xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
The some of the late production Leica II did use the Leica III or IIIa or IIIb body shell hence the blanked out slow speed dial location and the strap lugs.
Real or Fake
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haempe
Well-known
Really? I have seen this only with IIc (and later) or upgraded cameras...
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
Yup, I seen two like this at the Toronto Camera Show through the years.
Along with that Photo Arsenal Leica II link that I posted above, here is another one:
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1424486
Notice the serial number range that these type of late Leica II came in.
chris00nj
Young Luddite
haempe
Well-known
Thanks. Interesting. It seems as if there were nothing, that does not exist in Leicaland. 🙂
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
that link provides interesting information. for instance, it also states this comes from a small batch and also lists starting and ending serial number of that batch. i'm wondering if the camera on sale in the OP is withint that serial range?
furthermore, that liveauctioneers link also states that it was a 2005 leicashop vienna listing and those guys are in the know when it comes to rare and collectible leica gear! very likely the prices on this kinda stuff have risen since then. it didn't sell back then, but it might sell easily nowadays.
I'd say this is definitely worth a look-over in person.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
You are so right about that!
It makes for an exciting hobby for collectors or for collectors of a particular genre of Leica, always something new to learn.
Odd that the Leica II was in production till 1948 when the IIc was around.
Last serial number was 358850 from a small batch that was assembled in that year and even that is probably not written in stone.
haempe
Well-known
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
No, the Leica II never had factory diopter correction, even late production ones. They had the 1:1 RF mag. not the 1.5x of the later ones starting from the Leica III.
But after saying that there could be several modified Leica II with that diopter and 1.5x feature because remember, it is possible to do just that on this model and anything is possible in this world.
The OP's camera can only be 100% ascertained in person and even that might involve some disassembly to be super sure of what the owner has and that this particular example is factory original .
But from those tiny not so clear photos I would say it looks to be a war time or later production Leica II similar to what these two high priced auction houses are selling.
It would help to know the serial number of the OP Leica II.
haempe
Well-known
You've convinced me!
(Note to myself: Don't believe you know enough about Leicas...🙂)
btw: The one in your first link (the post-war one) has the correction lever.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
An in-person inspection by a qualified individual is the only way to ascertain to what the seller is actually selling.
It certainly be of interest to a collector especially a collector of war time Leicas if that Leica II fell into that serial number range.
I do not think the OP is interested in collecting and would be happy with a fuller featured run of the mill and readily available and cheaper priced Leica IIIa for the Barnack experience for actual use and that makes more sense.
peterm1
Veteran
The camera looks about right to me. There are some obvious giveaways with Feds and Zorkis and once you know what to look for its hard to confuse a Leica and a Russian knockoff. This camera has the correct viewfinder / rangefinder window shapes at the front and the correct shutter release collar for example.) It would take a lot of effort to make a Fed for example to look exactly like a real Leica as it woudl involve physical changes to the body shell.
As to whether its a 111a or something like this ie a later and less rare model that's been converted to a more rare model 11 its hard for me to tell from these photos. I do not have my reference books in front of me but there is one thing that gives me slight pause - I did not think that models 11 and 111 had strap eyelets. But that is not in any event a clear indicator as they could have been added later. (I had a 111a from the 1930s that had flash sync including the 111f shutter release and collar added in the 1950s plus the Elmar (also having a 1936 serial no which had been coated.) Such updates by Leica were commonly offered.
As to whether its a 111a or something like this ie a later and less rare model that's been converted to a more rare model 11 its hard for me to tell from these photos. I do not have my reference books in front of me but there is one thing that gives me slight pause - I did not think that models 11 and 111 had strap eyelets. But that is not in any event a clear indicator as they could have been added later. (I had a 111a from the 1930s that had flash sync including the 111f shutter release and collar added in the 1950s plus the Elmar (also having a 1936 serial no which had been coated.) Such updates by Leica were commonly offered.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
Like I said it is possible to do just that on this model and anything is possible in this world.
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