Leica LTM Advice on LSM purchase

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
My Leica IIIf BD kit

My Leica IIIf BD kit

Bingley said:
Which LTM: I think your best bet would be a IIIc or a IIIf . . .
Getting the film cartridge to sit correctly: practice, and patience. Many of these discuss whether you really need to trim the film leader or not. What I do these days is to take the lens off, set the shutter to T and open it . . . but I had to send my IIIc back to Youxin Ye for a shutter repair recently after a piece of trimmed film broke off and caused one of the shutter curtains to jam). . . .

Which 50: The Summitar is historically correct for the IIIc, and many IIIcs were sold w/ this lens. It's a wonderful optic, particularly for a vintage look, but it flares very easily and is quite soft wide open (you may want that effect for dreamy portraits). I recently sold the one pictured on my IIIc above. I'm keeping the little Elmar 50/3.5: it's just a wonderful lens, and makes the IIIc coat-pocketable when collapsed. . .

Good luck! And post some pix of the camera.
Click to expand...

Hi Steve and everyone else who discussed my prospective purchase of a Leica last month. It was interesting to be witness to the LSM v M-mount debate.

Some of you may be interested to know that I bought a IIIf BD with the Elmar 50/3.5 from Youxin Ye. It's a gem of a little camera and I am really pleased to have it.

. . . now if I can only get the hang of it. I did manage to load it by clipping the film leader AND taking off the lens (makes little sense to do both, I'm sure): well it seemed to work, but I am mindful of problems that show up later. Anyway, I have now run two rolls through it; there have been some "issues" with focusing and metering so it will be interesting to learn how I have managed.
Mark

Here are some photographs of the camera kit.

(EDIT: uploading didn't work for some reason: here is a link; there are six shots there)

http://s1180.photobucket.com/albums/x418/traveler_101/?action=view&current=PC183042.jpg
 
Earlier cameras put the frames off-centre on the film because modern cassettes are slightly different to 1930s Leica cassettes. This has never caused me a problem with commercial processing and printing. Later cameras with a "pusher" in the bottom plate are immune.

I have never seen uneven spacing.
 
Very nice kit !

My first Leica is was (is ) a III f s/n 600xxx, with a collapsible Summicron.

It's presently sidel-lined waiting for new shutter blinds and a CLA, but it is a really nice camera, just the same !

Which Voigtlander lens is on the camera on photo # 5 ?

Enjoy - share some pictures from it !
 
rogerzilla said:
Earlier cameras put the frames off-centre on the film because modern cassettes are slightly different to 1930s Leica cassettes. This has never caused me a problem with commercial processing and printing. Later cameras with a "pusher" in the bottom plate are immune.

I have never seen uneven spacing.
Click to expand...

You've got a 1930s camera and it works well? I was mindful of problems with framing after scanning camera boards and opted for a more modern camera. Nonetheless the IIIf is my senior, only by one year though. Seems appropriate.

So far loading and advancing the film seems to be fine. I'll see soon how the negatives turn out.
 
Luddite Frank said:
Very nice kit !

My first Leica is was (is ) a III f s/n 600xxx, with a collapsible Summicron.

It's presently sidel-lined waiting for new shutter blinds and a CLA, but it is a really nice camera, just the same !

Which Voigtlander lens is on the camera on photo # 5 ?

Enjoy - share some pictures from it !
Click to expand...

Thanks L.F.! I bet the Summicron is nice. Must be hard to get. The lens you saw is the 15/4.5 Asph Super-Wide Heliar, my first rangefinder lens. I bought for use on my E-P1 and then decided it would do better on Bessa-T. Never imagined three years ago that I would go back to film or that there were reasons for doing so.
 
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