RE: [Leica] Has Leica ever offered a student discount program?

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

I understand what you're asking Ted...:-)

Of course the depreciation will be far greater with the Bessa, but so will
the investment. The Bessa is, what, $550 for a brand new camera with some
modern features - which most students are used to and expect. The M6 in even
half decent shape will be $1000. It's true the student may succeed in
selling the M6 for $1000 two years later, but between the introduction of
the M7 and the on-rush of digital, who knows whether well used M6s will be
$1000 in two years, or $750 - and a $250 loss on the M6 would probably be
the same as the loss on a Bessa R2.

And here's another thing to think about, besides the fact that the student
may be able to afford the Bessa but not the M6 - the student who only
invests the $550 in the Bessa is likely to hang onto it longer, and
therefore has a greater likelihood of ultimately getting hooked, than the
student who has tied up $1000 in the M6. I can tell you that one of my
students who recently acquired a beatup M6 classic loves his, but is already
questioning whether he can afford to hang onto it what with rent coming due,
etc......

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Ted Bayer
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 2:44 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Has Leica ever offered a student discount program?



I think this is good advice, B.D.  But I have a questions about it (and
this is not meant in any way to be devious -- it is truly a matter of
thinking ahead.)

If the student does find the he/she likes using the RF and would prefer
to have a Leica M,  what would depreciation do to the resale value of
the Bessa R2 one or two years from now?  Do you think it would be offset
by the depreciation (based on a percentage of the current value of both
cameras) on a Leica M (say an M6 TTL) during the same period?

Ted in Olalla

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 11:04 AM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Has Leica ever offered a student discount program?


> For any student - on a student budget - considering getting into Leica
in
> particular, or RF in general, I would suggest considering a Bessa R2
body
> and a used Summicron 50 or pre-asph 35. No, it's not a Leica body. But
it
> has a meter, it has a top shutter speed of a 2000th, a flash sync of a
> 125th, it's cast metal, and it has a bright viewfinder. AND, it's new
and
> has a warranty.
>
> Is offer this advice, btw, because I think what is most important for
> students is finding out if they can have a happy marriage with a
> rangefinder, rather than acquiring a Leica.
>
> B. D.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of David
> Degner
> Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 1:38 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Has Leica ever offered a student discount
program?
>
>
> Mathew I feel your pain.  As a fellow student who loves and uses
Leicas you
> have to drop large chunks of money at times.  I have not found any
truly
> cheap way to get leica equipment but there are a few relatively cheap
> pieces of equipment that you can start with and add the expensive
stuff
> when you can (always have a list to give to parents for birthdays and
> Christmas :)).  For a body there are two ways to go 1)I would suggest
an
> M4-2 body, the collectors hate them, so they are cheaper about
$600-$700,
> watch out for quality and read up on them a little though. 2) An M3
body,
> freshly serviced,  There is absolutely nothing as smooth soft or quite
as
> my M3 after I got it back from Sherry, the perfect leica piece ( if
you
> don't mind slower loading and unloading).  It just makes you want to
melt
> when using it, and its great for 50+mm lenses.  As for buying lenses;
the
> first one I would get is the 50mm ASPH you can get a good used one for
> about $600 I found one for $500, the cheapest sharpest modern lens in
the
> bunch.  After that it all depends on your style and what you are using
your
> equipment for.  Remember you'll only have to buy these things once in
your
> life so don't be afraid to go the next step up.  Good luck.  Where are
you
> going to college?  I'm off to western Kentucky next year.
>
> David Degner
>
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