When Do You Decide To Buy and Sell a Leica Related Product?

[stephen_w.]

I won't refer to collecting, because I'm not a collector, ref. some people here.

I did "churn" gear, but at little loss, if any. I don't profit from my sales

here, unlike a recent poster.

 

I decide to buy a certain item, mainly lenses, as I have enough M bodies (two)

to suit me. I shop only used, carefully, mainly from here, mainly from the

reports from the members. I make sure I don't lose much if I decide to sell,

here, again. I've had private e-mails that I could ask more and get it.

 

I sell when the lens/body:

 

1. Doesn't improve the image quality of what I already have. Completely

subjective, I know, as I bought/sold a perfect 35/1.4 ASPH among other newer

(CV) and older (Canon) lenses.

 

2. Size/Weight vs. benefit. Out goes the "Honeymoon" Noct' and CV 35/1.2.

 

3. Did not use much, mainly tele's (135 TE, CV75, 75 'lux, 90 'cron),

compounded with reason 2.

 

4. I travel with metered bodies (I have a couple of non-metered ones to

"shoot/excercise" while at "home"), so sold my M2/3/4. My former meter was a

Minolta Flashmeter III, as bulky as another body. I now only use the on-board

meters in the cameras, mainly as a guide. Anyone want this user? $100 shipped

w/10 degree spot attachment and case. I'll have to dig it out from storage.

 

I just returned from work in Paris and Mexico, and a holiday/wedding in

Thailand, so give me a few weeks to get settled and list.

[piotr_panne]

OK.

[gee-bug]

The size/weight issue is what made me get rid of the Noct and 75lux. I had a hard time handling them when changing lenses because they're so fat. I actually dropped the Noct - one of those slow motion, distorted voice, NOOOOOOOO!!! moments - but it landed on the couch, so no harm done. That was a deciding point for sure: use smaller lenses! Can't have $2500 lenses bouncing around...

 

The "honeymoon" phenomena is interesting. Some lenses have enjoyed longer honeymoons than others for whatever reason. Usually after a year or so I know if I'm going to keep or sell a lens. It is usually some ergonomic issue that makes me want to move on. My 28E is still in its honeymoon, and I have that "where have you been all my life?" feeling about it.

 

I've bought, sold, and recently re-bought a 50cron. That's the only lens I've done that with, and I swear I'm keeping this cron. I don't think I'll ever let go of my 35 ASPH lux either. The buy/sell disease (Leicaitis?) is in remission right now, but I suspect the symptoms will return.

[icuneko]

Awaiting Trevor's answer...

[john_brewton]

Stephen, I agree with your assessment of the "hold/sell" Leica-itis. I got down to one body (M4) and one lens (50 'cron) and I really use the combo alot. However, that said I feel I made a mistake when I sold my 28 Elmarit. Some of my best "keepers" were shot with it.

[35mmdelux]

during the past two years I've traded quite a bit in Leica gear trying to sort it all out.

 

i trade out the gear when I finally decide it won't be used, or its ergonomics doesn't suit me, and may simply sit on the shelf gathering dust. I call it re-iteration. I'm on about my fifth or sixth re-iteration.

 

Finally decided on two Ms and have finally wrapped it up with the 25mmZM, 35mmluxAsph, and 90mmElmarit.

 

For those times I feel like going large I've decided on a C330/80mm/55mm.

 

Have a nice day - Paul