Show off your Leica WWII Wartime Cameras

CameraQuest · Mar 16, 2015

Share all wartime flavors, all wartime versions, and their lenses, accessories.

This thread can become a valuable reference tool.

Stephen

Mr_Flibble · Mar 16, 2015

My Wartime IIIc cameras.

L to R:
1942 IIIc with Summar
1941 IIIc "Red Curtain" with Summitar
1942 IIIc with Elmar (my main user)
1941 IIIc "Red Curtain" with Xenon, "Leica" has been scratched out from the top
1945 IIIc with Summitar (Sold to the US Army of the Occupation in August 1945

I have a IIIb with MOOLY motor drive, but just discovered I have not uploaded a photo of this thing anywhere. Will correct this soon.

Erik van Straten · Mar 17, 2015

My wartime IIIc.

Vince Lupo · Mar 17, 2015

Used to have this one:

Vince Lupo · Mar 17, 2015

Here's a nice rare one, likely repainted a long time ago:

Melancholy · Mar 17, 2015

Jerevan · Mar 22, 2015

Leica IIIb by Jerevan, on Flickr
Leica IIIb, serial 339184, issued 1939-1940 from a batch of 1000 cameras. Here with a 1951 Elmar and a Figosa strap.

Jerevan · Apr 3, 2015

A second one, marked more by time and bad storage conditions than actual use:

Leica IIIb by Jerevan, on Flickr Leica IIIb, serial 349468, non-export model from a 1940 batch.

It has lost its case (on the back, the snap button has made a small mark in the vulcanite). It smells of what I think is tobacco. Some of the chrome has corroded (via contact with the leather case?). It sticks on speeds slower than 1/20 and on 1/1000s.

I wonder where it has been and who owned it?

I am hoping it is possible to rescue it and give some new life.

maitani · May 9, 2015

interesting, do you know more about this shutter release button,? plain without the dot? (the one with the dot is more commonly seen)

Jerevan said:
A second one, marked more by time and bad storage conditions than actual use:

Leica IIIb by Jerevan, on Flickr Leica IIIb, serial 349468, non-export model from a 1940 batch.

It has lost its case (on the back, the snap button has made a small mark in the vulcanite). It smells of what I think is tobacco. Some of the chrome has corroded (via contact with the leather case?). It sticks on speeds slower than 1/20 and on 1/1000s.

I wonder where it has been and who owned it?

I am hoping it is possible to rescue it and give some new life.

Jerevan · May 16, 2015

maitani said:
interesting, do you know more about this shutter release button,? plain without the dot? (the one with the dot is more commonly seen)

I have no idea actually - neither of my two IIIb have the dot. I guess it is a later design idea.

LeicaTom · Jul 25, 2015

My July built 1945 ex-US Army Leica IIIC K with original matching Elmar f3.5/50mm lens with bakelite cap and a leitz OKARO rangefinder enhancement filter and 3 boxes of 1945 dated Kodak Super X-X film.

Enjoy!

Tom

Bob · Jul 25, 2015

LeicaTom said:
My July built 1945 ex-US Army Leica IIIC K with original matching Elmar f3.5/50mm lens with bakelite cap and a leitz OKARO rangefinder enhancement filter and 3 boxes of 1945 dated Kodak Super X-X film.

Enjoy!

Tom

Show us the camera :bang:

MISH · Jul 25, 2015

my IIIc..... well used, well loved

Erik van Straten · Jul 28, 2015

IIIc red curtain 374820, 1941/1942

Erik.

giganova · Dec 10, 2015

I still have my grandfather's war Leica sitting on a shelf. He was a wartime photographer in the Ministry of Propaganda in, well you guessed it, Nazi Germany. The camera has a swastica engraving.

Do you think it would be morally wrong if I get it restored and make pictures with it? What if I'd only make pictures of subjects the Nazis hated?? 😀

Erik van Straten · Dec 12, 2015

Can you show a picture of the camera? I am curious on wich spot the swastika engraving is made.

Erik.

Dave Little · Jan 9, 2016

Leica 111c 1941-42 Red Blind

Leica 111c 1941-42 Red Blind

This 111c has been stored in it's case for the last 30 years !
needs a strip down and clean,lube ect.
The shutter looks OK but is bit slow in operation.

L1040456 by Dave Little, on Flickr

L1040458 by Dave Little, on Flickr

13Promet · Jan 9, 2016

giganova said:
I still have my grandfather's war Leica sitting on a shelf. He was a wartime photographer in the Ministry of Propaganda in, well you guessed it, Nazi Germany. The camera has a swastica engraving.

Do you think it would be morally wrong if I get it restored and make pictures with it? What if I'd only make pictures of subjects the Nazis hated?? 😀

70+ years later it's history, no moral element involved: post it!

Dave Little · Jan 9, 2016

Leica 111c 1941-42 Red Blind

Leica 111c 1941-42 Red Blind

This 111c has been stored in it's case for the last 30 years !
needs a strip down and clean,lube ect.
The shutter looks OK but is bit slow in operation.

Dave Little · Jan 11, 2016

Leica 111c 1941-42 Red Blind

Leica 111c 1941-42 Red Blind

I am trying to understand the following note on a French Leica date site
http://www.summilux.net/numeros/index.php

Le boîtier portant le numéro de série 373991 est un IIIc fabriqué en 1941

Note : Peut aussi avoir ŽtŽ fabriquŽ en 1942

What does the Can also have ŽtŽ fabriquŽ in 1942. mean?

It came with a 50/2 Summitar 1940
regards
Dave

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