So I've been thinking about a used Leica M-series camera (probably a M6 maybe something else) but I am curious as to what is going to happen with the M6 prices (new and used) when the "M7" is introduced at the PMA's show in Feburary 2002?

Have I been misinformed about the new camera? Will it affect the prices on the rest of the models?

cheers,

patrick

-- Patrick (svenburg@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002

Answers

Difficult to say, if anything it is likely to affect only the latest M's ie the TTL models. Previous M6 prices ie the "classics" and non TTL .85 models have been climbing steadily in recent times (at least here in the UK).

Doubtless all the Leica nuts who "simply must have the latest thing darling!" will be trading in!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), January 15, 2002.

why should leica announce their new camera at the pma-show? i'd rather bet on the next photokina!

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

I think "leica nuts" would be more likely to say that they "must have the oldest thing". Anyway, even if the m7 does arrive soon (hmm...) I can't help noticing that the price difference between an m6 and an m6ttl seems very small (especially considering the former might be 15 years old) and have you seen the price of a mint- m3 these days? - about the same as an equivalent condition m6/ttl. In short, don't worry about it. The only thing I wouldn't advise is buying new and selling shortly afterwards having found you don't get on with it - that's a brilliant way to loose money with any system (infact, doing that with leica m is a whole lot less disasterous than with any other system I can think of. ) One final point - call me an old cynic- but I can't help thinking that it usually takes a while for leica to get a new product absolutely right (why late no. m3's cost more to buy...): unless you really need aperture priority or whatever, I'd tend to wait a year or so (maybe ten would do it by which time we'll all be hovver flying about the place with our digital cameras...probably on Mars...)

-- steve (stephenjjones@btopenworld.com), January 15, 2002.

Patrick: I was going to make a similar post today myself, because now seems to be a great time for anybody interested to grab an M6! We also seem to be getting a lot of "Did I get a good deal?" questions lately.

I watch eBay pretty closely, and I have to say that over the last two weeks, M6 and M6TTL prices have dropped like rocks. I saw a VG M6 Classic sell a few days ago for US$950, and a VG M6TTL go for around US$1150 a few weeks back. I saw another M6 Classic on buy-it-now for US$950, and nobody took it, instead it has been slowly bid up, and has now met its reserve at US$900. A month ago the M6's would have easily gone for US$1100, and the TTL's US$1300. It does appear that there is a little trickle-down to the M4P, M4-2 and M2 models, as they have also fallen slightly, but the real M4's are holding their own and the M3's and M5's are going up... Go figure!

To me, the only reason this makes any sense is because those who want to upgrade to the new M6AE/M7 are acting hastily to position themselves to purchase the newest Leica darling. The collectibles and desireables hence still hold their value. The new motor M is going up too, and I suspect this is due to the fact that it was also announced the new body will accept the new motor.

So, for anybody that wants a deal on an M6 or M6TTL, I think now would be a very good time to act!

:) Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), January 15, 2002.

Yep, that's a cardinal rule in the free markets.

Buy on rumor, sell on fact.

If you properly adopt this mantra to any situation you'll always come out on top.

In this case... buy the M6 NOW, sell when the suckers decide they want them back.

;-)

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.