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Category: Film-Based Camera Equipment

Photography Question 

Joe Ciccone 		 

Old Leica Camera- any value?


 
 
my boss just asked for some help with a camera his dad use to own. I really have no idea if these old Leica camera & lenes are worth much.
3 lens... 2.8 35mm 2.0 50mm 2.8 135mm
camera looks in pretty good condition, don't really have the time to test it out with film...
any ideas beside EBay?


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May 06, 2005

 

Kerry L. Walker 		  What is the model of the camera?


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May 06, 2005

 

Kerry L. Walker 		  A short answer is yes. it should have some value. It depends on the model and condition. Check with Adorama, B&H Photo or KEH. They all buy and sell used cameras. Is it and older SLR. rangefinder - M mount, screw mount?


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May 06, 2005

 

Michael H. Cothran 		  You definitely have "collectible" equipment, but how much it's worth depends on what you have, and how much someone is willing to pay.
Leica represents one of the very few camera brands that are considered "collectible."
Rather than sell to a mail order retailer, who is going to pay you wholesale price at best, I'd suggest going online and searching some Leica organizations, camera clubs, and/or actual Leica collectors. These would pay you more than KEH, etc. There are also volumes of books available showing the intrinsic value of various Leica equipment.
Good Luck
Michael H. Cothran
www.mhcphoto.net


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May 06, 2005

 

Joan Bellinger 		  Check your local library for the classic and antique camera guides. Even if their last copy is a few years old, you would still get a ballpark figure.


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May 06, 2005

 

Andrew Laverghetta 		  If you are bored for a while and can't really get out to check with stuff like that, ebay may be able to give you an approximation. Make sure to check with items that are close to having the auction come to an end though, as things can start pretty low. Hope this helps a little!


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May 20, 2005

 

John A. Lind 		  Joe,
Your Leica has the potential to do serious damage to photographers, their cameras, lenses and photographs. Contact me off-line and I'll gladly arrange for its proper disposal at no charge, ensuring it does no damage to anyone or anything in the process.

OK . . . that likely got some attention!
Depending on working and cosmetic condition of the camera and lenses, it may have moderate, high or exceptionally high value. The first test is whether or not it's in excellent working condition and one in excellent working condition has a baseline value. The second is cosmetic condition, and this has an enormous affect on its value beyond whether or not it's in good working condition.

Leica cameras, lenses and accessories are highly collectible; some of the "glass case" collectors are fanatical and handle their pristine collections only with lint-free gloves. At the far extremism are those whose cameras and lenses are in the original boxes, completely sealed and never opened. They sell, trade and verify the goods by very carefully X-Raying the boxes (I'm not kidding about this).

If the owner truly wants to sell it, your best bet for getting maximum value is a very well written eBay auction with plenty of well made photographs showing close-ups on all sides of everything . . . and not selling it as a single "package." Bundle the body with the 50mm lens and its lens caps and instruction books, and sell all the other lenses and any other significant accessories individually (each bundled with their own lens caps and instructions or papers you might have). If you have lens hoods for the lenses, you can bundle them with the lenses or do them separately . . . doesn't make much difference. The ad must very carefully show any working or cosmetic flaws! Should a collector win the auction, they will go ballistic if a flaw wasn't revealed in the ad. IOW, don't overstate it's true condition or try to hide anything. You also need to properly identify everything . . . see this site, it should help:

http://www.cameraquest.com/classics.htm

Scroll down to the information about Leica rangfinder's.

If it's in decent cosmetic condition, but not in working condition, consider an overhaul before selling it . . . it can greatly increase its value and recoup more than the overhaul cost.

Me? I'd keep it . . . and use it if it's in working condition . . . or have it overhauled and then use it if it's not currently in working condition. The Leica rangefinder has been, since its inception in 1926 with the Leica A, a World Class camera with World Class lenses. They have been used by some of the most famous professional photographers around the world since the early 1930's.

The damage potential it has?
In the hands of an excellent photographer who knows how to operate it properly, and with good quality professional films, the photographs can be stunning in clarity and minute detail. The Leitz lenses are among the finest made (along with Carl Zeiss and Schneider-Kreuznach and a couple others that make large format glass). They show what is truly possible with camera optics. It has the effect of demoralizing those working with much lesser quality glass.

One last thing:
I'm not really interested in it. Already have a vintage rangefinder and one is enough for me (a Zeiss-Ikon Contax, not a Leica).

Good Luck!

-- John Lind


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May 20, 2005

 

Joe Ciccone 		  thanks John for your detailed answer.
As it turns out my boss is now feeling bad about his thoughts to part with this camera left to him by his father.
He will hold on to it for the time being.
Again thanks for your response.


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May 21, 2005

 
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