M6 becoming more expensive than M9

darkosaric · Sep 15, 2022

I guess now is the good time to sell your M body, or maybe wait more? On Meister camera web site I see regularly M6 goes for 2500-3000€, and M9 goes for about 2200-2500€.

One other example is also Nikon F6, in comparison with a nice, not so old digital Nikon. For Hasselblad the prices are also going up steady.

If I knew about Bessa M mount cameras - I would buy a bunch of them long time ago, as they are now close to Leica M price.

What do you guys think - which other brand swill go up in the price, as an investment (looking strictly as an investment - not as cameras for use)?

Timo Schön · Sep 15, 2022

One day I will have to decide... do I want an M body or a car? Anyway I think the LTM rangefinders will go up in price as well. People who can not afford to pay those prices for a Leica will probably want to get an Canon 7 or something similiar.

Edit: I will also have to add the Leicaflex line. Heavily underrated cameras!

Pigsonboy · Sep 15, 2022

I think various 12 year old YouTube ‘influencers‘ (usually with a civil war beard, tats and hat - hiding premature baldness) and various Fanboy websites have promoted the M6 so much it’s exceeded it’s worth as a photography tool. Now, first and foremost it’s a status symbol. No doubt it is a good camera - I’ve got the M2 which I enjoy but don‘t drool over. I love the build quality and use it now and again. I bought it cheap (2004) when people were selling off film as digital gained traction and will probably sell it on as it also goes up in price.

Timo Schön · Sep 15, 2022

Pigsonboy said:
I think various 12 year old YouTube ‘influencers‘ (usually with a civil war beard, tats and hat - hiding premature baldness) and various Fanboy websites have promoted the M6 so much it’s exceeded it’s worth as a photography tool. Now, first and foremost it’s a status symbol. No doubt it is a good camera - I’ve got the M2 which I enjoy but don‘t drool over. I love the build quality and use it now and again. I bought it cheap (2004) when people were selling off film as digital gained traction and will probably sell it on as it also goes up in price.

I agree with that. It surely is a nice camera but I would not/could not spend that much money on it. Luckily I am more interested in an M3 or M2 anyways but they arent cheap either

guangong · Sep 15, 2022

I have an M3 and an M4 bought new. I felt that M6 viewfinder was not as bright at previous M cameras (M3,4, and 5). Friends who were technicians at Leica told me internal build quality not equal to previous M cameras. Also not a fan of diodes. Does an M 9 have the same internal build quality as an M6? Not to speak of earlier Ms? If later Ms reflect similar slide, I can see an appreciation of prices of all earlier Leica cameras.
The quality of craftsmanship and materials used in professional cameras made by Leitz, Nikon, Rollei, and Hasselblad during predigital era will never return. There is a finite supply of these cameras and their numbers will decline as some are dropped or damaged, so as long as there is film they will become more expensive.

darkosaric · Sep 15, 2022

Similar is for Contax T2. But I am thinking in more as an investment, not to use the camera. I also purchased M6 somewhere in early 2000's, paid less than half of what they go now.

gone · Sep 15, 2022

Nice cameras, but wow, not worth those crazy prices. I bought an M6 for cheap back in the day, think I paid about $700 for it. Wasn't that impressed really. The Bessa R2A had better features, and was smaller and lighter. The only Leica cameras I really liked were the DS M3 and the CL.

Dali · Sep 15, 2022

Question: Who is going to repair a M8-9-10-11 10-20 years from now?

summicron1 · Sep 15, 2022

If you had told me 5 years ago that those silly Olympus Mju or whatever they are would be going for crazy money nowdays I'd have said you were nuts.

Still say it even though they are going for crazy money.

So it is impossible to say. Prices really bottomed out for a while there when the digital cameras pushed everything else out of the way. Now folks are reviving them and who knows where the fickle crowd will go next?

4season · Sep 15, 2022

summicron1 said:
... it is impossible to say ... who knows where the fickle crowd will go next?

+1

Marcelo Paniagua · Sep 15, 2022

I think old Hasselblad (500cm and the like) will go up in price. Recent Hasselblad's model have been very good at attracting attention and most likely rekindle their desirability and of course price.

Yeah, M6 is overpriced but still a wonderful camera on its simplicity.

NB23 · Sep 15, 2022

As a Leica collector I am telling you: I avoid the M6. Any incanation.

I call it the Wannabe Leica.

Huss · Sep 15, 2022

NB23 said:
As a Leica collector I am telling you: I avoid the M6. Any incanation.

I call it the Wannabe Leica.

As a Leica collector, the Leica M6J is very desirable. It's why many call the M3 the wannabe M6J.

Huss · Sep 15, 2022

momus said:
Nice cameras, but wow, not worth those crazy prices. I bought an M6 for cheap back in the day, think I paid about $700 for it. Wasn't that impressed really. The Bessa R2A had better features, and was smaller and lighter. The only Leica cameras I really liked were the DS M3 and the CL.

I did not care for my R3A. I could not see why anyone would use that clanky lump if they had a Leica M. Gave it a try to see what it was about, got rid of it.

faberryman · Sep 15, 2022

If you want to be one of the cool kids, it is going to cost you. It's the same with sneakers.

Marcelo Paniagua · Sep 15, 2022

Huss said:
I did not care for my R3A. I could not see why anyone would use that clanky lump if they had a Leica M. Gave it a try to see what it was about, got rid of it.

R2 was a good enough camera, but yeah, Leica has better craftmanship. Sold mine since I wasn't getting any use. I got it as a spare M camere but turns out I didnt really needed a spare.

Marcelo

Sirius Glass · Sep 15, 2022

darkosaric said:
I guess now is the good time to sell your M body, or maybe wait more? On Meister camera web site I see regularly M6 goes for 2500-3000€, and M9 goes for about 2200-2500€.

One other example is also Nikon F6, in comparison with a nice, not so old digital Nikon. For Hasselblad the prices are also going up steady.

If I knew about Bessa M mount cameras - I would buy a bunch of them long time ago, as they are now close to Leica M price.

What do you guys think - which other brand swill go up in the price, as an investment (looking strictly as an investment - not as cameras for use)?

That makes Hasselblad sound like a bargain! If you do not have a Hasselblad now, run out and buy one while you can still afford it!

Moose22 · Sep 15, 2022

Huss said:
As a Leica collector, the Leica M6J is very desirable. It's why many call the M3 the wannabe M6J.

That's the one with the higher magnification viewfinder, right?

One thing about the M3. I could find stuff to complain about. I miss having a meter often, and even on a sunny day it's not for working fast, but the viewfinder is glorious. Especially compared to those on the M6 I handled. The finder is half of why it's so enjoyable to use.

NB23 · Sep 15, 2022

Huss said:
As a Leica collector, the Leica M6J is very desirable. It's why many call the M3 the wannabe M6J.

No problem. M3-P tops it any day of the week.

Ask yourself the question, why is the M6J (basically a M3-P) worth only 25% of the MP-3 (both silver).

As a sidenote: 10 years ago I sold my M6 millennium and went for an A la carte M7. Absolutely never regreted, and I don’t even like the M7.

NB23 · Sep 15, 2022

Huss said:
As a Leica collector, the Leica M6J is very desirable. It's why many call the M3 the wannabe M6J.

Please ditch those forums where “many”’call the M3 a wannabe M6J... those people have no clue about the Leica world.
Such gibberish Philistines do nothing except hurt the community.

Arthurwg · Sep 15, 2022

Timo Schön said:
Edit: I will also have to add the Leicaflex line. Heavily underrated cameras'

I believe it's become very difficult to repair a Leicaflex. M film cameras will be much easier for the forceable future.

Huss · Sep 15, 2022

The M6J is what the M3 would grow up to become.

Far superior film loading. Far superior film rewinding. And heavens to betsy a built in light meter! All things that were a dream to the M3.

Get an M6J while they are still cheap. Only $12K, or about 10 M3s.

Moose22 · Sep 15, 2022

Huss said:
The M6J is what the M3 would grow up to become.

Far superior film loading. Far superior film rewinding. And heavens to betsy a built in light meter! All things that were a dream to the M3.

Get an M6J while they are still cheap. Only $12K, or about 10 M3s.

12K? I'll use my leicameter. I can ruin a lot of film with my bad exposure skills for that price.

That said, yeah. That does sound great.

mshchem · Sep 15, 2022

I have an M6ttl with the higher magnification finder (0.85) I like it just fine. It's a nice combination. The thing I don't like about the post M4 cameras is the lack of the Leica script on top. Even if says Midland Ontario. I have a early 60's Midland made Summicron 90mm, it's a beautiful lens. IIRC the Midland cameras bring a premium, except, for now anyway, the later M4 variants.

NB23 · Sep 15, 2022

Huss said:
The M6J is what the M3 would grow up to become.

Far superior film loading. Far superior film rewinding. And heavens to betsy a built in light meter! All things that were a dream to the M3.

Get an M6J while they are still cheap. Only $12K, or about 10 M3s.

You are aware that it’s only a MP with a different top plate... right?

And no, norhing in the M6J is far superior to the M3; commonly known as the camera Supreme.

M6 becoming more expensive than M9

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