View Full Version : Tell me about this camera
So. Didn't think I'd be buying a Leica anytime soon, but found this on eBay and decided to take a risk. The price was low enough that I think it was worth it even if it isn't working.
So I don't know anything about Leicas. Judging by these pictures the seller sent to me, and the serial number, I think it is a Leica iii. He says the lens is a 50mm f/2 Summar. I t should hopefully be here in about 10 days but it is coming all the way from Mumbai.
So, can you tell me anything?
If the top shutter speed is 1/500th it's a Leica III. If it goes to 1/1000th then it's a Leica IIIa. Either model is a good camera as long as it is in good working condition. I would probably expect it will need service though.
Top shutter speed is 1/500.
Top shutter speed is 1/500.
That makes it a III then..
I just sold a vintage 1934 III that was factory converted to IIIa then to IIIf flash sync specs..
Luddite Frank
03-10-2010, 02:57
Looks very nice. If I read the serial correctly ( 133,xxx) it is from 1933-34.
From the aperture scale, that would appear to be a Summar.
My "daily driver" is a 1934 III (with pitted, peeling chrome on top), s/n 134xxx; paid $140 US for it about 3 years ago, came with a Komura 35 / 3.5 lens. Cleaned it up a bit, and it's been working fine ever since. It's the foundation of my "go bag".
Congrats on your acquisition !
Luddite Frank
The seller claims the s/n is 181,xxx, but it does look to me like 131,xxx. Either way, Mr. Gandy's page says it is a plain III, only the years are different. Judging by the price of yours, Frank, and the prices listed in your other post, colyn, this my have not been such a magnificent deal. I was going by the prices on eBay, where one recently sold for slightly less than what I paid but without a lens, and most sell for $70-100 more.
Here is a picture of the front; I copied it from the eBay listing so it is not of the highest quality. Thank you for your responses so far and I will let everyone know how it turns out when I actually get it.
All depends on condition. Post from India to the US does generally take ten days or so.
coelacanth
03-10-2010, 07:53
Unless it's listed as recently CLAed by named leica specialist, send it off to Youxin for a complete clean up. He's super quick and rate is very low. Then you'll have very reliable little picture taking machine that just happened to be stunningly beautiful.
Payasam, I was wondering - How much does it cost to ship to the US from India? He charged (a lot, I thought) for air mail, then told me he sent it via EMS at extra cost to himself.
batterytypehah!
03-10-2010, 08:31
Here is a picture of the front; I copied it from the eBay listing so it is not of the highest quality. Thank you for your responses so far and I will let everyone know how it turns out when I actually get it.
I gambled on my IIa which was also listed with poor photos. I was the only bidder and got a very decent user that has performed flawlessly, without a CLA, for almost a year now. Good luck.
The seller claims the s/n is 181,xxx, but it does look to me like 131,xxx. Either way, Mr. Gandy's page says it is a plain III, only the years are different. ...
Here is a picture of the front; I copied it from the eBay listing ...
My lists show the 181,xxx numbers being from 1935 and were assigned to several batches each of 111 and 111a. The 1/500th top speed makes it a plain III.
The picture is interesting. The bezel and front lens over the left (as viewed from the front) RF window appears to be missing.
The picture is interesting. The bezel and front lens over the left (as viewed from the front) RF window appears to be missing.
Crud. You're right.
Crud. You're right.
Once the camera arrives I'd contact the seller and ask for a partial refund to pay for the missing part(s)
If the glass is also missing you won't be able to use the rangefinder since that part adjusts the vertical.
Check with DAG and see what he will charge for the parts and that should what you want back from the seller.
A quick check of Don's site shows $30 for both items + whatever he will charge for shipping..
I doubt I will be able to get anything back from the seller - sold as is, untested, etc etc. Plus, it is pretty obvious in that photo, and that was the one actually listed on eBay. I was just too dense to notice.
At least the parts are readily available and not too expensive. If, by some miracle this is the only thing wrong with the camera, I wouldn't mind paying out of pocket for the parts.
What's that website?
Nevermind, found the site. Only $4 for shipping too, not bad.
For postal rates, go to www.indiapost.gov.in/ and, for the rupee-dollar conversion, to www.xe.com/ucc/.
For postal rates, go to www.indiapost.gov.in/ and, for the rupee-dollar conversion, to www.xe.com/ucc/.
I tried that, but couldn't get it to work for the EMS rates. I thought maybe you might have a rough idea. I'll try it again and see if it's working now.
Luddite Frank
03-11-2010, 03:36
Judging by the price of yours, Frank, and the prices listed in your other post, colyn, this my have not been such a magnificent deal. I was going by the prices on eBay, where one recently sold for slightly less than what I paid but without a lens, and most sell for $70-100 more.
Thank you for your responses so far and I will let everyone know how it turns out when I actually get it.
Well, don't despair yet... I looked at your pics again, and the chrome on the top plate and knobs looks pretty good ,no pitting, peeling or brassing ( which means it wasn't used to the point of being worn-out)....
The vulcanite looks intact & tight...
I was REALLY lucky to snag a functioning Leica III for $140... like you, I figured that even if it needed service, it was a reasonable risk.
I paid a little more than 5 times that for a cosmetically very nice III f BD ( my first Leica), with a collapsible Summicron. After the third or fourth roll of film, it was unusable, due to crackled shutter blinds ( the curse of the Black-Dial Leicas, due to material quality issues following WW II ).
It awaits service.
Buying / owning / using a screw-mount Leica is a bit of a commitment, but one that I have found to be very rewarding.
I've all but shelved my Minolta XG-1 and Pentax Spotmatic SLR's, and am still holding off on getting a digi-cam because I'm happily using my 75 year-old Leica !
Let us know what you find when it arrives. :cool:
Luddite Frank
Well, I am also hoping the lens is usable as well (the seller described it as "average" - no idea what that means). That way if the body is really terrible, I could keep the lens for my fed 3 or even Bessa L if I'm feeling adventurous.
To my knowledge, and I may well be wrong, India has nothing called EMS. I have always used registered air mail for shipping, which should cost no more than $15 US for a package containing a III. The Speed Post service is more expensive, but I have only ever used it for letters. Your seller sounds ignorant where camera equipment is concerned, or else is a person who cannot communicate well in English.
I thought perhaps they didn't know much about cameras, but all the equipment they have recently listed is photographic equipment. I believe EMS service and Speedpost are the same. At any rate, $60 US seems far too much for airmail, and also too much for speedpost as well. I assumed this and factored it into my bidding, it just concerns me when the seller charged so much for shipping and then claims they have to pay extra for the speedpost.
coelacanth
03-11-2010, 11:14
Over charing the S/H is, at least used to be what typical ebay seller would do or did. Now you can rate the seller base on what they charged for shipping, and if the score is low, the seller will lose power seller (or whatever that is) status so many sellers now charge moderate amount for shipping in exchange of good rating. So I guess you'll just have to give not so good rating for shipping charge part of feedback if shipping time ended up not so fast or actual postage was much lower than what you paid.
David 11084
03-11-2010, 13:19
Luddite Frank, hang on in there and ignore the flighty digitals! I have hardly used mine since acquiring a Barnack! Keep the faith.
David
There are liars and cheats everywhere, iamzip. My country is no better than others, nor worse. I shall venture to say that those who sell photographic equipment do not necessarily know much about it, or anything at all.
There are liars and cheats everywhere, iamzip. My country is no better than others, nor worse. I shall venture to say that those who sell photographic equipment do not necessarily know much about it, or anything at all.
That's a good point. Just because he's selling it doesn't mean he knows anything about it.
Just checked - it has cleared customs and is in New York!
Let us know when it arrives and post some pics of it. Also, +1 for Youxin Ye. He just did a CLA on my IIIc, replaced the shutter curtains, and put in a new beamsplitter, for a very reasonable price, and did it all in a week! And he threw in a leather case too.
I'd be interested in hearing about the condition of the lens, too.
It's here! amazingly, everything seems to be working. Not that it couldn't use a CLA, but couldn't hurt to run a roll through either. The front RF window that appeared to be missing glass and a bezel has a square piece of glass behind the opening; is there another piece of glass that goes in front of this? bezel is definitely missing though, and the other RF window is cracked, but it's hard to tell when looking through it.
Biggest disappointment is the lens, it has fungus and looks like other stuff going on as well. So, who can I send the lens to?
I will post some pics later in the week when I have more time.
The front RF window that appeared to be missing glass and a bezel has a square piece of glass behind the opening; is there another piece of glass that goes in front of this?
There is a slip-on round wedge glass that fits in place them the bezel screws on over it..
Biggest disappointment is the lens, it has fungus and looks like other stuff going on as well. So, who can I send the lens to?
I will post some pics later in the week when I have more time.
I'd contact DAG for the lens cleaning..
Took me a while, but here are some pics. Upon playing with it some more, the shutter speeds appear to be way off - in fact, I'm not sure the shutter is opening at all. I told myself that if it didn't work, I would just try to resell it to someone who wanted to repair it, but now that I have it in my hands...
Well, how much does Youxin charge for a CLA, and how do I contact him?
Took me a while, but here are some pics. Upon playing with it some more, the shutter speeds appear to be way off - in fact, I'm not sure the shutter is opening at all. I told myself that if it didn't work, I would just try to resell it to someone who wanted to repair it, but now that I have it in my hands...
Well, how much does Youxin charge for a CLA, and how do I contact him?
I have had Youxin Ye work on a lens and a camera for Me and he just updated the rangefinder glass so I can see better and this camera was a basket case
His price's are very resonable trust me on that an a lot of folks here use him:
his Email Youxin Ye <wye7@yahoo.com>
BTW he is leaving for china at the end of april 2010 so you best catch him before he leave's
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