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seanE

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Im thinking of buying a leica m2, Or what ever will get me a big bright view finder and leica quality, And not need batteries to operate. Il post some eBay links as i find them, I've seen some very bet up ones in Poland, Would you buy a ''fully working leica'' that has been dropped many times, And can you get parts for them, I've seen some very cheap with shutter and advancing problems, i want to spend as little as possible, Would it be cheaper to pick up a broken one and get it fixed, rather than trust the seller isn't offloading you with a broken one any way, But at twice the price. also can you get shutter kits, I'm no expert and they look like Rolex watches inside, but can you do a DIY job on them.

Thanks. :smile:
 

Sirius Glass

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Save the heartache and buy a working one from a reliable seller who will guarantee repairs. You do not show where you are in your avatar, but consider buying from KEH.com. They have a great return policy and they can do camera repairs.
 

cliveh

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I would never buy any camera from Eastern Europe. As the previous post said buy from a reputable dealer.
 

Ko.Fe.

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Google for repair manual, it is available on-line and decide about DIYS by YS. I'm not into it. I'm not even to IIf DIY.
Reputable dealers like KEH are good because of return policy. If one from EE is offering returns it is as good as KEH is.
And almost any ebay listing will have better product description comparing to NONE from KEH.
The best way is to get it locally or from APUG, RFF classifieds. Working user condition is fine.
Buying trashed M very cheap and sending it for repair and CLA also worked, for some.
Or buy it from repairman http://www.yyecamera.com/buy-sell.html
 
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Unless you have plenty of cash, stay away from Leica speaking from 35 years experience. Stay away from EBAY and junk cameras. Even good samples can have plenty wrong you will not notice right away. They deteriorate much like cars even without use.
 

darkosaric

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seanE: where are you located? I see you speak about Poland - if you are from Poland - then this shop is not far away from you:

http://www.leica-store-berlin.de/

I got my M6 there - it is a great shop. Right now they do not have big choice, but look on Hamburg shop: they have M3 for 400 euros right now, and they ship to EU. Be patient - they get new used cameras often.
 

trythis

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I think the best way to decide on wether you are a lieca fan is to borrow one and shoot a couple of rolls next to another camera with the same lens size. For example shoot a leica 50 next to a nikon e series 50 at the same subject. Only shoot one frame from each roll with the other camera in the photo and look at that frame after you decide which images look better. A blind test if you will.

Once we buy an expensive thing we often attempt to justify it to ourselves.

A relative gave me a nice leica m3 and its beautiful but its heavy and if I want a new lens I would be waiting a long long time. I rarely use it.

If I had the cash for one I would rather buy a nikon FM and 4 or 5 lenses.


Sent with typotalk
 

John Koehrer

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As much as I like to encourage DIY. The Leica's are relatively simple but the M cameras do need an investment in a few special tools to get them apart. And back together.

I wouldn't suggest one for a first attempt at repair.
Practice on a FED for a few dollars if you really want to play.

I'd look for an M2,3 or 4. The loading is a bit easier and it has 35/50/90 and 135 frames.
Most think the M3 has the best viewfinder, it's higher magnification than the others but has only 50/90/135 framelines
The M2 has 35/50/90 and a manual reset counter.
 

ColColt

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A relative gave me a nice leica m3 and its beautiful but its heavy...

Heavy? They're featherweights compared to the Nikon F2 and a LOT lighter than Big Bertha...

_1DF4039a by David Fincher, on Flickr
 

summicron1

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wouldn't touch one that's been dropped "several times." Not for any amount of money. Not from anywhere, Especially not from eastern Europe, but not even from Wyoming, and I live in Utah.

Like the other guys said -- get a good one to start and repairs/parts will not be an issue because you will wear out before it does. KEH is good.
 

Steve Bellayr

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Check out rangefinderforum. There is an M2 currently listed. (I have no personal relationship with the owner.) Use your best judgment. A CLA could run $200 plus shipping. Personally, unless the camera was 'dirt' cheap I would go with a working model.
 

ColColt

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I was luck with my M2. I searched diligently until I found one that looked most promising and it had been CLA'd by DAG as evidenced in his photo of the "92" under the front screw instead of the standard "L". I also got a list sent in a pdf as to what he did. Turns out it was just great with no dings, bumps, scrapes and rangefinder was spot on.

Good ones are out there.
 

ColColt

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Check out rangefinderforum. There is an M2 currently listed.

If my homeowner's hadn't come due I'd jump on that one. CLA'd recently by Youxin Ye.
 

ColColt

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Not even for one of them $50K gold plated jobbies?:D
 

bo eder

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Can I ask why, specifically, you need a Leica? I had a Leica M2 with a 50 Summicron once, and even shot with several Canon Cannot GIII QL17 rangefinders with the 40/1.7 lens, and for me, I'm not sure what the attraction is to the rangefinder actually is. I thought it was me, and tried a Fuji X100s and that experience was WORSE.

If you have to have one, I agree that you should find a reputable dealer who is willing to guarantee their work and provide you with a working copy. Avoid anything that's been abused. Of course, this probably means you'll spend more money on it. But the bigger deal is that you have the lenses for it. Everybody here will say the body is just the light-tight box that holds your film, the LENS is where all the action takes place and enables you to record your vision (duh, right?). So I would think long and hard on whether or not the Leica M is what you need or not.

Heck, I think a better deal is to find some older Canon or Nikon stuff. The Canon FD stuff is really cheap used these days, and all of those lenses are great. The Canon F1, and the Nikon F2 or F3 are total workhorses. That brings up another thing about Leica, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but with whatever body you have, you're kinda' limited to the different frame lines you have built-in, right? That's why pro Leica guys only have maybe 2 or 3 lenses anyway. I saw if you get the Leica 21mm lens, you have to get that viewfinder for the hotshoe. What a PITA, I say. With your standard 35mm SLR, you can use all lenses that manufacturer makes and have no problem using them. So I dunno, I appreciate a cool classic camera as much as anybody else, but in the last five years I've been away from APUG, I've been out doing shoots and solving problems having to do with lighting and all that, going for certain looks. The last thing I want is a camera that sorta limits what I can do or what I can rent for it.

EDIT - maybe I sound a little too bitter about it. I do like Leicas. Every time I see the work of Ralph Gibson, or Andy Summers, or Cartier-Bresson, Winograd....I'm always floored. But heck, I have that big Andy Summers coffeetable book he shot while on the road with the Police in the early days and that work was stunning. But I think he shot most of that with a Nikon FE, though.
 

Theo Sulphate

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...
i want to spend as little as possible, Would it be cheaper to pick up a broken one and get it fixed, rather than trust the seller isn't offloading you with a broken one any way, But at twice the price. also can you get shutter kits, I'm no expert and they look like Rolex watches inside, but can you do a DIY job on them.

No, you will not be happy. Instead, consider a Canon 7; you can use Leica screw-mount lenses with that.

https://www.cameraquest.com/canon7sz.htm
 

zanxion72

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Leica cameras are wonderful. Smooth operators, quite reliable and accompanied by quality (and proportionally expensive) lenses (but you can use third party quality lences). In contrast to what many in here say, you should consider ebay as a source. You can get one for really cheap and if things go wrong get all of your money back. Ebay favors the buyers much more than it should and this guaranties that you will not loose money. Be careful though, read carefully the descriptions and buy one by a reputed seller that guarantees 100% the functional condition of the camera.

I have bought my black M4-P from a German ebay seller/shop and I really love it. It does not compare at all with any FSU leica copies. You have to get one in your hands to understand what I am talking about. The shutter is smooth, and the rangefinder wonderfully big, clean, with an accurate and contrasty patch that you won't find in any other cheap camera. Not to mention that it offers multiple frame lines for multiple focal lengths and thus you do not need to buy a finder for the non 50mm lenses you get. You may even get lucky and get one on the cheap from somebody that either is not aware of what he sells, or just because is in need of quick money.

Canon rangefinder cameras are not cheap too. The Canon 7 can be found for as low as 200 euros, which is not all that cheap. It sports a selenium meter that is most likely to be inaccurate or not working. If you don't mind of dead things on your cameras it is o.k., but at that price range I just don't think so.

With a Leica you simply cannot go wrong.They are wonderfully machined cameras that had gained their status by no luck.

(There has been another thread somewhere talking about why to buy a Rolleiflex when a Lubitel can do the same... Nothing against the FSUs, I have lots of them and I love them, but always (almost) what you pay is what you get).
 
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Xmas

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The late Canon rangefinders VI-L, VI-T, P and 7 are incomparable as shooters compared with M2 or M3 even if you fit the Leica QL kit and MP fast rewind kit.

The LTM lenses are available as period Canon or modern Cosina way cheaper than Leica.

Depends if you want your photo taken (changing film with base plate in mouth) or want to take photos.
 

cliveh

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The thing about a Leica rangefinder is that it is so damn tactile.
 
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seanE

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Your probably right, Technically Leica's are overpriced, However I think if I don't try one, il always want one, I have an om 5, but I like the idea of a quite shutter and a full mechanical full brass camera, A stupid emotional decision defiantly :D I've looked at the nikon and canons but there ugly boxes,:tongue: I'm more thinking of just using an m2 and 35mm as a take every where camera. that i can develop the film my self.
And maybe a Digital csc, or a film medium format for every thing else. i just love the look of the leica's.
heres one i just spotted on eBay its the cleanest at the price I've seen so far. il have a look at some of the dealers.


http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Leica-M2-bod...572829?hash=item235cc99f9d:g:FsEAAOSw5ZBWLOAP
 

flavio81

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:D I've looked at the nikon and canons but there ugly boxes,:tongue:

Take a look at the Nikon SP or the Canon VT and tell me if they are "ugly boxes". C&N also made very beautiful rangefinders.
 

flavio81

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Not even for one of them $50K gold plated jobbies?:D

Nope. After experimenting with some rangefinders, i've found I like SLRs and TLRs a bit more. And the Pentax 6x7 is a great SLR. Not perfect, but I enjoy it more than a rangefinder.

Regading rangefinders, my favorite one is the Kodak Retina IIIc. I love that camera!
 

Sirius Glass

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Leica cameras are wonderful. Smooth operators, quite reliable and accompanied by quality (and proportionally expensive) lenses (but you can use third party quality lences). In contrast to what many in here say, you should consider ebay as a source. You can get one for really cheap and if things go wrong get all of your money back. Ebay favors the buyers much more than it should and this guaranties that you will not loose money. Be careful though, read carefully the descriptions and buy one by a reputed seller that guarantees 100% the functional condition of the camera.

A bit over stated. It is not always easy and sometimes it is impossible.
 

Sirius Glass

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The thing about a Leica rangefinder is that it is so damn tactile.

That is so true. In fact that is the only thing that draws me back to Leica since my slrs can cover a wider range of focal lengths and have WYSIWYG.
 
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