greyelm
Malcolm
Just a question to answer my curiosity
I have recently obtained a 1938 Leica II s/n 2946xx and notice that the rewind clutch lever has an extra piece of metal which engages with the top cover when set to A. My IIIA, IIf & IIIf do not have this extra piece of metal, is this a design feature of all model II's or is it just this year? Also the speed dial has 20-1 on it which I thought was meant for those with a slow speed dial on the front, it could be a replacement or was it the 'standard' dial used in 1938?
I have recently obtained a 1938 Leica II s/n 2946xx and notice that the rewind clutch lever has an extra piece of metal which engages with the top cover when set to A. My IIIA, IIf & IIIf do not have this extra piece of metal, is this a design feature of all model II's or is it just this year? Also the speed dial has 20-1 on it which I thought was meant for those with a slow speed dial on the front, it could be a replacement or was it the 'standard' dial used in 1938?
Livesteamer
Well-known
I have never seen that. It looks too neat to be from a broken die. Maybe it's some kind of different lever they were testing. My 1934 Leica II has the normal kind of lever. Joe
martin_t
Established
My black '39 IId has one exactly like yours, whereas my '36 IIIa has the normal lever.
David Hughes
David Hughes
The speed dial's "20-1" or vice versa appears on all mine of that vintage (give or take a year or two) with and without slow speed dials.
Can't comment on the lever, sorry.
Regards, David
Can't comment on the lever, sorry.
Regards, David
colyn
ישו משיח
Many of the early Leicas had this style of rewind lever so it is normal.
My Leica III also has it..
My Leica III also has it..
John Shriver
Well-known
My IIIa has that lever.
Luddite Frank
Well-known
My 1932 Leica II, two 1933 Leica III's, and the "daily driver" 1934 III all have the "normal" type re-wind/advance lever.
radiocemetery
Well-known
My IIIb has that lever. My IIIa does not.
john neal
fallor ergo sum
The knob looks like a IIIa one, and the lever could be too - I have seen this use of available parts before on the II / III range. With a '38 II it should be OK with the smaller diameter IIIa knob - the earlier II bodies (1932/33) had the larger dia knob, and it does make a slight difference to shutter speed if you fit the wrong one.
At least it has "Z", not "B", which would indicate a much later knob.......
At least it has "Z", not "B", which would indicate a much later knob.......
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
Mine is from 1934, and does not have the same kind of rewind lever. Mine has the more usual kind. In fact, yours is the first I have seen of that shape lever. Mine does, however, have the 20-1 designation. I looked in Jim Lager's book, but did not see a lever of that type. I imagine it is fairly rare.