Unopened M6 classic...too good to be true?

[kingqueenknave]

Originally Posted by photomoof

I have never seen a Leica M6 shrink wrapped, they are always opened and inspected in the country of sale and aplicable warranty cards placed in the box.



I have visited many major collectors in the decades I have collected, and have never seen a shrink wrapped collectible except at Adorama during the '90s, that is why collectors found it so funny. Collectors do odd things, like visit their valuable collections at bank vaults, but shrink wrap, no. It would totally defeat the point of owning beautiful things, kind of like putting plastic on furniture you can't afford.

Collecting is partly about bragging rights, not pointing out you can't afford to collect.

Salesmen would offer to unwrap the camera only if you were "serious." Of course all that has changed, Adorama is now more modern, but I miss those old grumpy guys.

So you think the actual camera is shrink wrapped? Interesting. I assumed it was the box.

[Godfrey]

Like with anything else, research what you're buying and decide if the premium is worth it to you.

If you go for it, check it out thoroughly when you get your hands on it and test it with a couple of rolls of film. If everything's good, just use and enjoy it. If not, have it serviced.

I'd love to buy a brand new M4 or M6. If it needs to be serviced, eh?, I get it serviced. Even if it is new, it is still old. Always plan for some extra expenses when dealing with older cameras, regardless of how well kept they might be. If thy don't need anything, then you're ahead of the game.

G

[FrankS]

Schrödinger's Leica

[rlouzan]

In the old days if a New, old stock, Leica body carried USA warranty, Leica would performe a CLA for free, things changed when people start sending used cameras with blanc cards demanding service and bashing leicas against car doors - remember the 80s/90s passport ads?
Funny, I remember the shrink wrapped cameras + the old guy that ran the used camera dept. at Adorama.

[SYD_TRIBE]

Good morning all, surprised to see the amount of feedback on this topic. As mentioned before, I'll look for a pre-loved (by which I mean used) M6 original or TTL because it does seem too good to be true and indeed most opinion above seems to recommend against buying it.

I visited the shop last weekend and looked at the box, it seemed the real deal but I'm a total novice and don't want any surprises when I open the box. URL here

http://www.cameras.net.au/secondhand.php

[photomoof]

Originally Posted by rlouzan

I remember the shrink wrapped cameras + the old guy that ran the used camera dept. at Adorama.

Tibor, actually a really nice guy -- beloved by many in the NYC camera biz.

[Steve Bellayr]

Beware that the early Wetzlars had serious problems with their electronics and had to go back to Leica for repair. The repair can be costly. IMHO I do not see the advantage of an unused M6 to an LN- especially if the unused is more money and the shutter has not been fired in 30 years.

[kingqueenknave]

Originally Posted by rlouzan

In the old days if a New, old stock, Leica body carried USA warranty, Leica would performe a CLA for free, things changed when people start sending used cameras with blanc cards demanding service and bashing leicas against car doors - remember the 80s/90s passport ads?
Funny, I remember the shrink wrapped cameras + the old guy that ran the used camera dept. at Adorama.

Old days? I purchased an early NOS M7 with pre MP .58 finder from an authorized dealer for just over $2000 in 2011. I sent the Passport card to Leica and it's covered for three years.

[rlouzan]

I'm talking about sending a M2 or M4 body, under warranty, to Northvale in 1998.

Originally Posted by kingqueenknave

Old days? I purchased an early NOS M7 with pre MP .58 finder from an authorized dealer for just over $2000 in 2011. I sent the Passport card to Leica and it's covered for three years.

[kingqueenknave]

Originally Posted by rlouzan

I'm talking about sending a M2 or M4 body, under warranty, to Northvale in 1998.

That said, still.

[raid]

Originally Posted by photomoof

Adorama used to shrink wrap what they thought were valuable cameras, it was kind of a running joke in the collecting world.

I have never seen a collector shrink wrap cameras -- but I have only known US and EU collectors.

Someone here posted about visiting a camera store in Japan where he tried to take a look at a camera that was shrink wrapped. He then was told that cameras stay like that.

[btgc]

Couple of years ago I bought NIB old stock Ricoh KR10x to make a gift. It worked right out of box without any issues. Now you realize why rangefinders demised in front of SLRs?

[baisao]

As for it needing immediate service, I got my mint early M6 Classic a year ago and have never had a moments problem with it.

It came with the inner and outer boxes, strap, original promotional sticker, and manual. FWIW, I wasn't looking for mint it just turned out that way.

It had not been used in nearly 30 years but has worked like a charm: no mechanical or electrical issues whatsoever. To read many of the comments here, I should have expected to spend hundreds extra on a broken, yet mint, machine.

[baisao]

Originally Posted by Steve Bellayr

Beware that the early Wetzlars had serious problems with their electronics and had to go back to Leica for repair. The repair can be costly. IMHO I do not see the advantage of an unused M6 to an LN- especially if the unused is more money and the shutter has not been fired in 30 years.

Again, I'm one data point but I have never a had a problem with the M6 Wetzlar.

[rlouzan]

A Leica rep. once told me that early M6 cameras had their elecronics updated as part of a CLA under warranty, silent recall, but don't know the actual time frame.

[nobbylon]

None of my wetzlar m6's had meter problems however one hadn't been used in 10 years and the slow speeds were not working. Depends on where it has been kept I suppose.

[nobbylon]

It's certainly not worth twice the going rate of a nice recently serviced one.

[FrankS]

The only way it MIGHT be worth that price is if you leave it packaged/sealed up and resell it in 20 years.

[raid]

I agree. No use i allowed.

[DavidKKHansen]

Originally Posted by V-12

When did Leica shrink wrap boxes? I have never bough a new Leica in a shrink wrapped box.

Here's an M6 sold at WestLicht auctions, apparently original shrink wrapped. It went for €1800.

http://www.westlicht-auction.com/ind...ssl=off#206958

[mani]

I like these boxed cameras - although I'm not sure I'd go for one that's 30 years old. Still, there's something a bit special about being the first person to use an old camera, and all the scratches and wear are your own.

Bought my Millenium M6 as an unused collector body, and my 500C/M kit was sealed bankruptcy stock. Just spent a fortune on a Mamiya 6 + 3-lens kit that hasn't been used - all boxed with everything wrapped and all the papers and instructions.

Haven't had a single problem with anything, so far (haven't had the chance to really test the Mamiya yet - only arrived three days ago). I'd say the warnings you read are often overstated. But like I said, maybe 30 years is pushing it.

Most of all, I like the idea that I'm giving the cameras the life they deserved by actually using them.

[SYD_TRIBE]

Originally Posted by DavidKKHansen

Here's an M6 sold at WestLicht auctions, apparently original shrink wrapped. It went for €1800.

http://www.westlicht-auction.com/ind...ssl=off#206958

well, those pics on http://www.westlicht-auction.com/ind...ssl=off#206958 confirm what I'm seeing here in SYD is the real deal, however I'm a user, not collector so will leave it for others

[photomoof]

Originally Posted by rlouzan

A Leica rep. once told me that early M6 cameras had their elecronics updated as part of a CLA under warranty, silent recall, but don't know the actual time frame.

Sounds about right, as I understood the original electronics were made in the USA -- on my two just useless.

[Boris Stupak]

The box in the Westlicht auction probably contains a rock and some crumpled newspaper.

In NYC people used to sell shrink wrapped videocamera boxes to tourists in the street. The price tag would usually be several thousand dollars, and the tourist would excitedly pay $200 or $300 to the guy in the street with the box.

When the breathless tourist got back to the hotel room, they'd open the box and out would fall a couple of wet towels. A friend of mine bought one that had cockroach infested rags and an old hammer inside.

Haven't seen this particular street con in many years, though.

[cosmonaut]

I had an SLR. Yashica, set unused for 15 years. My P&S digital camera died on my daughters first birthday. Desperate to take pictures I went and bought fresh batteries and film and the Yashica it worked flawlessly. I used it hard for the next few years before going digital again, so your saying a Leica in a controlled environment will have issues and need a CLA. I think more than likely the M6 would work fine.