Is the Leica an "Investment?"

[thedancefloor]

So I've been listening to these audio books by Thomas Stanley about Millionaires. And they're really influencing me. He says that the people who are actually wealthy, don't buy luxury items and that if you do, you will never save enough to be a real millionaire.

I have a Leica M6 Classic, with Canadian 35 Summicron version 4. And one of the reasons why I bought this camera was so that I could chit chat with passersby about it. I've been asked "Is that a Leica?" at least fifty times now, and it was fun, I've even made some friends. It's an awesome camera and I love it. But I could probably sell it for a few thousand and pay down my credit card.

Does a Leica appreciate at 12% (my Visa interest rate)? I'm guessing probably not.

Is there anyone else, so crazy as to have bought a Leica on credit!?

[AgX]

And one of the reasons why I bought this camera was so that I could chit chat with passersby about it. I've been asked "Is that a Leica?" at least fifty times now, and it was fun, I've even made some friends.

To achieve this effect a well-chosen camera from the fleamarket for a few Euro's would gain the same effect. Aside of giving photographs.
Well, this is not about investment. But you raised this point.

[jovo]

... He says that the people who are actually wealthy, don't buy luxury items and that if you do, you will never save enough to be a real millionaire.

Oh really? Let me know when you see Donald Trump shopping in Walmart Saving, unless you earn a great deal and spend almost nothing, is NOT the way to become a millionaire. This I know from experience!!! LOL!!!

[fotch]

..........

Does a Leica appreciate at 12% (my Visa interest rate)? I'm guessing probably not.

Is there anyone else, so crazy as to have bought a Leica on credit!?

First question, No, Second question. Yes.

[thegman]

At the moment, I don't think Leica prices are appreciating, at least not in the UK. Certain lenses are, but not the bodies. I have never bought any camera on credit, but if you're going to, a Leica (film) camera is a decent enough thing to buy. They likely will not increase, in fact, they'll likely go down in value, but nothing remotely like digital, and if you're a user, not a collector, the use you'll get out of them for the money is extremely good.

I bought and sold a Leica MP for about the same amount of money, so basically I had the use of one for a few months for free. If I'd decided to keep it, and use it for say a couple of years, I'd have added a few nicks and scratches, maybe knock £100 off the asking price, which is amazing for a couple of years use.

[ic-racer]

M6 appreciate? No more than a new BMW M5
If you are worried about a bank and or stock market crash, I think one may have difficulty liquidating 'investor grade' Leica equipment in a recession/depression and you probably would lose money in the long run.

[Alan W]

Leicas seem to have hit a peak recently-compared to prices about a year ago.Maybe the bottom will fall out of the market -maybe not.Hasselblad prices seem to have been falling for a while now and you can get a deal on one now that would have been unheard of just two years ago.I buy cameras to use though and not for an investment.As investments go,though it seems as if a leica is as good as any in the film camera market(investment wise,that is).

[cliveh]

A camera is a tool and a Leica is a nice tactile tool to work with. I have never thought of owning one as an investment, but I know collectors buy them and put them in cabinets. I suppose I am a collector’s nightmare, as I actually use them and they get dented and worn.

[Too old to care]

I bought my M6 TTL new in 1998 and today it is worth a bit less than I paid for it, however, the lens seems to be a bit more. Certainly not an investment, but think about the money I have lost on Pentax stuff.

[Slixtiesix]

Yes a Leica is a good investment if the revenue is a large sum of great photos ;-) I won´t consider it a financial investment, though they have held their value better than let´s say an EOS Rebel Ti. I have dreamed of a Leica R8 or R9 10 years ago but it was way out of my reach. Now they can be had as NOS or "like new" for some hundred bucks. Have seen a R8 "in box like new" for 400 Euro some time ago offered by a dealer! However some lenses do command insane priced nowadays, because more and more people are using them for digital. That goes for Leica as well as Hasselblad and even old M42 screw stuff. The prices for East German M42 lenses have quadrupled during the last 10 years. Even simple stuff like Tessars is getting crazy high bids on Ebay today. If I only could have been known