I salvaged a Leica from a garage sale for $1.00. It's old, and it's not in great shape. The lens appears to have fungus or a haze, especially on the front element near the outer edges. Could just be dirty, I haven't tried to clean it. The shutter seems sticky. It's missing part of the leather cover on the front of the camera. It says Leica D.R.P.
Ernst Leitz Wetzlar on the top, and serial number 397234. The lens is a Leitz Elmar 5cm 1:3,5 serial 599490 (very small numbers on the black ring surrounding the front of the lens). From reading other posts, I believe that this is a model II. I'm not really interested in using this camera (and I doubt it is usable), but I'd like to know a little more about it, especially the model number and when it was made. Can anyone help me identify it? That was a bunch of fast responses. Thanks, guys!I guess I'm not really surprised that these old Leicas can still be repaired.
I love old vintage cameras, particularly fully mechanical ones. After inspecting this one, though, I didn't think it would be worth repairing because of the lens and the sticky shutter. But I've been firing the shutter, and it's starting to loosen up.
Leica 35mm Summilux Serial Numbers
Overall, it seems to be mechanically functional. Perhaps I'll have it repaired after all if I can find a service facility. Anyone know of any good ones, especially around Dallas?Loading film into the camera doesn't seem all that straightforward, and there are other controls that aren't intuitively obvious (to me, anyway). Like that little lever in front of the shutter release button with the R A next to it.Does it use standard 35mm cassettes? Are there any web-based instruction guides that show how to load and shoot the model IIIc?
Get the Elmar cleaned and adjusted and use it! If you want more speed go ahead and buy a Summitar, but keep the Elmar. It is the most compact of any lens you can find for your Leica. Stopped down it will produce pictures so close to the quality of faster and more expensive lenses that only an expert? can tell the difference. I still have and use my old 38 Elmar and though I know it isnt quite as good as my Red Scale, what little difference is hardly important to me.
Go ahead, get a faster lens, but hang on to that Elmar; the more you use it the more youll love it! BTW, the reason I asked about the color of the shutter and the K mark was that some of the wartime IIIcs were equipped with ball bearing shutters for use in cold weather conditions, the shutter was stamped with a K, and sometimes a K was stamped next to the serial number. Also, some of the early IIIcs had red shutter curtains made from clothe obtained from Kodak, and used when the black material was in short supply. If you are into the historical bent, then get a copy of Dennis Laneys Leica Collectors Guide, published by Hove Collector Books.
You dont have to be a collector to be a user, but it is nice to know the history of your tools. Skip: The camera was made in either 1937 or 1938, and apperas to be an early model IIIb. I can't be sure from the pictures, but check to see if it has a combination viewfinder and rangefinder sort of in one window in the back, and see if there is a dial below the rewind knob which is a diopter adjustment for the viewfinder.The lens appears to be a standard 50/3.5 Elmar, and probably not coated, but you easily tell by looking at the front element against the light. The coated lens will show blue/purple.It probably is salvageable, but the cost will determine whether its worth it.
The case does have value. If your interested in selling the case, let me know off line.
Leica Contact Number
I feel myself being inexorably drawn into the world of Leica. This is a terrible development, as I doubt I can afford it! But, there appears to be no help for it.
I've been reading on this forum all day. I've ignored all my other plans for the day.
I'm on a hunt now for that book that Harry mentioned. Found several used ones listed at Amazon, but they're pricey. (Leica, go figure!)Melvin, from the serial number, it would appear to be the IIIc built toward the end of the '43 to '46 range. The lens is definitely uncoated.
There is a lever below the film rewind that seems to zoom the rangefinder, but I don't see a diopter adjustment. The leather case is in great condition. I don't want to sell it, and in fact, I now have no thoughts of selling the camera.My plans now call for fix and use. Thanks everybody for the service and repair recommendations.
Time to start making calls. And, to all those who have commented one way or the other, I'll get the Elmar restored regardless of whether or not I buy a Summitar.
No doubt about the Lager & Van Haasbroek volumes (I have them) but they represent a hell of an investment. The Ghester Sartorius book, Identifying Leica Cameras is also an excellent reference. It dont hurt to have them all, but a newbie is better advised to spend money on film. BTW, it is definitely not a IIIb which did not have the unitary top plate or the step under the rewind lever. The serial number definitely identifies it as a wartime IIIc. Sorry, folks, but I am sure that all the authoritative references will so identify it.
Hello all!I'm looking to identify a Leitz Wetzlar Summilux-M f1.4 Black, with Rigid focus ring, Serial 2220472Video Link:I believe to have narrowed down the search, identifying a few of the elements the lens is put together with, but I find it hard to believe it's a rare find. However, I can't seem to find anything similar to this or at least with these exact combination of elements.Serial number: 2220472Starting with the serial number my search shows, based on the links below, the lens was developed between 1966 - 1967. A colleague and I were thinking the same thing about the focus ring or the base.
I don't think it was repainted, it feels like a matte finish, smooth but not glossy paint. The little wear the bayonet ring has reveals a steel color, and there's a little chip on the ring showing steel as well.So rather than a gradual wear of the paint showing blotches of material, like the older brass black painted lenses, it's more of a speckle like the version 2 would wear.DAG didn't mention anything about it being odd or not. I didn't ask either, I wasn't thinking anything of it at the time.
It's unusual definitely. It's hard to tell anodized versus black paint without seeing it in person so we'd have to defer to you and how it looks in person. The intriguing bit is the vertical ribbing at the base. That's weird.I'm guessing you are trying to value that lens appropriately for sale. With something unusual like that, I would contact Westlicht Auctions (I've dealt with Michal Kosakowski, his email is at their site).
And ask him if it is something they would be interested in listing. They can give you a general expectation of what they would think it would sell for. And that can give you some valuation from experts.It's an odd one and even though auction houses take a bite out of profits, if it's collectible, the heavy hitters will see it and that's who you want to buy it. Please keep us updated as this thing is intriguing.edit: After looking some more, the first version Noctilux (f/1.2) used the same vertical ribbed base and that was first manufactured in 1966, so their use of that base was still a consideration before they released the updated Version 2 that had a matching focus ring after the Version 2 that matched the version 1 aesthetics. Something to consider. Thank you everyone that's commented on the thread so far!Update on the research below:As 'Burt Evans' suggested, I reached out to 'Michal Kosakowski' of the Westlicht Photographica Auction - Sales Leica Shop. He replied mentioning a previous auction involving a similar item with 'a black painted scale ring' that they sold previously, then said:'It is a transitional version between the black paint Summilux and later black/chrome 11114 version.
Our estimate in the auction would be around 4000-5000 EUR if it has got a black paint part – without the black paint part it will be around 3000-3500 EUR.' Further research:So the last thing to figure out is if it's the black painted scale ring or if its the black chrome scale ring. The only thing i've noticed as a difference, that's obvious, is glossiness vs matte finish, denoting black paint (glossy) vs black chrome (matte).Any other thoughts on how to tell?.