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Mikevernon
Tinkerer
Username: Mikevernon
Post Number: 8
Registered: 02-2012
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - 03:40 pm: | 
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Can somebody tell me why the majority of early Leica, particularly IIIs and M series, seem to be offered for sale without lenses?
If I were in the market for an overpriced ornament, which I'm not, I would want one complete, and preferably complete with the actual lens it came with when new.
What has happened to all those lenses? Or is is something to do with the supply of fake bodies?
I would be somewhat suspicious about buying a Leica without a lens. |
Finnegan
Tinkerer
Username: Finnegan
Post Number: 130
Registered: 09-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 - 10:35 am: |
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Because you can get more $ for two items sold separately than one item sold together. Next, the new craze is to use adaptors to put old lenses on their DSLR. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 982
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2012 - 07:57 am: |
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Human greed is often put forward for all body only sales of quality cameras. However, if the sales records of a Leica dealership that was owned by good family friends is anything to go by, there is another very good reason - certainly where the M Series is concerned.
The sales records indicate that for all M Series cameras sold, bodies only outsold bodies + 50mm standard lenses by a ratio of 3:1. Admittedly they had a very large professional clientele and if everybody followed my example, then only one M Series actually came with a lens. Even now I have only one 50mm in my collection of Leica kit - which will have to sell separately because of what it is. So if I sell up it will be lenses and bodies all separate, not for the extra buck but for the simple reason that the stuff will sell better that way to a wider range of people. |
Chris_sherlock
Tinkerer
Username: Chris_sherlock
Post Number: 57
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2012 - 11:20 pm: |
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Nothing particularly sinister about bodies being sold separately, Leicas have traditionally been sold 'body only'. Probably because there were always choices of standard lenses, and owners very likely updated their cameras without feeling the need of buying another standard lens, keeping the lens they already owned instead.
These days, it is likely that people are buying Leicas with a lens just to get the lens for their modern digi-wonder, and then have a film body to dispose of. Better they offer them for sale to potential collectors than slide them into the cupboard, or toss them out.
Regards, Chris |
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