Hi

kbcamera.com offers the Leica R6.2 in two 'versions'

$1595 (kbcamera 3yrs warranty) $1995 (leica 1yr warranty, $200 leica rebate not available in 2002 anymore)

Does anyone know the drawback of the better price? Thoughts?

kbcamera seems to be a credible dealer, or does someone out there have different experience with them?

Other sources on the net seem to linger around $1900 - suggestions?

Thanks a bunch! Nils

-- Nils Meier (nils@meiers.net), January 07, 2002

Answers

The cheaper lens is a "grey market" lens. It means that KBCamera has imported the cheaper lens direct from a source outside the US. The lens is exactly the same. The cheaper is warranted by KB Camera for manufacture defcts only. The more expensive lens has a "passport" warranty direct from Leica. My understanding from Pictureline (camera store in Salt Lake City) is that the Leica warranty also warrants for things like dropping your lens into a lake or on the pavement etc. Please check for yourself at KB Camera. Please do not rely upon me.

I just purchased a Noctilux 50mm f1.0 fro KB Camera "grey market", it is exactly the same. I love it! I showed it to salesman at Pictureline and then showed him the KB Camera site. He said he was gonna go out and by himself one... It was cheaper than he could buy it with his employee discount.

-- Rob Schopke (schopke@attbi.com), January 07, 2002.

OOOPS! For some reason I thought you were asking about a lens. I now see you were asking about a body. Well just exchange "body" for "lens" where applicable.

-- Rob Schopke (schopke@attbi.com), January 07, 2002.

Nils:

Delta International in NYC (www.deltainternational.com) sells new grey market Leica R8 cameras with 3-year USA warranty from MACK Corp. for $1338. Right now their website does not quote a price for the R6.2, but I think the R8 and R6.2 used to sell for the same price. Email them to find out when R6.2's will be available again. I bought my R8 from them a year ago and have not had any problems. Their prices are very reasonable!...................................

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), January 08, 2002.

Nils:

I was originally going to buy the R6.2 but then made the 'mistake' of handling a R8 at a local camera store! It is an awesome camera! You might want to check out an R8 before buying a R6.2. :-).............

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), January 08, 2002.

A small point about the USA Passport Warranty: it does cover the camera if you drop it in a lake or off a building or something like that, IF you can recover the serial number. In other words, the Passport is not insurance. Is it worth $300 to $400? Depends. I purchased a new, USA Passport warrantied R6.2 early last year. It's been repaired twice by Leica USA so far (defective TTL flash circuitry, jammed advance mechanism) and will be going back sometime this year (intermittent self timer circuit). If my camera hadn't been covered by a Leica USA warranty, I'd be out of pocket a fair chunk of change, I suspect. Also, Leica fixed my camera FAST. Many, many people have never had a single problem with the R6.2 so my experience should not be viewed as typical.

-- Robert Schneider (rolopix@yahoo.com), January 08, 2002.

Nils,

FWIW, my usual practice is to buy new Leica camera bodies with US Leica warranty because there are many things that can go wrong with a body. As a general rule I do NOT trust private or third party warranties. With new Leica lenses, I may buy non-USA versions because there are less things to go wrong. A lens is usually good or bad immediately and stays that way. LB

-- Luther Berry (lberrytx@aol.com), January 08, 2002.

Nils: You are buying expensive equipment and I agree with the rest of the respondents (well, almost all of them) in that it is smarter to stay away from grey mail or third party insurers and stick with the Leica passport. Incidentally, I usually get the additional two year extension for a total of five years. Over the years, I am way ahead economically!!!

-- Albert Knapp MD (albertknappmd@mac.com), January 08, 2002.

Nils. If you live in the USA, Don Chatterton is advertising a brand new R6.2 with USA warranty (passport) for $ 1895. This is a better deal than either of the ones you quoted.

If you want to save money, you can buy gray market new in box item for hundreds less.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), January 09, 2002.