Leica IIIf - Pricing?

[angeloks]

I have the possibility of buying a Leica IIIf in pristine condition. The tag price is 570us (I could maybe negociate it a bit). I wanted to know what you guys paid for your IIIf and what is the condition? Is 570us way too much for one in excellent condition?

Thanks,
Julien

[Solinar]

Hello Julian, to me it sounds over priced. Is this from a dealer?

A couple of years back I bought a user IIIf Black Dial in good condition off this web site for $275. A good looking and well functioning camera, but one that had seen some considerable use.

My current IIIf RD/ST, the last version of the IIIf is flawless and barely used. From a seller that was uninterested in photography. I was able to purchase it, with the last version of the Elmar 50/3.5 mounted for $375. It needed a full CLA, as it had been sitting for decades according to the seller and she was correct.

My IIIg, which also needed a CLA was only $500 US. It's has a couple marks from the Metrolux meter being installed and removed.

[cary]

I just purchased a IIIF, black dial in excellent plus condition, for $335, from DAG who also did the CLA.

Cary Chin

[colyn]

That's a bit too much for a body without a lens..

Even with a lens you should be able to get one for less..

[David Murphy]

Originally Posted by angeloks

I have the possibility of buying a Leica IIIf in pristine condition. The tag price is 570us (I could maybe negociate it a bit). I wanted to know what you guys paid for your IIIf and what is the condition? Is 570us way too much for one in excellent condition?

Thanks,
Julien

$250-300 can sometimes get you a good recently CLA'ed body here or on eBay if you are patient. The safest option is to pay less and plan on a shutter curtain replacement and general CLA (around $200 or a bit less perhaps). About half the Leica bottom loaders (and their clones) I've bought recently need this despite what the owner said about the condition. DAG camera does at great job at this and there are plenty of other competent repair men in most cities who can do this as well.

[dll927]

If e-bay is any criterium, the prices on LTMs seem to vary all over the map. You see them on there for as much as $15-1800 dollars. Could be that somebody is trying to 'pull your leg', but the bidding system can inflate prices beyond what would seem appropriate. But quite often even the "buy it now" prices seem overly elevated.

[onespeed]

This past january I bought one cla'ed with a coated summitar and leica turret finder plus a case and 4 100'ft rolls of film and the loader for a cool 250.00
short story long keep looking the deals are out there
it came off of craigslist
Robert

[xayraa33]

that is way too much for a IIIf.
I bought a nice one for $225.

[thetooth]

Sounds Like Alot . I Purchased A Nice Red Dial With A Engraving In Almost Mint Condition ( Except For The Engraving A Man's Last Name And Social Security Number ) For $190.00 From Eb@y . I Would Look Around A Little More . Mine Has A Serial Number Of 62****

[Jocko]

The answer really hinges on where the buyer is. By current exchange rates $570 is a more than reasonable UK price. Ffordes, by no means the most expensive dealers, have IIIf bodies at up to $900 and I'd imagine that similar prices could be found throughout the EU.

Cheers, Ian

[lkgroup]

I paid $199 without a lens two years ago. It had been CLA shortly before I got it. It wasn't a collectable, but a very functionable leica.

Leo

[angeloks]

Ok, thanks for your inputs. I'll keep an eye on the Classified section. I hope that a nice one will show up!

[Leigh Youdale]

I bought two IIIf's last year through EBay. One from South America included a collapsible Summitar f2/50 for $549, and one from Germany at Eur 349 for which i acquired a mint collapsible Elmar f3.5/50 in USA for $150.

Had both CLA'd. The Summitar needed dismantling and cleaning and the camera needed a new shutter curtain. You're probably thinking that's too much. All in all they probably each cost about $600, but I don't care - I've got two wonderful, near mint vintage Leicas that I use regularly at home and for overseas travel.

[mike goldberg]

Hi...
Who is DAG, and where is he?
Thanks, mike

[payasam]

DAG is Don Goldberg. There is a website: dagcamera, I think.