Mythbusting: Leica cameras are expensive

[venchka]

Bull!

A little over 2 years ago I bought a Leica M5. Yesterday I agreed to sell it.

Total cost of ownership = $0.00.

Fun of ownership = Priceless.

If you want a Leica, get a Leica. They are the least expensive cameras on earth to own and use. (OK, over the top.) If I weren't such a nice guy, I probably could have made a few dollars on the deal. Buy right and you can recover your cost.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Rat's! I will have to rename my Blog.

[Big Dog]

Originally Posted by venchka

If you want a Leica, get a Leica.

Buy right and you can recover your cost.

Gee, Wayne. As I see it, the flaw in your system is that to use the Leica for free, you have to give up the Leica.

I tried to apply a similar financial method to real estate. About a year ago I talked the spouse into buying a big house in the depressed market for cheap, then when the market/economy stabalized, sell the big house at its true market value and pocket the cash.

Good news: We bought a really big house for really cheap. Sold the old house easily.

Bad news: Spouse really loves the house and never wants to move! OK, my mortgage ain't that big, but the electric bills may kill me.

[Tom]

It is an expensive toy that would add little if anything to my business. It would work better for impressing other photographers than prospective clients.

I'll stick with my 5Dm2 for now.

But if I won the lottery, I would be on the phone with Jeff Snyder within minutes ordering my M9.

[venchka]

I didn't mention new. I didn't mention digital. I didn't mention commercial. However, there are folks using Leica cameras of all incarnations in commercial applications. Another myth BUSTED!

Yes, there is the problem of turning a Leica into a DSLR and not having the Leica anymore. Not having THAT Leica anymore. I will still have the OTHER Leica.

Enjoy!

[toverman]

There's no such thing as a free camera ... you're either buying and processing film or buying batteries, memory and computing power. No such thing as a free dog, either, as food and vet bills pile up. At least a dog can offer unconditional love!

Leicas are well made and have a storied past. So what? It's not the tools used or the photographer, it's the images made. And anyone who knows how to use a camera and has found a worthy subject could make an image equally wonderful in all aspects with Thomas' 10D and a nifty fifty. For those who love the process, there are cheaper routes. For those who love bragging, I'm not impressed!

[venchka]

Geeeeeeeeze, did we wake up grumpy today?

Forget I was here.

[Truckman]

Originally Posted by toverman

There's no such thing as a free camera ... you're either buying and processing film or buying batteries, memory and computing power.

Heck for that matter, why own a camera in the first place...You can go down to your doctor's waiting room and look at pretty pictures in magazines all day for free...Why the heck did I waste all this money?...What was I thinking of?......Ben

[JohnT]

Personal observation... The name "Leica" seems to have the same effect in the photography world as the name "Apple" does in the computer world: The polarization of people and opinions. Ranks right up there with politics and religion.

[venchka]

Hey, I own and use stuff from everybody. Different stuff for different purposes. It's all good.

Ben, meet me at Whatburger and I'll take that stuff you don't need and give it a good home.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by JohnT

Personal observation... The name "Leica" seems to have the same effect in the photography world as the name "Apple" does in the computer world: The polarization of people and opinions. Ranks right up there with politics and religion.

I don't get that feeling at other forums.

[Truckman]

Originally Posted by venchka

Ben, meet me at Whatburger and I'll take that stuff you don't need and give it a good home.

If I ever collect from you, you'll have to supersize it to make up for the interest......Ben

[jeffkohn]

OK, maybe "They are the least expensive cameras on earth to own and use. " is a stretch, but I took the point of the original post to be that used Leica's hold their resale value well. How did that turn into a Leica versus DSLR thread?

[venchka]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

OK, maybe "They are the least expensive cameras on earth to own and use. " is a stretch, but I took the point of the original post to be that used Leica's hold their resale value well. How did that turn into a Leica versus DSLR thread?

You got me.

[toverman]

Originally Posted by Truckman

Heck for that matter, why own a camera in the first place...You can go down to your doctor's waiting room and look at pretty pictures in magazines all day for free...Why the heck did I waste all this money?...What was I thinking of?......Ben

There is a difference between looking at images and making them. For me, owning a Leica to make images isn't a goal. But Wayne's original post included "if you want a Leica, get a Leica." That makes sense.

[venchka]

I'm glad something made sense.