DPR Forum

Welcome to the Friendly Aisles!
DPRF is a photography forum with people from all over the world freely sharing their knowledge and love of photography. Everybody is welcome, from beginners to the experienced professional. Whether it is Medium Format, fullframe, APS-C, MFT or smaller formats. Digital or film. DPRF is a forum for everybody and for every format.
Enjoy this modern, easy to use software. Look also at our Reviews & Gallery!

Purchase a Leica MP in San Francisco black or silver

collalti

New Member
Hello,
I live in Italy and over here, a Leica MP or M7 costs around
3100 euro. Since I will be traveling to San Francisco this week I was wondering if someone could suggest a good
Leica reseller in SFO (dowtown). Looking at internet
prices, an MP can be purchased for 2600 USD. Drawbacks
in purchasing a Leica in the US and living in Europe?
Plus I can now see the MP .72 in crome and black,
suggestions?

Thanks.
Fernando
fernando_collalti@mac.com
 
Fernando:

The Leica website has a list of dealers. If you have time to visit Camera West in Monterey, they have a “Leica Shop“.

I would recommend checking for any taxes import fees, and the warranty conditions. Taxes in California may vary by county but generally it is 8.5%

http://www.leica-camera.com/index_e.html


Happy Trails

Gilbert
 
Fernando,

Why don´t you try "www.roberwhite.co.uk" in England where you find several things:

1. Leica prices which are higher but too far from those in the US if you include import taxes and sales tax. As you know within the EU no problems with intra-community sales.

2. Outstanding service via express mail. Two or three days for delivery door to door.

3. They know what they are selling.

In Portugal, where I live, Leica prices are outrageous ( eg for a 90 Summicron Apo I would pay in Portugal 25 % more than I paid last December) and the Robert White route is appealing.

Just a suggestion to avoid troubles at Fiumicino when you get back !! Nevertheless enjoy your trip.

Regards

Fernando Faria
 
If you wish to purchase within the EU, I can also recommend Robert White who are a professional dealership, v. efficient & generally have the lowest prices for new Leica. Having said that I think prices in the US are lower & the USD isn't having a great time against the Euro, so as a(n) European your spending power is relatively good. just make sure you don't have to pay taxes going back to Europe. Happy shopping
David
 
> If you're going to be in San Francisco, I'd suggest Adolph Gasser's. They've been around for many, many years. If you can get to Palo Alto -- about 35 miles south of San Francisco -- Keeble and Shuchat is the place to go.
 
Choosing between Chrome or Black paint - visually, that's a personal choice, you'll have to make that call. Both of them are handsome - I have a black paint MP which is gorgeous, but I also have an old M3 in chrome which looks cool too.

Toughness of the surface between chrome & paint is another matter. The chrome is a lot tougher. If you want to retain a camera that looks relatively new for a longer time, go chrome.

My black paint MP is less than a year old, but it's already showing very small areas of bare brass. The serrated tip of the advance lever; a small section on the arm of the advance lever got scratched; and my CQ rewind crank has put a tiny scratch into the side of the top plate (right by the finder). I don't worry about any of this, it looks nice - but the paint is certainly a lot less tough than the chrome.
 
Hello Fernando,
I will second the recommendation that Gilbert made. Camerawest is the place. The shop owner is most knowlegable about Leica. His place of business now has a official Leica Boutique and that represents a really great indorsement by Leica.
And you will see wonderful scenery in and around Monterey.
Bob
 
My advice to anyone coming from Europe to the US and buying a Leica is to order the camera ahead of time (make absolutely sure it is in stock and can be shipped immediately) from an internet store that has excellent prices and is out-of-state from where you will be staying. That way you will not have to pay state sales tax.

Get it shipped to the hotel/residence where you will be staying. Shipping/insurance will be at the most USD25.00. California sales tax on a Leica body is USD200+.
 
Back
Top