Leica M2 Archives - DIY Photography

This is a story about a camera, a rather special camera. Every camera has a history, so they say. But it is not all that often that one has such a rich and documented history. One that was thought to be lost but has been found again. This is the story of Sean Flynn’s Leica M2.

I have been very lucky throughout my career to have found some amazing cameras, but every now and again you come across something that sets itself apart. This is one of those cameras. The vast majority of the cameras I see have no record, you literally have no idea where they have been. But this camera is different, it has a well documented history that was thought to have been lost. But through a bit of digging and a lot of luck the history of this camera has revealed itself.

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I like thrift stores as much as the next photographer. And garage sales, car boot sales, and other places where another man’s trash is my potential treasure. I’m a sucker for a good bargain. I thought I got a good deal a few years ago finding a Nikkormat FTn for a mere £1. And while I might’ve paid less for that FTn than Reddit user GreenteaBanana paid for this Leica M2, he certainly got a much better deal.

The typical value for a Leica M2 in this condition is around $850. The attached Elmar 50mm f/2.8 lens is worth around another $600-800. GreenteaBanana writes in his post, that this is “by far the best and most valuable thing I’ve found in years of thrifting”. He plans to use the camera during upcoming trips to Korea and Japan this summer. Then he’ll decide whether he enjoys it enough to keep it, or sell it on.

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