Leica LTM Am I a fool?

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
I picked my black Leica ll up from ebay for just under $200.00 a couple of years ago but I might just quantify why it was so cheap. The camera was in very nice condition with minimal brassing BUT it had a bloody great ugly flash sync on the front of the body ... one of the ones that mounts externally with three small screws! Because no purist was going to pay top dollar for something that looked like this it went very cheaply ... whereas I looked and thought 'big deal ... that can be removed!'

I subsequently sent the camera off to Youxin for a CLA and asked him to remove the synch and put a new cover on it, which he did. At the time I bought the camera they were fetching up to $400.00 in average condition so I was well pleased that the 'Leicanistas' didn't seem to want this ugly camera! :D


IMG_2497.jpg



IMG_3199.jpg
 
Last edited:
lawnpotter said:
Keith I will give you $202.00 for your camera( I want you to make a profit) You can put the flash sinc back. I dont mind.
Click to expand...


LOL ... nice try! :D

I wonder if the person who put the synch on my ll back whenever was thinking ... "I wonder if this will decrease it's value in the future?"

:p


edit ... I meant to add if you really want a black ll, IMO just do it and spend the extra money. It will never be worth any less than whatever you have to pay for it which when you think about it is much the same as a new Bessa body!
 
Last edited:
Well, you would only be a fool if you think it's a foolish expenditure, because then you'd be fulfilling the old adage: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

But seriously, it's up to you. It's a bit pricey, but pricey is relative. The CEO of J.P. Morgan, for example, wouldn't even blink at this expenditure.
 
Jsu. I have a IIIg that is very beautiful. Too beautiful for me. I am afraid I am hooked. I want to try all Barnacks now. But in most cases you cant try unless you buy cause they are all over the world. This forum is helpful when deciding on a camera you cant see.
 
lawnpotter said:
Jsu. I have a IIIg that is very beautiful. Too beautiful for me. I am afraid I am hooked. I want to try all Barnacks now. But in most cases you cant try unless you buy cause they are all over the world. This forum is helpful when deciding on a camera you cant see.
Click to expand...


I decided I needed to try all the Barnacks and at one stage had lllf, lllf RDST, lllC, lllG and of course the ll. The Leica ll stayed, the rest went!

I don't know if it was because it was black or I just like the stripped down simplicity ... but the ll was the camera that really represented what a Barnack was all about to me.

To be honest as beautiful as it was I found the lllG unappealing ... too many whistles and bells! :D
 
Kieth my IIIg is just too pretty. I am scared to use it. The leica II I think would be a great match for the IIIg. It is lite and I could take it every where with my elmar. I think maybe the IIIg could be great for thoughtful shooting cause the focusing is so accurate. I think if I sold my IIIg I would regret it. But it looks new, I dont want to use it, what a dilema
 
lawnpotter said:
Kieth, is the Leica II a lot smaller than the IIIF ? and is the IIIf a lot smaller than the IIIG? Thanks
Click to expand...

I'm not totally sure about the size of the ll ... it feels smaller than a lllf but then again it has no low speed dial hanging of the front and mine has no strap lugs ... physically though I think it's the same size as a lll ... possibly a bit lower I think?

It is however much smaller then a lllG ... the lllG really is starting to get to M dimensions IMO ... particularly because of it's extra height.
 
"To be honest as beautiful as it was I found the lllG unappealing ... too many whistles and bells! "

I found the same thing as Keith with the IIIg
It was the only Leica that I got rid of.
 
xayraa33 said:
"To be honest as beautiful as it was I found the lllG unappealing ... too many whistles and bells! "

I found the same thing as Keith with the IIIg
It was the only Leica that I got rid of.
Click to expand...


Gee-whiz, since nobody "likes" the III-g, you'd think they'd be dirt-cheap... :rolleyes:
 
lawnpotter said:
Kieth my IIIg is just too pretty. I am scared to use it. The leica II I think would be a great match for the IIIg. It is lite and I could take it every where with my elmar. I think maybe the IIIg could be great for thoughtful shooting cause the focusing is so accurate. I think if I sold my IIIg I would regret it. But it looks new, I dont want to use it, what a dilema
Click to expand...

There is an elegant simplicity in the II, very compact with no extra nobs or dials on the body. I have a II and a IIIf, and 9 times out of 10, I grab the II on my way out the door.
 
Thanks to this thread. I am looking hard now for one. I have been waiting all day for keith's PM, but it hasn't happened yet. His loss
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom