Leica LTM £832 for a nickle Elmar!

[Bar8barian]

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[loquax ludens]

599490 was produced 1945

Thank you!

It is likely the original lens that came with my IIIc, which is s/n 3972xx. The lists I've seen for screw mount Leica serial numbers indicate it was made between 1943 and 1946. Based on the lens date and the fact that my IIIc serial is near the end of the serial range for those years, I'd guess it's probably an early post-war IIIc. It would be nice to know more precisely.

 

[Bar8barian]

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[maclaine]

From what I gather, the early era of nickel Elmars is a murky one when it comes to when various small changes were made. I have one that says 50mm on the front, has the bizarro f-stop scale of the lens on the right in fourth post in this thread, no serial number, and the "11 O' Clock" infinity lock. My best guess is it was made some time in the early '30s, although if what Nikon Bob says is true (and I have no reason to think otherwise), then it's even a couple years older than that.

 

[maclaine]

I should also say, I hadn't planned on selling this lens because I thought it was pretty neat, even if it was my fourth 50mm lens for my M6, but if people are willing to pay that much money, I might be tempted.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Internally engraved serial numbers on the metal of the inner lens cell is interesting. I am not about to disassemble my non externally serial numbered Elmar to find out but if some other soul wants to do theirs, by all means let us know for sure. Anybody know if Leica had external serial numbers on the non standard removable lenses as they would have been serial numbered to the matching body?

Bob

 

[Nikon Bob]

Yea, info on early Elmars is clear as mud so who really knows what is what, especially considering factory and other lens up grade possibilities. The book I have lists about 22 versions of the Elmar all told. Lots of room for speculation but one thing is for sure and that is one in good shape is still surprisingly capable.

Bob

 

[Luddite Frank]

" But no one has yet commented on the silly money this one (supposedly) sold for. Is this a new price point for nickle Elmars? "

The metal bits appear to be almost mint... the glass appears to be very clean... might just be that this is the nicest nickel Elmar that has become available for a while...

My 1932 Leica II / Elmar outfit has moderate brassing on the camera body, and light brassing on the lens: front surface of the blackened ring around front element of lens, and the wear surface of the release button of the Infinity lock... there's no brassing on the collapsible barrel ( I have Summars that have all the nickel worn off the barrel!), but the rest of the nickel looks a bit dingy...

This is the nicest looking nickel Elmar that I 've seen...

Not sure which is rarer, "11 o'clock" Nickel Elmars with standard interchangeable mount, or "7 o'clock" Nickel Elmars with standard mount... ?

I can't use my "11 o'clock" Elmar on my Leica III's because the Infinity lock interferes with the slow-speeds knob...

 

[loquax ludens]

Might be worthwhile asking LEICA TOM on this forum about your IIIc.He knows most about these wartime/post-wartime IIIc's and yours could turn out to be a "full" or "half-race" IIIc.

I found some posts by Leica Tom and others about "half race" IIIc. I don't actually know how to tell if it is half race or full race, but my s/n 3972xx does have the stepped rewind/advance lever platform like in Leica Tom's avatar. So from what I've read, I suppose it must be the half race type.

I'll start a new thread. I apologize to the OP for hijacking this one.

 

[john neal]

I found some posts by Leica Tom and others about "half race" IIIc. I don't actually know how to tell if it is half race or full race, but my s/n 3972xx does have the stepped rewind/advance lever platform like in Leica Tom's avatar. So from what I've read, I suppose it must be the half race type.

I'll start a new thread. I apologize to the OP for hijacking this one.

Tom will confirm, but it looks like a post war machine to me - 1946 probably, I had one from the same batch. There is a fair chance that it could be a non-stamped K, but you would have to have it stripped down to confirm. Unlikely to be a half-race, the serials for those are somewhat earlier. Would be a great user, whatever 🙂

 

[Kherberos]

My unnumbered nickle Elmar is marked f=5cm 1:3,5 like the chrome (left) example in the photo the vendor posted not f=50mm as on his.

Mine, is the same as the one on the right of the picture… except it is written 1:3,5 F=50mm. The lettering is also a bit different.

Its serial is 154XXX

And it is in ultra clean, beautiful condition. I got it for 140 euros.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Was trying to read-up on this last night in my Hove "Pocket Leica Guide", and they state that the early lenses, w/o the serial stamped in the front lens ring, had the number "scratched into the focusing mount, and is visible upon disassembling the lens"...

So, anyone sending their "unumbered" Leitz lens out for CLA, might want to request that the service techs make note of any numbers scratched into the inside bits, and write them down on the service invoice for future reference...

 

[Nikon Bob]

That would have been handy to know years ago when I had mine CLA'd by DAG. Live and learn they say, maybe next time round. Thanks Frank for confirming that there are internal serial numbers.

Bob