Used Leica Deals..The M9 goes lower and lower..

November 21, 2013 Leica, Used Deals 64

Used Leica Deals..The M9 goes lower and lower..

leica-m9

With all of these new cameras hitting us before the holidays we cannot forget that there are used deals to be had and for those who wants a Leica but do not want to shell out $7k for an M 240 or $8k for a Monochrome, there are some used deals to be had. Of course, in the Leica world it is hard to use the word “Deal” but you can save some cash over what these sold for new, and that is always good.

Just saw that the old M9 is getting lower in price. It has now sunk under $4k selling through PopFlash.com right here. Yep, they have an M9 in “steel grey” for $3997. So check it out if you are interested in that CCD charm. 12,000 actuations and comes with box and all.

Below you will find links to that camera as well as other used deals that some of you may find interesting..enjoy!

PopFlash

Used Leica M9 at PopFlash.com – $3997

Leica Monochrom, less than 100 Actuations  – may be much less than that in reality – $7397

Leica Noctilux – $9897 – Pretty much new. 

Leica 28 Summicron for under $2700

 

B&H Photo

LEICA 50 SUMMILUX 1.4 – PRE-ASPH (Great character) – $2699 – Pull out hood, close focus

LEICA X2 – Chrome – $1699

LEICA 35 Summicron – $1499

Leica 50 Summicron 70 Year Anniversary – $1499

 

…and as always, Ken Hansen always has loads of used stuff and if you are ever looking for something give him an email at khpny19@aol.com.  The Pro Shop also has used items from time to time and they can be reached at 561-253-2606.

With the new Sony A7 series being shipped now to many photographers there is a renewed interest in Leica glass. I loved the 50 Lux on the A7r as well as some Zeiss ZM lenses. Always fun to shoot old school 🙂

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64 Comments

  1. We sure do pay a premium for the rangefinder viewfinder, but when it comes to anticipating moments and seeing beyond the frame I find its cost justifiable. I’m loving my m9 even in low light.

  2. I’m also in Australia Patrick. Wy repair is to done under goodwill, something I am very grateful to Leica for, but a failed SD card interface should not be part of a motherboard/main sensor/rear screen assembly in the first place. I have since bought another M8 while I wait for a functional M9, but that M8 has been with Customs since 18 Nov…

  3. Yes, I have been shooting with my M9 and M9P, output from both cameras are solid, but I also shoot with my Sony RX100 and trust me, it is not the gear, it is the moment you capture that is the most important.

  4. The never-ending exchange about new gear and owners of various gears rationalizing the virtues of their gear is simply a product of marketing that targets vulnerable people who are caught in this web of “mine is better than yours” to feed capitalism. So true photographers, meaning artists, should decide upon a tool and maximize its use to support their art. Another technology, another something better do not make the artist. One can argue that the constant discussion is good for the economy. No argument there.

  6. This makes me happy not to have bought a new Leica. What it tells me is that the advantage of buying a Leica body is absolutely vanished. Nowadays their IQ is no more than on par with the competition. And concerning retaining their value, maybe in percentages it still looks good, but calculating the money you loose when you’re reselling, they are leading the pack! With every new generation, the older one will drop pretty fast. And I guess the loss will only increase. So the Leica M really only remains for the obstinate range finder enthousiast. Personally I believe that the advantages of a RF body have been well outpaced by modern mirrorless technology with excellent EVF like Sony and Olympus. Going for the Leica “rangefinder experience” has become a double expensive hobby nowadays: once when buying and again when reselling! And still I love their concept, their looks, their feel. They are absolutely unique. But… I prefer shooting mirrorless.

  7. I had a M9-P for a few months and didn’t like the IQ. I preferred the M8 that I sold to partially fund the M9. It was a very disappointing experience. The A7 is a bargain compared to a used M9. Even if it’s an ugly thing to look at and hold.

  8. DXO Mark should have a field day with this.

    “The lowest quality full frame digital camera out there – now under four thousand dollars!”

    🙂

    It says something about Leica that while every logical reason points to not buying one (still ridiculously expensive for what it is, let alone the lenses, ISO is pathetic compared to even a good APSC from Fuji or suchlike, etc, etc) that I would still get one if I happened to have a ton of disposable income. Heck, I’ve shot with one in a store and looked at the files on a 21 inch mac, not been stunned (they were nice, but no way could they justify that amount of money)…and I’d STILL get one if I could.

    Strange thing, psychology of cameras.

  9. M9 prices are bond to drop as M240 start to appear on the used market, but I’m surprised how well the prices held so far.

    I paid my M9 2500€ a year ago in a local store (like new in box, less than 7k actuations and under warranty) and it looks like it was a great deal back then and still would be today.

  12. I hope M9 prices continue to drop as I’ve wanted one to pair with my M Monochrom for some time, but just couldn’t justify the price.

    • Rest assured, M9 prices will continue to fall. But the cost to maintain/repair them will continue to increase, particularly as Leica run low/out of parts. A 3 or 4 year old M9 will not have anywhere near the reliability of a pro Nikon or Canon body.

      • Even a brand-new Leica doesn’t have the reliability of a pro Nikon or Canon. My M Monochrom at $8000 body-only isn’t even dust/moisture sealed, while my Canon 6D has seals, a much faster buffer and doesn’t need the occasional calibration/alignment that the M likely will, all for a quarter the price.

  13. I’m curious to see how muich more these will fall once the Sony A7s become widely available. I’m assuming the Leica used market is going to take a major hit 6 months from now for example.

    • I don’t think the Sony A7 will effect the Leicas as they are a completely different shooting experience.
      One is an EVF, the other is an optical rangefinder. For better or worse.

      • I’ve heard this before by some but I know for a fact reading Leica forums there is A LOT of people looking at the Sony A7’S regardless of EVF vs Optical Rangefinder. Remember a huge selling point of Leica was ‘the world’s smallest full-frame system camera’. That claim to fame is gone. No matter how you slice it the Sony is smaller, cheaper and has supreior image quality. I even read guys saying ‘for the price difference, size and image quality, i’ll gladly go with the EVF”.

        Really think about it…… $2300 for a new 36 mp camera or $4000 for a used 18 mp CCD camera. Not bashing the M9, im just saying it would be foolish to think the Sony won’t dive into M9 sales in the used market.

        • Hey, you can get a 41MP camera for much less (Nokia 808).
          I am surprised how many people know that the Sony IQ is “much” better from seeing a few images in the net.
          How many people do we have who actually use focus peaking as their main focus method? Most people owning a M type 240 prefer the rangefinder focusing even though they also could use focus peaking. How much contrast can you see in an EVF? If I was using an A7 I would use it with native Sony lenses.
          Many people forget that the user interface is an important point of a camera. In case of IQ I would assume that both, the M and the Sony would be “good enough” for me (I mean I know the M delivers excellent IQ and I assume the Sony would also deliver excellent IQ)

  14. I just picked up a used M9p (which has a new sensor) yesterday. I sold my M9 not long ago but still have the feeling there has been something special in the M9/M9p files…and since this might be one of the last FF CCD cameras and I could get it for a fair (not cheap) price I couldn’t resist.
    I assume the price will hold a certain level for some time at least. If we see how even M8s are sold I think its pretty good for digital cameras.
    The other thing is the question if sensor technology is really aging so fast?
    There seems a certain shift towards high ISO improvement, but at low ISO the output from many older cams looks still very good. I wonder who could see the difference from a daylight (=ISO640 and less) M8,M9 and M240 when printed medium size. And color and handlingwise the d2h I once had was my favorite Nikon ever.

    • I would definitely say that there would be a difference between the M8 and M9. I’ve just played around with the M8 now, and printed some samples, and even at ISO 160 you can see the differences. Color is not as good and IQ is not there either. Prints at A4. The diff. between M9 and M240 may be a different story, but I wouldn’t know ’cause I’ve never played with the M240.

  15. Had pre-ordered the A7r, but in my heart new I wanted an M9. I have an M8, and figured the a7r would make a great substitute for an M9. Fortunately my wife watched me on a recent portrait shoot using the M8 saying I flowed so much more naturally with it – and I’m by no means an RF master like most of you. She told me to not waste money on the A7r because it would be just that: a substitute for me. So I sold my D700, some lenses (selling the m8 now) and bought a used steel grey M9 from Adorama in ‘E’ condition for $3,999…just got it two days ago! It only had 5,378 shutter actuations! Sure, it needed a FW update, but that wasn’t a problem. $4k for me is still very expensive, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

    • Congrats! We’re in the same boat although I’m sticking with the A7r. I can’t pop the extra cash even for a used M9.

      • Thanks! It wasn’t an easy decision…I did sweat the $ sign…but now that it’s here, I don’t regret it. However, I better book some portrait gigs before the 0% interest deal is expired. So, yeah, I guess I’m still suffering from a sticker-shock a little.

  16. With sensor technology advancing so quickly it is a difficult environment for a quality oriented high end manufacturer, that is out of the sensor manufacturing business. In the days of film buyers forking out this kind of cash did not need to worry about their purchase being obsolete in several years.

    • I think so too Brian. It’s now seen with Steve’s “Crazy Tests” that though the M 240 is a great camera, the IQ of the Sony A7 and A7R are better. The real thing people are considering now is whether we should wait for other camera manufacturers to release compact full-frame cameras that will accept that beautiful Leica glass. There’s no doubt the Leica cameras are beautiful pieces of artwork but when considering price and IQ, it makes one seriously ponder.

    • how difficult would it be for Leica to take the M240, remove the rangefinder and integrate an EFV (prob the Epson OEM EVF) and so it as a full frame live view camera with manual focus zoom assist an focus peaking?

      • Then it wouldn’t be what Leica is known for. I don’t think Leica will ever get rid of the rangefinder system. People who have shot with rangefinders won’t go to anything else and that’s where Leica has their niche. If you got rid of the rangefinder, then there’s nothing special about the Leica system other than the fact that it’s brass and made in Germany. Maybe what they could do is add an EVF inside kinda like my X100S has the EVF and OVFand i can switch between them via a little lever.

        • That’s a better idea. The point of using a leica is for the rangefinder. I’m surprised nobody else has done a rangefinder. I think people would be into it for <$2300. I still use my old Epson R-D1, which was the only other digital RF produced.

    • Likely just a rebranding…
      If they wanted to make something interesting, they should design an EVF-based full frame MILC for around $2000 or less. If they choose a M4/3 sensor, it will be similar to how both Canon and Nikon are avoiding introducing high-quality MILC to protect their DSLR market – a $2000 M without the rangefinder mechanism would likely hurt the sales of the M, except for those that love the rangefinder experience. So, instead they will likely choose something safe and less interesting…

      • I’d only be willing to pay for the rangefinder experience, otherwise you can get more for less. That’s why I’m getting an A7r – poor man’s M.

    • The rumor from the Australian magazine suggests APS-C and made in Germany. Can you say X-Interchangable?

  18. I would think twice about buying an M9 that is not under warranty. The biggest area of concern is the CCD sensor which has a very thin cover glass that is prone to delaminating and, in some cases, cracking.

    • That happened to my M-E that I bought last year. Used it for 9 glorious months and now it needs a new CCD board. Been w/o it for 3 months now as parts are back ordered.
      I can’t say I’m thrilled..

      It’s under warranty but I wonder how much that would cost if I had to pay for it.

      • My M9 issue as purchased cheaply was an unrecognised SDcard reader, following a simple firmware update. Problem is the card reader is on the sensor motherboard. I have also been waiting since July for this to be repaired.

        • My M9 is now back after a replacement CCD took 5 months and a follow up each week. I am in Australia and the service from Leica is appalling to say the least. Sent my 75 mm Summicron in to be fixed after dropping it at a job, my fault and after 10 weeks in Germany arrived back in Australia last week only to be sent back because of shoddy repair. This is not a general issue I appreciate but My experience to date is disappointing. Leica do not like to inform their customers which will be their undoing with so many other alternatives currently out there. BTW I love my M9 and the images that come from it

        • What was Leica’s excuse for taking so long? Mine was they were out of stock for parts. This is terrible support for a camera still under factory warranty. I am going to have them extend the warranty for the time it was out of service, this is actually required under California law under the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty act.

          My photos suddenly started showing thousands of spots, so it was a sensor issue.

          • Personally, I would not buy any M digital, new or used. I’ve experienced way too many problems with multiple M9’s and M8’s to have any confidence in their long term durability. These cameras, M240 included, create the impression of high quality due to their beautifully machined brass bodies, but the all-important internals/electronics are rather ho-hum.

          • Leica let me know only after I emailed the General manager of Leica. Australia and in defence of him he replied to all of my concerns although they were all excuses ie moving factory, not happy with supplied CCD sensors. I will move elsewhere as I agree with you ie the quality control, arrogance in this market place is a dangerous attitude to have.

        • My M9 sensor failed too while I was in Singapore. Initially, Leica wanted to charge me 700 dollars to have it repaired. I was furious. I take extremely good care of my Leica, and the sensor just failed…showed a purple screen after a couple of perfectly exposed photos…in any case, Leica finally agreed to replace the sensor for free, and I have had no issues since getting the camera back. It did take a few months as they didn’t have any sensors in stock in Singapore…I love my M9, and because of the price drop, I will keep it even though I have already ordered the new Song A7R….BUT, the Leica may become my back-up camera (believe it or not) once the Sony arrives…

  19. M Monochrome less then 100 actuations and for sale…….it must be exhausting to be rich :-).

    Greets, Ed.

  21. I haven’t read any A7 or A7R reviews, so not much of a comment really, however the M9 CCD sensor will be a different beast to the Sony CMOS in the A7s. I loved my first M8 and have another one on the way while I wait for my M9 to be fixed by Leica.
    I have no direct experience with my M9 yet as I bought it cheaply with that fault, however I know I loved the M8 character and found myself using my 5DIII less and less. I’ve certainly noticed M9 prices dropping recently.

  22. I wish I knew how wide angle M lenses worked on the A7r, before I succumb to buying an M9. Does anyone know?

      • The 50 Lux gave me no issues on the A7 or A7r..the 35 Zeiss f/2 gave me no issues on the A7 or A7r. IN fact, no lenses past 35mm gave me any issues. Could be an adapter thing as well.

          • It’s all there on the A7 page…but any will work just fine from the $15 cheapies (I have one) to the $260 Novoflex (I have one). No difference between the two in performance but the Novflex mounts the lens tighter and is better made.

    • Not so good as I´ve already posted here (images are now removed). Only the apsc part of the image is usable. I tested it with my elmarit 28mm. My main concern is not the color shift at the corners but the unsharpness.

    • So far most of them didn’t perform well especially on the A7R. But Sony just announce an App for in camera lens compensation. http://youtu.be/CWe_ePAHSfk
      But haven’t seen real life report yet. Just hope that it works as well as it advertise.

      • I have seen some other tests(other than the above link) that have shown significant issues with even 35mm. Of course there are conflicting reports, as Steve says no issues at all in his hands, but a number of different peoples testing/postings show the opposite. This is not a diss, but with all the info and reviews already out there on this camera the only gap left(for me) is a more conclusive legacy lens study and for me and many others specifically the compatibility with M lenses which is why I am here. I think it has already been shown that the image quality, ISO etc is top shelf, not much can be added at this point now that there is more than enough examples out there showing this. So all (for me) that is left is which legacy lenses can achieve this. I am not interested in another great camera system, this is all about legacy M lenses. Is this seriously going to take a 1-2 weeks as stated earlier? I pre-ordered the moment I could and I am ready to cancel. I could “maybe” live with some issues starting at 28mm but not 35mm. Would be nice to have the info before they actually ship. I will patiently wait but seriously feeling I need to skip this:)

        • I have had NO ISSUES with the Zeiss 35 f/2 Biogon..NONE at all. No color shift at all. WITH THE ZEISS 35 F/2 ZM Biogon. I showed issues with other lenses like the Zeiss 21 2.8, Voigtlander 12 and 15. No issues with the Voigtlander 35 1.2, Zeiss 35 f/2, Zeiss 50 f/2, Voigtlander 50 1.1, Leica 50 Lux ASPH, etc.

    • Will depend on how much people want them. If collectors cotton onto the M9-P as a ‘legitimate’ collectors item, then it’s price will hold, if not, it won’t.

      I expect in say 30 years, the number of working M9 cameras will be very low, and the working ones might become highly desirable to collectors. As a general rule though, they’ll do what all digital cameras to date have done.

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