How do you justify the Leica prices (for yourself) ?

[kossi008]

I don't. No Leica glass in my collection. And the only one I ever owned was a 1939 Summitar for 200 €, which was quite worth the money.

[Roger Hicks]

Let's see... 35 Summilux, 50 Summarit (strictly my wife's), 65 Elmar, 75 Summicron, 90 Summicron, 90 Thambar, 135 Elmarit-M. The Summilux, Summarit and Summicrons were all bought new. Then there was my 21/2.8, stolen in Russia, again bought new. Yes, I'd say they were worth the money, and that in most cases, there are no alternatives that deliver quite the same advantages (tiny 35mm, sharp, fast 75 and 90, soft focus 90). But then, some of my non-Leica lenses from Zeiss, Voigtländer and Kobalux also have unique advantages, such as the 50/1.5 C-Sonnar. Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice.

Cheers,

R.

[straightmp]

"Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice."

absolutely right, roger. no justification necessary. just buy it or leave it.

[noimmunity]

Originally Posted by Roger Hicks

Intriguing: thanks. But here are two thoughts prompted by your observations:

To those NOT familiar with Leicas, maybe they look more like point-and-shoots. i.e. less threatening than massive DSLRs

Those who shoot with Leicas may be more familiar with their cameras, because they have chosen an out-of-the-ordinary camera, i.e., they have already thought quite hard about which camera to use, and how.

This is not to disagree with your points for a moment, but rather (I hope), to add a little to them.

Cheers,

R.

I think that is really true: that extra effort required to break away from the pack in the first place usually translates into a more substantial involvement with the whole process. Not to say that people who use DSLRs lack such involvement, but we have all heard time and again how the simplicity of the RF format actually requires greater deliberation and produces, in a lot of instances, much greater user enjoyment.

But of course, today, RF doesn't have to be Leica.

[doolittle]

Never considered justifying Leica prices. It's a question of how much the asking price is, how much I'm willing to pay and how much I have to spend. I have only bought Leica equipment second hand, but I think it applies equally to new equipment.

Now justifying to myself why I need the particular item is another matter!

[klaz]

once I heard a photographer pointed out, "if you have $100, you should spend $30 on your gears and $70 for travel, because if you spend $100 on your gears, you'll end up photographing your bathroom everyday"... Use your judgement and base on your budget.

[MikeL]

Originally Posted by klaz

once I heard a photographer pointed out, "if you have $100, you should spend $30 on your gears and $70 for travel, because if you spend $100 on your gears, you'll end up photographing your bathroom everyday"... Use your judgement and base on your budget.

[kemal_mumcu]

Leica prices are way out there now. I now look to Zeiss as the best "bang for buck". Still though, I hate buying twice and I'd just as soon buy the Leica piece if I know in my heart that it's what I'll want to buy in the end.

Some people are happy to buy their $50 fixed lens rangefinders and yet spend thousands on going to restaurants. Me, I prefer to spend my thousands (if I have any) on a nice lens and spend the $50 on paninis. One puts their money where their heart is. My rational is that a Leica lens is something that I'll use one whatever camera body for the next 40 years so why not buy once and be done with it.

I bought one Leica lens brand new only once in my life: a 75 summarit when Leica was discounting the lenses. Since then life has been such that I haven't been able to repeat this. It's OK. I'll get along just fine with my cheapo Zuikos, Zeiss' and CV's. If I ever come into money again I'll buy another Leica (maybe). Till then I'll enjoy my summarit @ f3.4 along with the rest of the other lenses too. I'm content.

Buy the best you can afford.

[klaz]

Originally Posted by MikeL

Looks like you have budget to travel to different bathrooms

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by klaz

once I heard a photographer pointed out, "if you have $100, you should spend $30 on your gears and $70 for travel, because if you spend $100 on your gears, you'll end up photographing your bathroom everyday"... Use your judgement and base on your budget.

Well, that depends on where you live... and also, as other have pointed out, bathrooms have been photographed by well known photographers forever. Living in NYC, I don't feel like I need to travel to make photos.

[stormbytes]

Originally Posted by mugent

I think others have summed it up well, but my experience is that after owning a Leica, I sold it, the extra cash wasn't worth it to me, the money can be put to better use.
If the owning of a Summilux (or whatever), makes you happy, then keep it, if it makes you feel uneasy, like it did for me, then get rid of it.

I get slightly uneasy feelings when eating at expensive restaurants, so I choose not to now.

Very well put. I feel the same way.
I purchased an M6 and it had some issues, so I decided to return it. Sadly, I missed the boat for buyer's remorse on the Summicron 50mm/2, but I got it for a fairly good price and there are practically no version-4's floating around that are both made in Germany and 6-bit coded. I'm not too worried about getting my money out of it.

Cost was a major factor and that 'uneasy' feeling really gnawed at me. I own an FM3a with ai/ai-s 28/35/50/85 lenses. Its as complete a kit as I'll ever need for 35 and if I want to break the quality barriers, I've got my 501cm with Zeiss Planar 120mm/4.

Relief at cashing out is what I'm looking forward to. Nice to see I'm not alone!

[dave lackey]

Originally Posted by stormbytes

Very well put. I feel the same way.
I purchased an M6 and it had some issues, so I decided to return it. Sadly, I missed the boat for buyer's remorse on the Summicron 50mm/2, but I got it for a fairly good price and there are practically no version-4's floating around that are both made in Germany and 6-bit coded. I'm not too worried about getting my money out of it.

Cost was a major factor and that 'uneasy' feeling really gnawed at me. I own an FM3a with ai/ai-s 28/35/50/85 lenses. Its as complete a kit as I'll ever need for 35 and if I want to break the quality barriers, I've got my 501cm with Zeiss Planar 120mm/4.

Relief at cashing out is what I'm looking forward to. Nice to see I'm not alone!

For someone like me who bleeds red dots, you have a very nice kit in that FM3A and lenses. I would love the same kit myself!

Now post some pictures from it!!!

[anjoca76]

I shouldn't be, but I am surprised this thread is still alive. To me, someone who owns both Leica and non-Leica gear, you can spend a ton of money on almost any system. It all depends on your cup of tea. I have three Leicas and a handful of lenses, and in total none of them cost more than a Mamiya 7 or Hasselbad or any number of other cameras. You can buy a Barnack with a Elmar 50/3.5 for, give or take, $500. Sure, you can also buy a $3000 lens and a rare, black chrome M4 that will set you back another $2000. But that's the buyer's choice. That's not representative of Leicas overall. If you are comparing a Leica body and lens to a, say, Yashica GSN, ok fine, you win. But there are plenty of other lesser rangefinders that sell for way too high and aren't close to the quality of a good Leica.

I don't justify my Leica purchases. I like them, life is short, I'm not bankrupting my family, and oh, did I mention life is short?