leica if you are a collector, not a photographer".

BTW, that may not be Gene Smith "best shot". It may be the most famous shot in this series of Minamata disease. But if you have the monograph, you will see many wonderful images.

 

[Ctho]

Hey guys,

I'm been away for a few weeks and seems like my thread had turned into something else...

Anyway, since those people like you all that read this thread must have some interest or owners in rangefinder (particularly "Leica"). I'm been trying to hunt down a good unit of either a M or LTM bodies that is in a nice condition or recently CLAed... Been going to peninsula & adelphi area quite often... Few things I noticed, just to share with you guys...

1) Used rangefinders lying there hardly moved... I think no one is buying them and no longer people like us wants to sell our used Leicas to those dealers. Most probably their buy in price sucks... Anyway, so week-in week-out, I went to shop and see the same beautiful Leicas lying around. Sad thing to see, really.

2) The PRICE is just so unrealistic. One of the dealers quoted me S$1,800 for an M3, S$2,880 for a M6... !!! Of course, I didn't commited myself to any... But I need some third party opinons from you guys? Are those pricing relistic at all? I mean in this digital age, "no more spending money on film", D200 is coming" era of photography market? I had no doubts that those are great equipment but the pricing is really putting people off. Does any fellows Singaporean buy from them at all? Or maybe they are targeting at tourists?

Anyway, I dun think I will be looking for my unit there since the possibilities of hunting one at a reasonable price seems immpossible.

You guys got any better recommendations?

Thanks for reading.

CT.

 

[szekiat]

With new leica prices going up (again), dealers can easily maintain a higher price. Even prices on ebay have gone up. I remember when a used M6 was about 1.3kUSD, now u see them going at 1.6k. So the dealer's price is not that far off really.

 

[sabrewolf]

How about the new Zeiss Ikon

 

[XXX Boy]

How about the new Zeiss Ikon

It is just another different class of camera. It was designed in Zeiss Germany but made by (Cosina) the same company that made Bessa cameras.
I still perfer Leica anytime.

 

[Terence]

It is just another different class of camera. It was designed in Zeiss Germany but made by (Cosina) the same company that made Bessa cameras.
I still perfer Leica anytime.

It's not about you. It's about telling others what alternatives are out there.

 

[Red Dawn]

2) The PRICE is just so unrealistic. One of the dealers quoted me S$1,800 for an M3, S$2,880 for a M6... !!! Of course, I didn't commited myself to any... But I need some third party opinons from you guys? Are those pricing relistic at all? I mean in this digital age, "no more spending money on film", D200 is coming" era of photography market? I had no doubts that those are great equipment but the pricing is really putting people off. Does any fellows Singaporean buy from them at all? Or maybe they are targeting at tourists?

Actually the prices of Leica, whether new or used, are hardly affected by what happens in the DSLR world. They are like living in a world of their own (more than 1 meaning to that one ) So the prices you see are fairly reasonable. The $2880 M6 u see is probably the TTL version.

Btw i think i know which M3 u're referring to. Is it the one at prime? if i am not mistaken, that one has a serial no over 1,000,000, which makes it one of the latter M3 models, with self timer, single stroke etc. M3s with serial no s over 1,000,000 have always demanded a slightl higher premium cos these are the most refined of the M3s.

 

[boochap]

How about the latest M7, how much does a new one will cost?

Is it cheaper to buy from overseas or local?

 

[Terence]

How about the latest M7, how much does a new one will cost?

Is it cheaper to buy from overseas or local?

Close to $5000 at the new prices for a new one. Used ones don't cost much less.

 

[chgoh]

Dear All,

Been thinking about using a rangefinder for some time now. If my budget is around S$1-2K, what will be a better buy? A new Bessa R2a/ R3a or a used Leica M3 / M2? Will this budget be enough to include a lens? (either a 35mm or a 50mm)

Experts, can give me some advices?

Many Thanks in Advance!

CT.

Maybe Canonet QL17 or Yashica GSN/GTN might be a cheaper intro to rangefinder, although the feel would be very much different from Leica Ms or Bessas.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Ctho]

Dear all,

I've got my leica outfit already. Thanks for your replies and advices...

Have a good weekend guys...

CT.

 

[ricohflex]

My personal opinion is that a new Bessa is not the same as a used Leica. Especially the M3. But they are different cameras in different price ranges. Bessa is an alternative. Personally I think I will find a gap in the feel and handling that will bother me to finally buy a Leica RF. But that is only me. Others are entitled to their opinion.

Do not misunderstand, this is not a "Bessa is no good message".

They were meant to be different things. And Bessa is a cheaper approach to M series RF and therefore it is creditable of Voigtlander/Cosina to bring this aspect of photography within the reach of the masses. It has renewed interest in RF. I was hoping they could just label it Cosina and be proud of it. Never be ashamed of your own origin. No real need for Germanic name.