Is Tokyo a good place to buy M's?

[stewart_weir]

i'm going to be in japan in june...anyone got any info on buying there?

[eliot]

Stewart. From what I know, Tokyo is a terrible place to buy M's (or

most other cameras). Prices are more expensive than in the US or

Europe. Leica has been very popular in Japan, and the prices are

quite high. That's why Japanese dealers could buy M equipment in the

USA at retail prices and resell it in Japan at a substantial profit.

If you live in the USA or Canada, the best place to buy Leica M is at

home.

[stefan www.randlkofer.co]

i second this. tokyo is a bad place to buy cameras, especially leica,

but it is a great place to look around for camera gear. go to bic

camera near the ginza. they have nearly all current cameras in any

format on display (all except leica and large format). i spent around

three hours there, laying hands on everything that there is on the

market. but unfortunately it is not cheaper than anywhere else. <p>

[rich_green1]

I will concur with the above posts.....with one caveat.

 

<p>

 

If you wish to purchase NEW MEDIUM FORMAT in anything

non-Europe (i.e. Mamiya / Pentax / Bronica) then Tokyo is a great

place to buy. I was able to pick up an AE prism finder for RZ for

$400 cheaper than here in the US.

 

<p>

 

Anything 35mm, and ESPECIALLY anything German is going to

be high. The Japanese are extremely "cultish" about Leica.

They do not think that Leicas should be used, only collected.

 

<p>

 

Have a great trip.

[steve_b.2]

I respectfully disagree with the previous opinions that Japan is the

wrong place to purchase Leica equipment - provided you can be happy

with nearly-new, Mint- gear. I found a great M6TTL (0.85), a 50mm

f/2 Summicron and a CL-version 90mm f/4 Elmar at Shimizu Camera Store

in the Ginza business district, and paid less for it than compared to

U.S. prices advertised at Tamarkin and similar sources. My Leica M

equipment cost me about $1,000 less than similar Leica equipment

generally available back home.

 

<p>

 

Check out Lucky Camera in the Shinjuku part of Tokyo. However, most

of Tokyo's best quality used camera gear is found in the Ginza.

Lemon Camera is famous in the Ginza, but for some reason, their

stores were closed during my week there last October. Sakura Camera

and Yodobashi Camera, two of the big stores in Shinjuku, sell only

new equipment, and have EVERY item and obscure lens cap ever made.

I'll try to e-mail you some Web links to assist in your efforts.

[emin_kumbaradzi]

Stewart, Tokyo is excellent place to buy Leica. Avoid popular camera

chain stores: Yodobashi, BicBic, Sakuraya. They are expensive. I

bought mine M6TTL new in sept-oct 2001 for cca $1500-1550 at Lemon

Camera, Ginza. Excellent service.

 

<p>

 

<a href="http://photojpn.org/DATA/map/map1.html">Ginza Camera Stores

Map</a>

 

<p>

 

You can also check some Shinjuku stores, but it's better to

concentrate on Ginza. Anyway, if you need it:

 

<p>

 

<a href="http://photojpn.org/DATA/map/map2.html">Shinjuku Camera

Stores Map</a>

 

<p>

 

Good Luck

[paul_brodek]

Depending on your local currency/yen exchange rate during your visit, Japan can offer great bargains on Leica if you're comfortable buying either gray market or used. The big dealers sell gray market Leica at discounts of 40%-60% off officially-imported retail prices. At 90yen/$ it's not very economical but at 130+yen/$ you can save some cash. At 128yen/$ today, it depends....

 

<p>

 

My most recent Japan prices are from Dec-Jan. issue magazines, so it might be a bit stale, but at OS Camera (Osaka) M6 TTL bodies were going for 198,000yen new (US$1,550), 21/2.8 ASPH 188,000yen new ($1,470), 24/2.8 ASPH 158,000yen new ($1,235), 35/1.4 ASPH 198,000yen (US$1,550)new. Lenses especially can be a really good deal when the yen is weak. Used pricing would be around 20% less.

 

<p>

 

I guess you'd have to check someone like Delta Int'l for comparison to ultimate low gray market pricing in the US. I just did a quick check on the 21/24/35 triad at Delta and found $1,646/$1,405/$1,702 or about $500 more than OS' prices at 128yen/$.

 

<p>

 

You're taking a gamble as to what the exchange rate might be in June, if you don't have language help it might not be a totally comfortable buying experience, and your best bet for ultimate low prices on used equipment is probably still haunting ebay and forums like this.

 

<p>

 

Let us know what you wind up doing!

[eliot]

Stewart. Even if you can save a little money by buying new M

equipment in Japan, consider what little recourse you have if there

are any defects. Dealers like Don Chatterton, Jim Keuhl, Stan

Tamarkin, etc. will stand by their new in box Leica M sold without

USA warranty (ie., gray market). If the item is clearly defective,

these dealers, who are very honest, I'm sure would replace it.

 

<p>

 

I do buy gray market sometimes, but only from a U.S. dealer I know

very well. The exchange rate notwithstanding, I would resist the

temptation to buy Leica in Japan. Rather I would spend all my time

photographing with the M equipment I own. I was in Japan once (Kyoto

and Tokyo) in the 1980s, and I brought back about 17 rolls of film,

some of which are the best exposures I have ever made.

[richard_ilomaki]

My 2 cents worth after prowling aruonf Tokyo camera stores.

 

<p>

 

Yodobashi is great for new stuff and accessories nt found anywhere

els, that I have seen.

 

<p>

 

The dealers in used Leica stuff sell it as if it were The Queens

Leica.

 

<p>

 

I have also had bad experience with warrantee claims in Asia.

 

<p>

 

If you live in the US or europe/Canada, buy there. Saving 25-50 bucks

is not worth the hassle. Besides, the stores ahave few people who

are at all functional in english.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

[msitaraman]

No, unless you are looking for a large selection of excellent plus,

near mint or mint used cameras to look at in person. Used prices tend

to be a bit higher than in the U.S.

 

<p>

 

Assume that the salesperson will speak NO English. And that there

will be no return privileges.

 

<p>

 

So the bottom line is- huge selection of very clean old cameras, but

expect to pay a premium relative to the States. If you don't speak

Japanese, expect to use sign language/charades and don't expect to be

able to return.

[Alex_Es]

Dear Stwart,

 

<p>

 

Japan is a mix bag. This is what everyone has been saying. As a

resident I agree. I bought my last two Leicas in Osaka at Naniwa

Camera. I considered buying a new Leica in the US but realized that

because of the current exchange rate Japan was better. Also at

Naniwa I got a lot of points on my point card and have been using

them as cash to get free film and other goodies.

 

<p>

 

I've found Tokyo prices higher than Osaka in general. Also, you'll

often find used Leica bodies (M3, M2, M4, M5) in good condition to be

more expensive than new or mint M6s. Used equipment is a

wonderland here--and is again a mixed bag. To give one extreme

example. In one place in Osaka (Lemon) a Leitz 21mm finder new

was about 35,000 yen and used 16,000 yen. In another shop the

same finder used was 44,000 yen. You really have to do a lot of leg

work to find bargins but it is worth it and it can be a lot of fun.

 

<p>

 

A tip. In one small shop on the Ginza on the other side of the street

and down aways from Lemon I found a guy who sells Olympus to

Leica adapters for 15,000 yen. Makes them himself for old Pen

adapters. I have one and love it.

 

<p>

 

Repairing Leicas here is an other story. The "authorized" repair

service is a rip-off and so is one other place I sent my M6. But that

not your problem, lucky fellow.

[Nowhereman]

As some have stated above, Tokyo can be quite cheap when the yen has

dropped and the yen price for the camera has not yet been adjusted

upward. There is also a lot of used Leica in mint condition. I bought a

Summilux-75 in perfectly mint condition for about $1,000 some time

back. You just have to look around. Try Lemon camera in Ginza and the

shop on the Ginza main road nearby. Also, you might pick up Asahi

Camera and look at the prices in the ads in the back.

[stephen_jones8]

Japan is a great place for buying M camera equipment and I should know, I've been living

here for fourteen years! There are times when prices are high because of exchange rates

but there are great bargains too. I was in the market for a tele lens and was looking at a

used Tele-elmar f4 which I had seen priced at 107,000 yen at MAP CAMERA in Shinjuku (

which usually has prices much cheaper than many other stores) when I happened to stop

by LEMON CAMERA in Ginza. There I found a new condition ( not a scratch) Apo telyt-M

135 complete with box, warranty etc for just 97.000 Yen! If that isn't a bargain in any

currency I don't know what is! This lens is like new. I guess some rich Japanese amateur

bought it, decided they didn't like it, and traded it in after using about 2 rolls of film.

There are people here with that much money to throw around...which is why if you keep

your eyes open you'll spot real bargains. most used gear is in much better condition than I

see in other countries including my native England.Especially the M and CL bodies.

Lemon camera comes highly reccomended. I bought a voightlander 25 skopar there only

last week and it was just 30,000 yen. 40,000 yen everywhere else.I'm happy! Service is

excellent too.

Yodobashi camera isn't as good as it once was and is now heavily digital but it's worth

checking out.I usually find their leica prices very expensive but one time I went there, they

were clearing out M6 TTL stock and I got a second body, brand new for a REALLY good

price.

Shimizu camera ( Just around the corner ffrom lemon) has small selection but sometimes

good stuff and is worth checking out.

New stuff list price will usually always be cheaper in the U.S.A. but if you hit the stores in

Japan at the right time you'll find amazing bargains and there is a lot of used M equipment

here in very nice condition including user stuff not just collectibles.

 

When in Japan suggest you check Lemon first, then Shimizu, then Map Camera and finally

the big stores like BIC camera and Yodobashi.

 

Good luck!

 

Stephen