Leica I (35xxx) and nickel Elmar without serial number

[Thomas78]

Hello,

today I have seen a Leica I from 1930 (35xxx) with a normalised M39 flange (marked with a "0") and a 5cm nickel Elmar lens.

The strange thing is that I was not able to find a serial number on it.

Did Leica sell Lenses without serial numbers on their early cameras ?

 

[MISH]

erik

i think he is looking for a number on the lens

 

[Erik van Straten]

erik

i think he is looking for a number on the lens

You are right. Stupid me.

The earliest Elmars are not numbered.

Erik.

 

[johannielscom]

Thomas,

was that camera online somewhere? Would love to see some shots.

My nickel, uncoated, feet-marked, 11 o'clock Elmar is unnumbered too. It lives on a 1932 Leica II, from the first 1,000 Leica II's ever.

 

[Thomas78]

Johan,

I don't think so.



A friend of mine recently got a bunch of cameras from a collector who sold his entire collection because of his age.

One of them is this Leica.
He asked me if I am interested in it, since he knows my interest for (Screw Mount) Leicas.

I think the serial number suggest it originally was a pre "0" camera which was converted later.

 

[bowieknife]

I have an unnumbered '31 or '32 nickel Hektor 5cm simply marked '0'

 

[johannielscom]

Too bad Thomas,

shots would have been nice.

With the Leica I series I always imagine that you can zone focus it with apertures smaller than f5.6 and that you need a ruler to use f4.0 and f3.5, unless focusing past 4 meters so increased DOF will cover focusing errors.

Still if one wants to make the effort it must be a real nice camera to shoot and results of an uncoated Elmar can be great so if the price is right, I won't advise against it 😉

Still hoping for shots in the future, rare to see such an early camera...

 

[Dralowid]

I have recently sold something like this...nice camera but you only need one!

I guess the lens would have been 11 o'clock and no infinity lock???

Pictures would have been handy, one of the things I look for first is whether the accessory shoe is 'round' or 'square'...I work on the basis that if it is square the camera was 'standardised' from new.

Michael

 

[HuubL]

Isn't a 35xxx still a series I(A) camera. That would mean the camera is normalized (o) after 1931. It could be that the original non-numbered fixed lens was refitted in a removable screw mount. Johan's non-numbered Elmar could have such a screw mount, which may be a little less wide than later screw mounts.

I would go for it! They're fun cameras.

 

[Thomas78]

Good news:

I was able to borrow the Leica I and will take some pictures of it tomorrow.

Since I can have it until sunday, I will shoot some film with it.

Does it work without problems with modern casettes or should I load a FILCA casette ?

 

[Livesteamer]

It should work fine with modern cassettes. I have a 1929 Leica 1 and it is a joy to use and educational to get back to basics.

I hope it works well for you. Good Luck, Joe

 

[johannielscom]

For my old model Leica II I use Type 1A cassettes, codeword KASAM. The FILCAs do fit but tbe bottom plate does not have that knifeshaped tab to unlock the FILCAs.

A modern cassette always fits.

Have fun shbooting it! Looking forward to the shots from it!

 

[Thomas78]

Here some shots showing the camera:


IMG_4077b von thomas.78 auf Flickr


IMG_4083 von thomas.78 auf Flickr


IMG_4084b von thomas.78 auf Flickr


IMG_4089 von thomas.78 auf Flickr


IMG_4089c von thomas.78 auf Flickr


IMG_4082 von thomas.78 auf Flickr


IMG_4081 von thomas.78 auf Flickr


IMG_4087b von thomas.78 auf Flickr

 

[HuubL]

Looks very pretty. The number is of a Leica I (A), but the camera is upgraded to a Leica standard. The lens, although not numbered is a 7 o'clock version with a "late" release button. The top plate was probably exchanged as well (square accessory shoe) and a film positioning plate was mounted in the bottom plate. And the body has eyelets, which came first with the Leica III, but also has the screw for the peep hole in the back. The rewind knob is still the early broad type but it sits a little high above the top plate. Can it be pulled up?
An interesting conversion. Leica I (A) to I (C or D)?

edit: and there are only two screws mounting the top plate to the body shell, instead of six, suggesting that it is a I A type.

 

[StaaleS]

Sweet little camera! I have a similar one, No.16600, myself, picked up in Prague last summer but sadly without the Elmar and strap lugs. Nice little shooter though, with a wide-angle lens.

 

[johannielscom]

It has a later type bottom plate, with the provision to open FILCA's.

My 1932 Leica II does not have that yet.

I suspect it was exchanged when the camera was upgraded, also when the strap holes were added.

Nice little kit! And there is a KASAM cassette with it too. I bought six of those over the last 6 months (they are cheap if you pay attention since most people do not know they can still be used, my most expensive one was EUR 16)

Is that lens still clear? Looks a bit cloudy on the shot but that might be the reflection of the aperture.

Nice kit, enjoy 'test driving' it! Thanks for posting!

 

[Dez]

I'd like to know how long the numberless Elmars were produced. Here's a picture of a very lucky find I made on ebay a few years ago. This is a Leica II from the first production batch in 1932, with the "lavatory" shutter dial surround, and it comes with a numberless 11:00 Elmar. I notice it has a strange looking infinity lock. Strangely, although there is almost no sign of wear in the nickel plating of the lens, the retractible barrel is not plated, and shows no sign of ever having been plated.

The camera was very dirty inside and out and required a CLA of both body and lens to make it workable. The photo used in the ebay listing was miserable, and that's probably kept the price way down. It cleaned up very well, and works perfectly.🙂

Cheers,
Dez

 

[HuubL]

I'd like to know how long the numberless Elmars were produced. Here's a picture of a very lucky find I made on ebay a few years ago. This is a Leica II from the first production batch in 1932, with the "lavatory" shutter dial surround, and it comes with a numberless 11:00 Elmar. I notice it has a strange looking infinity lock. Strangely, although there is almost no sign of wear in the nickel plating of the lens, the retractible barrel is not plated, and shows no sign of ever having been plated.

The camera was very dirty inside and out and required a CLA of both body and lens to make it workable. The photo used in the ebay listing was miserable, and that's probably kept the price way down. It cleaned up very well, and works perfectly.🙂

Cheers,
Dez

Great find. It looks like the guard ring around the push button on the lens mount is missing. Don't know about the tube. Usually, they're plated.

 

[johannielscom]

Nice. This is mine:

I notice that my lens has a smaller mounting flange, it does not cover the lens mount completely. And it has no infinity lock. Wonder what caused the variations.


No idea when Leitz started numbering their lenses. Anybody?

EDIT: This site starts listing from 1933 onwards. Also, the Leica Pocket Book contains the same list.

 

[haempe]

For me the only imaginable reason to not numbering a lens is, if its a fixed lens (or a prototype).
I think the most unnumbered Elmars are rebuild (standardized) ex-fixed lenses of Leica I's.
For this speaks also the different details of the infinity-locks, depending on the date of standarization.