i'm visiting zurich in early june, would like to know if you can recommend me some shop there selling leica stuff (both new and used one). thanks!

-- mike sham (mikesham@netvigator.com), May 13, 2002

Answers

You should go to Foto-Video Ganz, Rennweg 26, just off the Bahnhofstrasse, and to Koch Optik, which is on the Bahnhofstrasse, near the Paradeplatz. Both are very reputable Leica dealers, and the have many used Leicas, also rarities at top prices. Most cameras have had a CLA and are guaranteed. Ganz also has other shops in town, one is in the main railway station, also with some used cameras. I bought my IIIf with an Elmar 3.5, complete with everready case from Koch Optik, with a CLA, and this for 780 CHF (450 USD), in 1993. It has not failed me since. There are also other shops, but I do not recommend them as the price/quality is not OK, or they only have restricted experience with Leica. Give us your feedback when you have seen them!

-- Sebastien Simon (sebastien.simon@alumni.ethz.ch), May 13, 2002.

You can try Foto Baeren Optik, Loewenstrasse 57 near the main railway station also, and as Sebastian said, Foto-Video Ganz, Rennweg is very good. Personally I don't like Koch Optik, I find them arrogant. I wish you nice days here in Switzerland.

-- Richard (richard.srienz@swissonline.ch), May 13, 2002.

I second the postings about Foto-Ganz on Rennweg. I have dealt with Hr.Crivelli or Hr.Yee and both are quite competent with all of the Leica line. I can also recommend Foto-Bären just a few blocks over. Hr.Kaul is the person to deal with here and his service is outstanding.

If you are coming from America, or most anywhere else in the world for that matter, I cannot advise you to purchase any equipement in Switzerland. The prices here are among the highest in the world, though cheaper than the UK. The only circumstance that I have purchased new gear here, was when I bought serveral pieces of Nikon gear in NYC, shot with it for almost a full year, and then traded it in here in Zürich and getting back every penny. (That should give you and idea of the tremendous cost savings in NYC and the immensely high prices here.)

Should you decide that you want to buy something here and you have thrown reason and common consumer sense out the window, then Foto Ganz will offer you 10% off if you pay with cash and 5% with c-card. If you then subtract the minimal tax (at least that is cheap!) of 7.6%, then you will probably find that you have still paid c.33% more than the best prices available for non-gray goods in NY.

BTW If there is any product that I must have quickly, I simply make the drive to Konstanz, Lörrach or even Stuttgart, buy the product, pay Swiss tax, get back my German tax and return home after 4 hours or so, a few hundred clicks on the car, and have STILL saved $! This philosophy is applied to all electronics, white goods, as a matter of fact, I don't even do much grocery shopping here. :-)

Best to concentrate on the beautiful sites and clean cities and shoot with gear that you have purchased elsewhere!

-- Reto (redcave@schweiz.com), May 13, 2002.

I fully second Reto on all of his recommendations. Would add Koch on Bahnhofstrasse, too, though. They sometimes have stunning prices for fast selling used gear. Then there is another place for used and new Leica, Voigtlaender and Hassy equipment: Camerastore on Hottingerstrasse. Enjoy your stay and make sure to visit the Photographic Collection of Kunsthaus and stop by at the Scalo bookshop specialized in photography and arts. Cheers.

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), May 13, 2002.