Some SM Leicas are less desirable (to collectors) than others -- but just as good. I didn't pay too much for my IIC (under $300) and still carry it on trips. Another choice would be the Canon VT (same mount, and always a few of those about.) The Canon 7 (my favorite) is just a mite too big to be "compact." So is the Canon P. And the IIc was, per Wetzlar, an "entry level" machine (like the IIf), but greedy collectors have kicked the price skyward just as they are doing to petrol futures... Its all about "investment." YECCH. LIVE your life; when it's your time -- you're gone. Life is not an investment. P.J. Nebergall On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 15:12:51 EDT DFStein@xxxxxxx writes: > You figured it out. Leica didn't want to come out with an > entry-level > model. The Bessa is that! Still, for snapshots, you can't do > much better than a > Canonet GIII 1.7. --- Rollei List - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Online, searchable archives are available at //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list