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Leica III black-and-nickel best of all? |
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07-12-2018
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#1
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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Leica III black-and-nickel best of all?
When shooting a black-and-nickel Leica III I have the feeling that it is the best Leica of all, so smooth, so precise, so good ...
Not really expensive, mine cost me EUR 160.
Leica III black-and-nickel, Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5, 400-2TMY.
Erik.

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07-13-2018
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#2
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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These are the camera and the lens I did the pictures above with.
Erik.

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07-13-2018
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#3
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Registered User
lynnb is offline
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Location: Sydney
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I think it's the prettiest of the Barnacks, Erik. To my mind, the prettiest camera, period.
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07-13-2018
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#4
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Revisited
Highway 61 is offline
Join Date: Apr 2008
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The black and nickel III model F is a very beautiful camera. Yet this is the lens which took those very nice photos not the camera.
And that lens is a modern Japanese computed shell not a vintage hand made German thing...
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07-13-2018
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#5
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Highway 61
This is the lens which took those very nice photos not the camera.
And that lens is a modern Japanese computed shell not a vintage hand made German thing.
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Hmm, I tried to take pictures with only the lens, without the camera, but that did not work out.
Erik.
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07-13-2018
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#6
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Revisited
Highway 61 is offline
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You may try to mount the lens on another camera and look for subtle differences on the pictures. Who knows.
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07-13-2018
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#7
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Highway 61
You may try to mount the lens on another camera and look for subtle differences on the pictures. Who knows.
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I did, many differences. Compared to an M the Leica III has a slow running shutter. Gives a totally different effect when photographing moving subjects.
The rangefinder is very precise, it is in view enlarged 1,5 times so in fact better than an M2.
Erik.
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07-13-2018
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#8
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Western Australia
mcfingon is offline
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Location: Western Australia
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Here's one from my 1933 III with a period-appropriate 1935 nickel Elmar 5cm/3.5 on it:

John Mc
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07-13-2018
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#9
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Western Australia
mcfingon is offline
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Location: Western Australia
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My III and nickel lens.

John Mc
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07-13-2018
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#10
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Registered User
Richard G is offline
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I have a III with chrome fittings, 244420 from 1937. Very smooth. Smoother than my II and IIIf.
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Richard
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07-13-2018
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#11
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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Very nice shot with the Elmar, mcfingon. I have the same lens, nr. 244451. Have you ever cleaned the optical elements? Not much flare in this sunny shot. I cleaned mine recently, but have not tested it yet.
Erik.
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07-13-2018
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#12
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Registered User
Mr_Flibble is offline
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Location: The Lowlands
Age: 42
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Alas, I don't own a Black/Nickel Leica III,
Someone on here sold me one once a few years ago, but it 'disappeared in the mail'. Luckily it was insured 
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07-13-2018
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#13
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Western Australia
mcfingon is offline
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Location: Western Australia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Erik van Straten
Very nice shot with the Elmar, mcfingon. I have the same lens, nr. 244451. Have you ever cleaned the optical elements? Not much flare in this sunny shot. I cleaned mine recently, but have not tested it yet.
Erik.
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My lens is 243166, Erik, so very close. I have cleaned inside the lens, but there was only a small amount of haze on the element just behind the aperture, and it was easily cleaned with alcohol on a cotton bud. I didn't have to worry about removing coatings, as there are none. When I did this photo I was standing in the shade, so that minimised flare. And now I have a lens hood and leave that on all the time.
John Mc
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07-13-2018
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#14
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_Flibble
Alas, I don't own a Black/Nickel Leica III,
Someone on here sold me one once a few years ago, but it 'disappeared in the mail'. Luckily it was insured 
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Boy, what a story.
The great features of the III are the strap lugs, the enlarged rangefinder image, the smoother shutter/film transport and the long speeds. The long speeds are generated in a breathtaking simple way. If clean, they work very well.
Somehow the camera has a more solid feel compared with the earlier models.
Erik.
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07-13-2018
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#15
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Registered User
Mr_Flibble is offline
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It was about the same time a signed copy of "Shots of War" by Vaccaro I had bought disappeared in the mail too...
Once my Credit Card debt has been paid off this month I might decide to finally invest in one to overcame my trauma.
I confess I had been eyeing one over at MK Optics earlier this year, but it sold a few weeks back.
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Rick - In Tabulas Argenteas Refero
Loaded with film: Contax I
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07-13-2018
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#16
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Registered User
lynnb is offline
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Location: Sydney
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I have a IIIc #494682 (1949-50) and IIIf #620503 (1952-53), both in chrome. I prefer the IIIc; it seems smoother. Currently suffering Elmar-GAS, but very happy with the lenses I have.
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07-13-2018
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#17
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Family Snaps
davidnewtonguitars is offline
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Beaumont, TX
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Having owned a IIIc, and then a II, I sold the IIIc. I didn't use slow speeds and the II just runs so much smoother. Mine was a early post war IIIc, so it could have been a hurry-up "loose build".
I have yet to fall for a BP. I'm a child of the '50's so I must love chrome.

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07-13-2018
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#18
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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The other black/nickel III earlier in this thread is a relative late one (I could not determine in wich year the last black/nickel III's were made) but this is a relative early one. This one has no click stops on the long times and the layout of the top deck is a bit different: on the later ones D.R.P. is written between "Leica" and "Ernst Leitz" and on the earler ones D.R.P. is below "Wetzlar".
This shot I've made with ths camera and with this lens.
Erik.

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07-13-2018
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#19
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Registered User
Roger Hicks is offline
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Aquitaine
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After this many decades, sample variation will count more than anything else. The smoothest Leica I ever had was a black M3 -- but for me, a 35mm user, its smoothness was more than offset by the fact that it was an M3.
For me, IIs and original Leicas are even prettier than IIIs.
Cheers,
R.
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07-13-2018
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#20
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Chasing Shadows ... Light
helenhill is offline
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Location: New Yawk
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What is the Difference
between a Blk/ nickel II and blk/nickel III ??
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07-13-2018
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#21
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Registered User
Roger Hicks is offline
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Location: Aquitaine
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Quote:
Originally Posted by helenhill
What is the Difference
between a Blk/ nickel II and blk/nickel III ??
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Dear Helen,
Slow speeds on the III. You set the top dial to 1-20 and the slow speed dial can then be set at 1/20 to 1 second.
Cheers,
R.
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07-13-2018
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#22
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Michael
Dralowid is offline
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2,520
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My first Leica and my favourite though the lugs are getting a bit thin. Note the date, only serviced once since then. The II is also beautifully simple but I think the rangefinder magnification of a III is a real bonus.
IMG_2477 by dralowid, on Flickr
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07-13-2018
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#23
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,752
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dralowid
My first Leica and my favourite though the lugs are getting a bit thin.
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A good repairman can make steel inserts in the lugs.
In 1965 the camera was already 30 years old.
Erik.
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07-13-2018
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#24
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Michael
Dralowid is offline
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Location: United Kingdom
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Erik van Straten
In 1965 the camera was already 30 years old.
Erik.
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...and I think roughly the same price (as in £s not 'value') as it would have been when new.
(could be wrong about this but it is too late in the evening to go hunting for my old catalogues)
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07-13-2018
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#25
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Registered User
iphoenix is offline
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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1938 British Journal Leitz ad. (p. 605) shows the III in chrome, inc. Elmar at L31-16-0.
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07-14-2018
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#26
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Michael
Dralowid is offline
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Location: United Kingdom
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Again from memory, those flashy new fangled chrome models were more expensive than black...
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07-14-2018
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#27
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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Leica III, Elmar 35mm f/3.5 nickel, 400-2TMY.
Erik.

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07-14-2018
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#28
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'the shifty looking guy'
matchat is offline
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Sheffield, England
Age: 32
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In the latter half of 2017 I spent too much time dithering over whether to buy a black paint Leica iii from eBay when prices were quite reasonable. When I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a Barnack the black paint models seemed to dry up so I ended up with a chrome iiia. I've had a look since then and haven't seen any black paint models anywhere near as cheap which is a shame.
Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk
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07-14-2018
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#29
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Leica II is The One
johannielscom is offline
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Dutch members: there's one on Marktplaats for 325, nickel Elmar included. Same seller also lists a chrome III serial 85xxx (black to chrome factory conversion!) for 275, again Elmar included. And has a chrome Standard 1938 but oddly enough no strap lugs. Asking for 225 there.
I don't know this seller but I do know the contents of my wallet (zilch) so I'm not getting them. 
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07-14-2018
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#30
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Registered User
Roger Hicks is offline
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Aquitaine
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The first Leica I ever used was my girlfriend's black 2, factory converted from an original: serial number 23010. She paid £20 for it in 1969 or 1970: about £250-300 inflation adjusted for today.
Cheers,
R.
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07-14-2018
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#31
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Family Snaps
davidnewtonguitars is offline
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Beaumont, TX
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There is a BP II with lens for sale at the Leica San Francisco store. From the numbers it is from the first batch of II's in 1932. $850.
https://www.leicastoresf.com/357584
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07-14-2018
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#32
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Western Australia
mcfingon is offline
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Location: Western Australia
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Another favourite of mine shot with the III and nickel Elmar 5cm.

John Mc
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07-18-2018
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#33
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Barnack fan
lxmike is offline
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Location: Co Durham NE England
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this thread is making me very excited at the arrival of my black and nickel III
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Currently loaded: Leica IIIc. IIIg and Bronica ERTS.
Glass currently in regular use: Canon 50mm f1.5 Leica LTM (Sonnar), Leitz Summaron 3.5cm, CV Nokton 50mm 1.5
myblog:lifefromawindow
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07-18-2018
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#34
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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Posts: 7,752
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Leica III, Elmar 50mm f/3.5 uncoated, 400-2TMY
Erik.
Leica III, Elmar 35mm f/3.5 uncoated, 400-2TMY.

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07-18-2018
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#35
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... likes film.
maddoc is offline
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Last month I bought a black II/nickel with 50/3.5 nickel from a US store for US$540 from eBay. Also first batch of the II (1932)
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidnewtonguitars
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07-18-2018
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#36
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Registered User
Contarama is offline
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What does Dxomark whatever rate it ?
Bout 103.2 I reckon and at that low low get it done good price lol
Gee thanks Erik that is all I need to be thinking about right now...a Leica 
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Art is the ability to make something...even if it is a big mess...
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07-19-2018
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#37
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Registered User
Erik van Straten is offline
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No black and nickel, but a black and chrome sharkskin. Postwar conversion. Very nice IMO. Now on eBay. (No connection to the seller.)
Erik.

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07-20-2018
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#38
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Barnack fan
lxmike is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Erik van Straten
No black and nickel, but a black and chrome sharkskin. Postwar conversion. Very nice IMO. Now on eBay. (No connection to the seller.)
Erik.
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That's very nice indeed
__________________
Currently loaded: Leica IIIc. IIIg and Bronica ERTS.
Glass currently in regular use: Canon 50mm f1.5 Leica LTM (Sonnar), Leitz Summaron 3.5cm, CV Nokton 50mm 1.5
myblog:lifefromawindow
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07-20-2018
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#39
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Registered User
Deardorff38 is offline
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unnamed 1934 Leica iii black/nickel
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07-20-2018
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#40
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Registered User
Deardorff38 is offline
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unnamed, on Flickr 1934 iii
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