At the moment there's a thread in the hand tools section about the prices of second hand tools increasing. I recently and amazingly, to my profit, found out there's a similar thing going on in the world of film cameras. I thought it worth telling the story firstly because most of us rarely come out of a simple commercial transaction ahead of the game and secondly, to give a heads up for people who might have cameras which are worth a bob or two.
I've always had an interest in photography but am no expert and certainly not ambitious, my goal being to simply be able to competently take a photo of anything which catches my eye.
When the digital boom started to seriously hit the camera market, a lot of people sold off tip top film cameras and for a while they were to be had at knock down prices. The upshot of this was that I picked up a couple of Leica M4s, an M2, an M6 and a pair of Contax G2s. (Not bad for somebody who's not fanatical about photography but these things, especially the Leicas are the definition of mechanical as opposed to electronic excellence.)
Anyway, about three weeks ago I realised that I just had too many cameras for a bloke who doesn't take too many photos, so off I went to a specialised Leica store hoping to get €3,000 - 4,000 for five bodies and a couple of Contax lenses. There was only one camera I coveted and that was the Leica Monochrome, which to a lot of people will sound like a daft camera because it is a digital device which only takes black and white images. It also costs €8,300 which in my eyes makes it even dafter. So the idea was to leave the shop being able to buy a new washing machine. I did ask, out of idle curiosity, if they would do a part exchange on a Monochrome but there was no way that I was going to fork out €4,000 or so for one.
Two of the shop staff checked the cameras out thoroughly (this took a good quarter of an hour) and then the bloke came up to me and asked, "How much were you thinking of asking for these?" (You already have my estimate of what I thought I might get.) I said, "Look, I'm not interested in haggling as if we were in a Middle Eastern bazaar: you have a limit above which you won't go and I have one below which I won't go, so just make me a sensible offer and I can say yes or no".
He said, "Would €7,000 be OK?"
I do not know how I managed to retain a poker face but I did and then managed to say, "So if I were interested in the Monochrome, that would be €1,300 then?"
I left the shop in a state of shock, clutching my new black and white camera. I hadn't been following the second hand market at all but here are two examples of how prices have rocketed over the past five or so years. My Leica M2 cost me €400. I saw the same model in a comparable condition in a shop on Saturday for €1,450. The lens which I have on it cost me €300 and there doesn't seem to be one on offer anywhere for less than €1,000.
The bottom line: if you have an old Leica M camera and it works and is otherwise in reasonable condition, you might be able get enough for it to get a handful of decent planes. Conversely, if you have a Leica R, you will get hardly anything at all.
The other thing that occurred to me is that the dealer is probably laughing too because I guess he will do a 100% mark up when he sells all my gear and obviously the Monochrome will have cost him miles less than the retail price.
PS Here's a pic I took with the Monochrome. (I know it's nothing special but I wanted to show that the camera works.)
I've always had an interest in photography but am no expert and certainly not ambitious, my goal being to simply be able to competently take a photo of anything which catches my eye.
When the digital boom started to seriously hit the camera market, a lot of people sold off tip top film cameras and for a while they were to be had at knock down prices. The upshot of this was that I picked up a couple of Leica M4s, an M2, an M6 and a pair of Contax G2s. (Not bad for somebody who's not fanatical about photography but these things, especially the Leicas are the definition of mechanical as opposed to electronic excellence.)
Anyway, about three weeks ago I realised that I just had too many cameras for a bloke who doesn't take too many photos, so off I went to a specialised Leica store hoping to get €3,000 - 4,000 for five bodies and a couple of Contax lenses. There was only one camera I coveted and that was the Leica Monochrome, which to a lot of people will sound like a daft camera because it is a digital device which only takes black and white images. It also costs €8,300 which in my eyes makes it even dafter. So the idea was to leave the shop being able to buy a new washing machine. I did ask, out of idle curiosity, if they would do a part exchange on a Monochrome but there was no way that I was going to fork out €4,000 or so for one.
Two of the shop staff checked the cameras out thoroughly (this took a good quarter of an hour) and then the bloke came up to me and asked, "How much were you thinking of asking for these?" (You already have my estimate of what I thought I might get.) I said, "Look, I'm not interested in haggling as if we were in a Middle Eastern bazaar: you have a limit above which you won't go and I have one below which I won't go, so just make me a sensible offer and I can say yes or no".
He said, "Would €7,000 be OK?"
I do not know how I managed to retain a poker face but I did and then managed to say, "So if I were interested in the Monochrome, that would be €1,300 then?"
I left the shop in a state of shock, clutching my new black and white camera. I hadn't been following the second hand market at all but here are two examples of how prices have rocketed over the past five or so years. My Leica M2 cost me €400. I saw the same model in a comparable condition in a shop on Saturday for €1,450. The lens which I have on it cost me €300 and there doesn't seem to be one on offer anywhere for less than €1,000.
The bottom line: if you have an old Leica M camera and it works and is otherwise in reasonable condition, you might be able get enough for it to get a handful of decent planes. Conversely, if you have a Leica R, you will get hardly anything at all.
The other thing that occurred to me is that the dealer is probably laughing too because I guess he will do a 100% mark up when he sells all my gear and obviously the Monochrome will have cost him miles less than the retail price.
PS Here's a pic I took with the Monochrome. (I know it's nothing special but I wanted to show that the camera works.)
