Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/04/10

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Subject: [Leica] Equipment "Investment" (was M9's Available)
From: shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka)
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:39:42 -0400
References: <C7E56B9F.6108F%mark@rabinergroup.com> <2F571223-1C61-4E58-9418-A01B1CE55462@frozenlight.eu> <l2ieb6799211004092146o1e18ff84n5eb48e232dff078d@mail.gmail.com> <q2v19b6d42d1004092150h1eca067aif7a4401b2fe4ccf2@mail.gmail.com> <h2ueb6799211004092157g9c10073aifd3078af954d694d@mail.gmail.com> <s2x19b6d42d1004092210ha201ab06ja10ef988156cd2dc@mail.gmail.com> <015701cad8b4$91a43090$b4ec91b0$@net>

The one argument I always use (and recently used to help convince a 
friend to buy into a D700) is to think of a camera as an investment.  
Traditionally, we think of a camera purchase only in terms of capital 
gains (buy for $7,000, sell for a loss).  But the reality, is that every 
photograph is a dividend and whether financial (sell the photographs) or 
sentimental, it has utility.

Using Frank's assumptions, we might buy an M9 in October for $6,160 ( 
$7,000 * 1.1 * 0.80), for a savings of $840 over buying one 
immediately.  Except, consider the stream of dividends we'd be making 
between now and then.

The hypothetical question: would you permanently erase all of your 
images taken in the last 6 months in return for $840?  Do you have 
growing kids?  Go to special events? That makes the images even more 
priceless.

(Of course, this is not a perfectly fair proposition because of 
substitution (we all own cameras, and would be making images with our 
next best gear.) )

But the dividend rationale has brought me back to the buying counter for 
20 years.

-rei


On 04/10/2010 09:48 AM, Frank Filippone wrote:
> Some dealers are getting a premium on the M9 right now because of the pent
> up demand.....  The theory of....
> I WANT IT NOW!
>
> There are a lot of buyers out there that just want what is the newest... 
> and
> second newest is not good enough.  With sufficient cash, they swap cameras 
> (
> or camera systems).
>
> The camera is now $7K new.  By fall, it will rise another 10%.... say $8K 
> in
> round numbers.
>
> By Fall, the backlog will be fulfilled.
>
> If you go to a dealer and try to trade in your camera, they may give you 
> 50%
> of resale .....  maybe less.
>
> Taking 20% less than you paid in a private sale, seems a bargain compared 
> to
> what the dealer would pay you......
>
> I would expect a used M9 right now would sell for $6K, if it were not for
> the unsatisfied demand......
>
> If you would like to see this in action, look at the price of the newer
> Leica Lenses......  Summarits, 75 Summicrons, Summiluxes , etc.......
>
> Frank Filippone
> red735i at earthlink.net
>
>
> i see them selling 'new' cameras and lenses on ebay for buy-it-now prices
> more than b+h or adorama lists the product at. and presumably somebody is
> dumb enough to buy them or it wouldn't happen. nobody in october is going 
> to
> be thinking ok don't want it so i'll be fine with a $1300 to $1800 loss on
> it.
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>    



Replies: Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Equipment "Investment" (was M9's Available))
In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] M9's Available)
Message from photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] M9's Available)
Message from richard at imagecraft.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] M9's Available)
Message from passaro.vince at gmail.com (Vince Passaro) ([Leica] M9's Available)
Message from richard at imagecraft.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] M9's Available)
Message from passaro.vince at gmail.com (Vince Passaro) ([Leica] M9's Available)
Message from red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] M9's Available)