Reputable Leica retailer

[woolly1]

<p>Hi All,<br>

I am inclined to pre-order a 'Leica M' from a retailer in the UK and need one with a good recommendation. I usually order Zeiss and VC lenses from Robert White but as this is a much larger sum and a more protracted order period I want to be a little more careful.<br>

Generally I would order from Amazon.co.uk but they don't have the 'M' on their pages. A shame as they only charge your account when the item is despatched whereas general shops demand a 10% non-returnable deposit. I have had nothing but great service from Amazon .... credit where credit's due.<br>

Will Amazon get the new bodies? I doubt it - Leica seem to be concentrating their retail mass to dedicated shops. Just like Prada, Hermes, LV, etc. Just like a true prestige marque.<br>

My local Norwich shop used to sell M9s 6 months ago but had to give it up due to the German company insisting they took the whole range = serious $$$ and no money for other stock.<br>

I want to be able to cancel the order in case the CMOS sensor turns out to be a lemon. I'm still not entirely convinced that I want to out my M8 and I want to keep using my m-mount lenses. The focus-peaking is attractive to me but then again that is available on Nex and Fuji bodies with adapters. My 25 year old film leica still goes strong but I wonder if a 5000 pound digital body will still work in 5 years.<br>

Any reco's or caveats will be read with interest.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[HarryBaker]

<p>The best known Leica dealers in London are<br>

Classic Cameras, Pied Bull Yard, Bloomsbury WC1<br>

Richard Caplan 25 Bury Street, SW1<br>

RG Lewis, 29 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury WC1 (5 mins walk from Classic Cameras)<br>

Leica Store, 34 Bruton Place, Mayfair, W1<br>

Red Dot Cameras, 68 Old Street, EC1<br>

<br />They all have good websites.</p>

[woolly1]

<p>Thanks Harry. You aren't too far down the road from me as I live in North Norfolk.<br>

Have decided to bite the bullet and place an order at Robert White (fourth in line) as they offer a returnable 100 pound pre-order.</p>

[HarryBaker]

<p>Hi, Clive. I've used Robert White before for CV lenses. Very reliable. I think the M sounds very good. I gave up my M8 in favour of the Fuji X Pro 1 (on which I can use Leica lenses and CV lenses). I don't think I regret it...! I still keep an M6 for occasional film.</p>

[steve_harris10]

<p>I tend to use Red Dot now, I live in London, but it's the least convenient for me to get to. I haven't had any bad experiences with the others, but Red Dot's customer service is excellent.</p>

[woolly1]

<p>Hi Harry,<br /> Yes I am impressed by their knowledge and next morning delivery.<br /> As I still have 6 months to wait there is plenty of time to finally decide. Who knows what will be launched in that time.</p>

<p>Can you give any X-pro1 user experiences with the M-lenses? Focusing is the biggest unknown for me. How does the f-peaking work with the fuji? In the VF or just the rear screen? Does the sensor do the lenses justice?<br /> I understand there was a Fuji software update for the AF/MF released this week. Did you load it?</p>

<p>I have no fears that the M will be anything but excellent .... but five grand!!!!! :o .... I have the $$$ but that's half a new kitchen or 1/3 car.<br /> Will definitely get the EVF - but it will have Olympus written on it and be half the price. Black tape swings into action again.</p>

<p><br /> Cheers</p>

[philip_wilson]

I have dealt with Ffordes (from Canada) and have found them good to deal with.

[HarryBaker]

<p>Hi, Clive</p>

<p>The reason I switched from M8 to the X pro 1 was twofold. First, I had already been using the Fuji X100 (which is fixed lens) for about a year and thought the image quality was so much better than the M8. But I kept the M8 because it had interchangeable lenses. I really prefer to take lots of street photos using JPGs and the Fuiji X100 JPGs were excellent. With the M8 I had to shoot RAW and spend ages trying to get a decent colour. Also the M8 is just so nosiy at higher ISO settings. When the X Pro 1 came out with interchangeable lenses I tried it and concluded that it was infinitely better than my M8. Even at 12800 ISO it is not very noisy and even at 25600 images are better than M8 images at moderate ISO. So out went the M8. The M9 was an option though a lot more expensive. So I looked at reviews and came across this</p>

<p>http://leicarumors.com/2012/04/11/quick-leica-m9-vs-fuji-x-pro1-image-comparison.aspx/</p>

<p>The reviewer concluded that image quality was comparable. I knew there were rumours of an M10 so decided not to go for the M9.</p>

<p>I bought a Kipon adaptor which allows me to attach M lenses. The Fuji X Pro 1 does not have focus-peaking. It has a button so that you can magnify the electronic image through the viewfinder or on the back to assist with focussing. The new firmware which I have installed helps because you don't have to turn the focus ring so far as before that firmware update. Fuji has now produced its own adaptor ring (which I don't have). A friend in Cambridge who is a professional photographer (and I think quite well-off!) has 2 X Pro 1 cameras which he uses in his work. He usually uses manual focussing and has a variety of M lenses. He also uses Leica cameras but at the moment prefers the X Pro 1. He will, no doubt, get a new M but for him it will probably be the Monochrom.</p>

<p>The Fujinon lenses are superb, especially the 35mm F1.4, and autofocus is much quicker with the firmware update. On walkabout days I usually just leave that lens on with autofocus. Or I use the X100 with the new wide-angle converter which is superb.</p>

<p>It seems that Fuji is now developing a 'telephoto' lens for this camera which I suspect will be a Tri-Elmar like lens with 3 focal length settings. We wait with bated breath. Meanwhile here is a picture I took in Chartres Cathedral. It was in a dark corner and I could barely see the sculpture It was handheld at 1/28th at F1.4 so not extra sharp. But the point is it was shot as a JPG at 25600 ISO. I don't think it's very noisy!</p><div></div>

[HarryBaker]

<p>Hi Clive</p>

<p>Sorry, just checked. This image was a 12800 not 25600!</p>

[james_schoster]

<p>I can whole heartily recommend Ken Hansen. He is a long time Leica dealer in the USA and is very honest and reputable.</p>

<p>Ken Hansen <khpny19@aol.com></p>

<p>Best,</p>

<p>Jim Schoster</p>