Has anyone purchased a pre owned Leica from Camera West because of their generous pre owned warranty? I did, and right after that Camera West changed their pre owned warranty and said it was a typo!
I have bought a few things from them. They can be sloppy with their descriptions so I always factor that in. Leica Miami is the most reliable of all for used Leica but they charge a premium vs Camera West. Let me know what you find out about the warranty change.
I've had good success with Camera West, especially when buying from the SF Leica Store. My M10 and 50mm f2.5 Summarit came from them.
If the item is in the Leica Store, you should give them a call and ask your questions....
They sold me an M4 that just had a shutter service with new curtains etc. When I received it I immediately noticed it had really bad shutter bounce. I had to send them a video of one of my Ms with a properly working shutter and then the M4 so they could see the difference!
Then they ok-d the return..
They also sold me a really nice pair of Leica binoculars that was missing the neck strap. I asked them if they could get me one and they said they'd look into it. Never heard back. Called Leica customer service in NJ. They had them in stock and I got one in a couple of days.
CameraWest does seem to have good deals, just be sure to check over your purchase carefully.
We purchased two cameras from CW SF. One new and one pre owned. According to CW the warranty for pre owned is not as generous as previously stated in all the pre owned gear on their website and was a typo. They mentioned it was because of a website redesign. The new gear is under the manufacture’s warranty. We like CW and they're definitely lower prices than Leica Miami. CW is going to honor my original pre owned warranty and understand the mix up. I encourage anyone looking for Leica gear, new or used to look at Camera West first.
I've dealt with Camerawest for years, and had good luck in all the deals. Good folks. The issue is that Sean Cranor (owner) is now super busy and the staff isn't quite the same. But they have good stock; also they accept a wide variety of photo equipment on trade, so its a good place to consolidate into one thing!
You've twice mentioned discrepancies between website stated & actual warranty on Camera West used, but could you please be more specific. What is your current understanding of each?
Yes, that’s CW’s current warranty for pre owned. CW had previously included an extra 30 days for all pre owned gear not listed “as is”. I don’t think Leica Miami matches that , but KEH has a great pre owned warranties if not the best in the business for pre owned photography gear.
I bought a digital Leica that requires a rangefinder alignment, and a Contax lens that the aperture doesn't work. In the first case, they got it fixed by DAG without charge me and refund me for the latter case no question ask. This is the Walnut Creek store that is near where I live. They also gave me a very fair price when trading in used gear. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
I have bought from their store multiple times. Usually, their description seems good, but I recently noticed that an item was not accurately described so I think you should inspect the gears carefully upon arrival. Otherwise, because they have a good stock, I would always look for gears of interest from their website.
Spent $$$$ there its a very honest and trustworthy place to do business, they stand behind the products they offer. in the coming months I will again make a large purchase from this store.
