Leica m2 price guide?

Hello, does anyone have any idea of a ballpark figure I should be paying for the m2?

 

I think this would be the best option for me (frame lines, no meter, mechanical etc) and have started looking one, but have come across lots of different figures...

 

The budget is (hopefully) around £1000 (inc lens), but feel free to tell me I'm crazy if that seems unrealistic. I'm fine with the button rewind version which will hopefully help reduce the price a little, but am ideally looking for a decent user condition but by no means a safe Queen.

 

I know I'll have to stick to lower condition and older glass for a while but I guess at the moment that's okay until I can get more funds.

Look on the Net for sold for prices and asking prices. That and what you can afford / are willing to pay are the best guides. I have often caught items with low Buy it Now prices and gotten a very good deal having done the homework first. Poor condition is almost never a good idea IMO. Good Luck!

Look on the Net for sold for prices and asking prices. That and what you can afford / are willing to pay are the best guides. I have often caught items with low Buy it Now prices and gotten a very good deal having done the homework first. Poor condition is almost never a good idea IMO. Good Luck!

Yeah I'm still in the process of that, but eBay seems to have inflated price vs other places I can find (such as classifieds on forums) apart from that, from what I can seee they go around 550-700. I've found two that look okay at the moment but I'm going to have to try and haggle about a little.

 

Do you recommend searching only for those that are serviced, hopefully with a lower overall price vs buying and them getting an overhaul myself?

Check the big auction site for completed sales on prices and note the stated condition as well as whether or not it has recently had a CLA. You could also check houses such as KEH for their pricing. If you are buying without knowing all the details, plan to also possibly pay for a CLA, as the lubricants do congeal over time, and the rangefinder/viewfinders fog, and the M2 is rather long in tooth. I think the possibility of finding one with a recent Leica lens in good condition, in your price range, may be a little bit of a stretch, but certainly possible if you are wiling to take your time to find one in good condition. However, if you are willing to go for a slower lens, such as the 50/3.5 Elmar, or a non-Leica lens, such as a Canon Serenar 50/1.8 (double Gauss design) or Nikkor HC 50/2 (Sonnar design), all 3 fine normal lenses, you can keep the costs down without sacrificing quality.

Haven't bought a Leica in years since I have a good one. In past years I bought a couple of older Leicas that were in good shape and worked while I owned them. I have generally done well with film Nikons, but my latest, F3HP, great price, absolutely as new, has a wonky meter. Old cameras, like old cars, carry a certain risk of needed future repair.

Check some of the "off the beaten track sales sites" I have seen the occasional Leica bargain. As with "Buy it Now" , if you have done the research, and made the decision on price, you just have to jump in. Good condition plus PayPal about the best you can do to reduce your financial exposure.

Check the big auction site for completed sales on prices and note the stated condition as well as whether or not it has recently had a CLA. You could also check houses such as KEH for their pricing. If you are buying without knowing all the details, plan to also possibly pay for a CLA, as the lubricants do congeal over time, and the rangefinder/viewfinders fog, and the M2 is rather long in tooth. I think the possibility of finding one with a recent Leica lens in good condition, in your price range, may be a little bit of a stretch, but certainly possible if you are wiling to take your time to find one in good condition. However, if you are willing to go for a slower lens, such as the 50/3.5 Elmar, or a non-Leica lens, such as a Canon Serenar 50/1.8 (double Gauss design) or Nikkor HC 50/2 (Sonnar design), all 3 fine normal lenses, you can keep the costs down without sacrificing quality.

Okay thanks, even if it says it's had a service I guess I'll keep in mind the extra money just in case it wasn't entirely true...

As for keh (as far as I can see?) It's American and from forum discussions and threads I've seen so far the American market is priced differently to the UK one and I don't want to pay the shipping and import duties on it

As for the lens, there is an elmar 35 3.5 paired with a good condition m2 with lightmeter and half case for £1250 on eBay but he's accepting offers. I'm not sold on it yet because it was the early button rewind which I dont mind, but people have said there had been troubles with them

Look at closed eBay auctions for a fair evaluation. Keep in mind yours will depend upon its condition - and it doesn't seem to matter if there's a self-timer or not.

 

Some unique editions, such as the KS15-4 and M2-R, will get a premium.

My bad boy was 700 gbp.including a CLA and 12 months guarantee....from a main dealer in Leica.

 

To get a quality M2 you have to spend the pennies..otherwise don't bother.

 

Or, cry, that you bought a piece of sht.

Edited August 27, 2017 by Allen Herbert

My bad boy was 700 gbp.including a CLA and 12 months guarantee....from a main dealer in Leica.

 

To get a quality M2 you have to spend the pennies..otherwise don't bother.

 

Or, cry, that you bought a piece of sht.

that was for an m2? i think that sounds about decent for what i can afford and ill have to stretch a little to get useable lenses but if its 700 for a serviced and guaranteed m2 then i think ill go ahead and look for something like that