Cheap sources? Where in the world does the Leica gear cost least?

I am planning to buy some Leioa M equipment and found that there are

enormous price differences, for original products from Leica as well

as for Voigtländer lenses - and I only compared prices in germany with

prices in the USA. In the USA it is all significantly cheaper,

transport, import taxes etc. considered.

 

Are there reliable cheaper sources, maybe in Hongkong or elsewhere?

where are you located? what is your preferred currency? are you buying new or used? do you care about warranties?

 

generally, given the low dollar, US is relatively cheap for used Leica gear at the moment.

Leica gear costs the least when it's in a garage sale and the owner doesn't know what they have.

Well, I am looking for used or new gear... I live in germany but travel frequently to other countries. If it is a good, reliable source I have no problem with used cameras and lenses from a mailorder house.

 

The Leica "passport guarantee" in the USA is much better than in germany: it covers everything except theft, as far as I know. But I also know that Leica limits this policy to US residents, god knows why... maybe because the rest of the world would buy an M7 for $ 2695 from Adorama instead of paying $ 3800 for an M7 in germany with a guarantee that covers much less.

 

It is important for me that the guarantee is at least one year for Voigtländer lenses or 3 years for Leica products.

 

The best source for Voigtländer equipment I found so far is Stephen Gandy's www.cameraquest.com. The 4/21 goes for $ 335 (germany: $ 630), the 1.2/35 for $ 879 (germany: $ 1546) and the 2.5/75 for $ 299 (germany $ 713).

photovillage in NYC has the same prices on CV lenses. Several Hong Kong dealers on ebay have the lowest prices for new Leica, but the guarantee isn't as good. There are some grey market dealers in NYC (Delta International) with very low prices, too.

What Hongkong dealers are that? I did not find one of them in eBay....

For HK dealers on eBay, try one trading as 'etefore' (chap called Poon at HK Supplies) or alternatively one trading as 'ahmlee'. I have bought from both and they are first class.

 

I've only bought lenses and accessories from HK, figuring that there is comparatively little danger of a problem with a lens. I haven't had a problem yet.

Where in the world does the Leica gear cost least? Wherever they don't know what they have!

hotbuyselectronics.com

www.felloffthebackofatruckinNewark.gov

Watch out for Hotbuy Electronics. The prices quored in tha site are for Leica lenses "made in Japan"???? Much more for ones made in Germany.

@Bill: Nice name for a site, can I register that?

The best prices I've seen are right here on the forum.

For used Leica gear Sweden is probably the cheapest. Hong Kong is still a bit cheaper for new gear but you get Passport in the US so for M and R bodies I would buy there.

M7 in St. Thomas US Virgin Island for $2400.00 I remember and no tax.

I'm with Paul, if you search for eBay userID

 

'etefore' or 'amhlee' you can't go wrong. The latter's name is Anthony Lee, and he is very quick with emails. The former's is Poon, and there is often a 1-day lag, which is still OK.

 

These guys trade lots of Leica, Contax, Hassy gear.

 

Have fun shopping !

The two ebay dealers mentioned are, as far as I know, honest and reliable,

but they are NOT authorised Leica dealers. That is, their cameras are grey

market. That means that the guarantee will be the Leica factory guarantee for

two years and would involve sending the camera back to Leica Germany for

warranty attention. No Leica agent in any country will repair the camera or

help.

 

In addition, the prices of all of these Hong Kong ebay dealers are higher than

you can get by walking into a Leica dealer in Hong Kong and buying the

identical thing. Most of the authorised Leica dealers in HK sell both official

and grey market. You could buy an official Leica in the HK store for the same

price as the ebay grey market cameras. Grey market cameras are identical to

official ones except for the warranty inconvenience if you need to use it. An

official Leica bought in ANY country is covered by the local Leica agent in

ANY other country. If you buy official in HK, Europe, etc, then Leica USA are

contractually bound to undertake warranty work in the same way as if you

bought the camera in the USA. Warranty conditions vary, however, and you

will not get a replacement if you "lose" the camera as you might with a USA

passport warranty.

 

I have bought both official and grey market Leica cameras and lenses in HK

and have not had a problem with any.

I dont know how relevant this still is but a couple of years old now.

 

<p>

<a href="http://mejac2.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/v20/msg15265.html">Some Leica prices</a><br>

<p>

regards<p>

Craig / Beijing

I think one of the cheapest leica shops, but with excellent service is:

 

www.robertwhite.co.uk

 

I really can recommend them.

The cheapest place I've heard of is Hong Kong. A dealer in Jakarta told me yesterday that the cost of a new M7 in HK was US$2,120.

I just heard from a friend that he was in Honkkong, but not shopping for cameras. He told me that Hongkong itself is comparatively expensive. People that live in Hongkong travel to the next city, Shenzhen, which is a "Special Economic Zone", 40 minutes away, and the #1 shopping paradise of southern China... maybe there are camera dealers?

I buy all my stuff in Hong Kong at a fraction of the price I pay here in Australia - without international warranty of course.

 

In 25+ years I never had any equipment failure so I am prepared to live with that small risk.

Chris,

 

so, where in Hongkong do you buy then?

I bought from these places:

 

Anthony Lee: sales@accphoto.com (check out his eBay shop)

and Tony Leung (New Sankyo Camera Co Ltd): newsanky@hkstar.com

 

I can recommend both of them.