[Leica] Old Leica prices

[henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff)]

My mom was a teacher in 1954, and received a salary of $200 a month 
(Income tax was negligible). My son is now also a teacher, and 
receives a salary after taxes of about $6000 a month. My son has 
slightly higher qualifications, my mom's equivalent salary would be 
about $5000 or so. Leica prices in Canada were essentially the same 
in 1954 as in the US (the Canadian dollar was worth more than the 
US), and the prices are very slightly higher in Canada now than in 
the US.

So, based on income the price of film Leicas is not a whole lot 
different. An M9 with Summicron would cost about 2mo salary; same as 
an M3 with Summicron.

There are a lot of different ways of calculating this but they all have 
faults.



>Coincidentally, I just came across this post in PhotoNet. I have the same
>Leica catalog and the prices he quotes are correct. In 1954, eleven years
>earlier than the date on the poster's catalog, I bought a new, just issued
>M3 with an f2 Summicron directly from Leica for the princely sum of $254. I
>still have the receipt. Given the average inflation rate of the USA from
>1914 to 2010 of 3.34%, my camera and lens would have cost $1652 in today's
>dollars. Had the poster bought an M3 and f2.0 Summicron at the $406 price
>listed in the catalog, today's value, given inflation, would be $1828. So
>clearly Leica's prices have risen faster than the rate of inflation. Better
>quality, I don't know. I have yet to find anyone who claims that an M6 or M7
>will take better pictures than an M3 with the same lens or that the build
>quality of the newer cameras is better.
>
>Just more fuel for the fire.
>
>Larry Z
>
>sonny Chastant <http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=838404>
><http://photo.net/member-status-icons>,
>Feb 11, 2011; 04:30 p.m.
>
>I purchased a lens on Ebay and the seller sent along gratis pamphlets in the
>box...one is very interesting. It is dated 1965..."Leica dn Leicaflex
>Cameras and Accessories", interesting that the book lists the prices of
>Leica Equipment, that date.
>Leica M3-$288.
>Leica M3, with 50mm Summicron F2-$406.
>Leica M2-$243.
>Leica M3, black finish-$273., with black 50mm F 1.4, Summilux $400.
>35mm Summaron F 2.8-$120.
>35mm Summilux 1.4-$198.
>28mm viewfinder in Chrome-$30.
>35mm viewfinder in Chrome-$28.50
>21mm F 3.4 -= $270.
>
>Leicaflex (standard)/body only-$549.
>For your viewing pleasure!!!!!
>
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>Leica Users Group.
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-- 

       Henning J. Wulff
  Wulff Photography & Design
mailto:henningw at archiphoto.com
   http://www.archiphoto.com