please help me identify this IIIF, RD or BD?

[guoshuo]

it is red dial literally, according to the picture attached. However the serial no. begin with 55 and the shutter speed likely belongs to a BD type, for instance a 1/30. Can you help me identify it? I care since I've heard a RD's shutter sound is lighter. Thanks in advance.

$(KGrHqJ,!h!E9oZvvGFrBPonvBGFs!~~60_57 by GuoShuo, on Flickr

[FrankS]

May have been a factory upgrade/conversion.

Just to be sure: Is it the numbers for the flash delay, on the top deck around the shutter speed dial, that are red?

Check this link, point #8. http://www.peeble.com/screwmount.htm

[VictorM.]

The fast speeds on a black dial start at 1/30, and 1/25 on a red dial.

[L David Tomei]

From the shutter speed of 1/30 and the 55xxxx number, it is almost certainly a BD from 1951. I'm not sure that the sound of the RD light weight shutter is much softer than a BD shutter in good condition, though.

[xayraa33]

It is a BD IIIf, shutter sounds vary from camera to camera.

I have a quiet BD IIIf and a loud RD IIIf even after CLA.

Just because the RD IIIf uses ball-bearings in the shutter does not mean every example is near silent in operation.

[guoshuo]

Thank you guys, I got it. By the way xayraa33, where is the ball-bearing located? and all leica-m has the ball-bearings? Thanks.

[xayraa33]

Originally Posted by guoshuo

Thank you guys, I got it. By the way xayraa33, where is the ball-bearing located? and all leica-m has the ball-bearings? Thanks.

The ball bearings are at the main shutter roller in the lower part.