Anyone know anything about this Leica

[Erik van Straten]

Hi Johan,

The tip of the rewind lever should rest against the top left side of the raised, pointy index. In this case it is against the top right side, in other words, the lever is too long.

I agree that some parts can be genuine, such as the shutter speed dial.

I did not know that accessories like the one on the release button exists. Maybe they are common in other parts of the world.

I agree that the pictures are bad, but I must say that the picture of the front is very convincing. The vulcanite looks like the real stuff. I miss however the central screw that holds the top plate. Sometimes, on earlier Leica 2's, there are two of them. This screw should be partially visible.

Could be I was too fast in my judgement. I'm sorry. My apologies if that is so.

Erik.

 

[HuubL]

I'm not too well a connaisseur of Barnack Leicas, but I think that Erik's points 3, 5, 7, and possibly also 4 can be explained by the difference in perspective caused by the closeness of the camera to the subject (this was an iphone pic, not one made with a macro lens of 50 or 100mm equivalent).
Another point in favor of this being a true Leica is: why would anyone put so much effort in forging a Leica II? They're not really rare or expensive...

That central screw is possibly there halfway hidden under the lens mount (like it is on my II).

 

[Erik van Straten]

I totally agree with you, Huub, except for 7.

I know the central screw should be halfway hidden by the lens mount, but the other half should be visible. That is however not the case.

Erik.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Just to add to the fun, during WW2 there were reputedly a number of 'Mortimer Street Specials' cobbled together from spares, dummies, scrappers... Mortimer Street was the home of Leica in the UK.

Cheers,

R.

 

[johannielscom]

Just to add to the fun, during WW2 there were reputedly a number of 'Mortimer Street Specials' cobbled together from spares, dummies, scrappers... Mortimer Street was the home of Leica in the UK.

Cheers,

R.

Dear Roger,

That's what was bugging me in my previous post, a 'Mortimer Street Special' (like the term!🙂) indeed. Recently one was shown in another thread that I could not locate anymore, either on the forum or in memory...

Thanks for reminding!

 

[HuubL]

I totally agree with you, Huub, except for 7.

I know the central screw should be halfway hidden by the lens mount, but the other half should be visible. That is however not the case.

Erik.

Despite the low quality of the picture, I think there is a hint of the screw visible (I have an iPad with a retina display... 🙂 😎)

 

[Erik van Straten]

Thank you, Huub, for checking.

Erik.

 

[Dralowid]

The so called 'Mortimer Street Special' is mine Johan, if you remember it has oversize engraving on the serial number and the 'lavatory bowl' shaped moulding...and to make matters worse it is a black III or IIIa, can't remember.

I'll dig it out and post a picture or two.

I can't get to my Leicas right now, apart from my 'users' they are all under boxes and boxes of movie cameras, Arco, Bolex, Christen, Dralowid, Erscam, Leveque etc etc ...now these are things of so little value that I doubt I've bought a fake yet!

Michael

 

[zuiko85]

As a total outsider looking in on 'The Leica Club' this has been a fascinating journey so far. Looks like the OP will just have to get some higher resolution pictures, and especially with the lens off, to solve the mystery.

This also brings up a question that has raddled around in my head for quite a while.

The FSU cameras all have the wedge shaped cam followers, is that right? If so, why didn't the people creating fakes change them to a roller, as in the screw mount Leica's. Was it just too hard to do with the design, or, was it perhaps felt that most people just wouldn't dismount the lens to check. I would have thought there would have been a thriving mini business in converting FED's to what looks like a much superior design.

 

[HuubL]

As a total outsider looking in on 'The Leica Club' this has been a fascinating journey so far. Looks like the OP will just have to get some higher resolution pictures, and especially with the lens off, to solve the mystery.

This also brings up a question that has raddled around in my head for quite a while.

The FSU cameras all have the wedge shaped cam followers, is that right? If so, why didn't the people creating fakes change them to a roller, as in the screw mount Leica's. Was it just too hard to do with the design, or, was it perhaps felt that most people just wouldn't dismount the lens to check. I would have thought there would have been a thriving mini business in converting FED's to what looks like a much superior design.

The effort and money it cost would make the profit negative. Anyway, anyone with a little real interest in Barnacks would spot the fakes anyhow. BTW, I believe the early Feds did have roller cams, but these are more highly valued as original Russian Barnacks than as Leicas.

 

[mexipike]

Still waiting to get a hold of my buddies camera to get some more pics up and we can really get to the bottom of things, sorry for the delay. I'll see if I can just borrow for it a bit so if I miss any pictures we can get them posted up and check everything out. I'm really enjoying the excitement of this discussion.

John

 

[sparrow6224]

Rob: Excellent. Not enough quoting of Cream here. You'll be happy to know, however, that in this case you are in fact quoting the great Mississippi blues man Skip James who wrote the song and recorded it I think in the late 20s or early 30s. Deep Purple did a version too.

 

[john neal]

Rob: Excellent. Not enough quoting of Cream here.

+1 for the above 😉

 

[I Love Film]

Even without seeing the larger photos I will bet anyone here $1000 that it is a genuine Leica.

Absolutely not a Russian/Ukrainian fake.

 

[-Nash-]

I think that camera is a real Leica II.
Its not surprising to see older Leica II or III units with FSU parts on them.
I had a Leica I converted to III (nickel) with a Zorki winding knob and fast speed dial. It also had its shutter release replaced with a official chrome plated one.

 

[I Love Film]

It does not have FSU parts on it.

 

[wolves3012]

I'm not an expert on Leicas but I know my way around the FSUs. Nothing I can see in the photos stands out and says "FSU" to me. Some parts are so similar on both that it'd be hard to tell but the usual giveaways of an FSU fake are not to be seen. That's for the body, anyway.

 

[wolves3012]

The FSU cameras all have the wedge shaped cam followers, is that right? If so, why didn't the people creating fakes change them to a roller, as in the screw mount Leica's. Was it just too hard to do with the design, or, was it perhaps felt that most people just wouldn't dismount the lens to check. I would have thought there would have been a thriving mini business in converting FED's to what looks like a much superior design.

Some fakes certainly had the roller fitted. I've never seen one but I also believe very early FEDs may have had rollers. Those would be worth more than a faked Leica, however.

As for the superiority of the design, the pear and pie-shaped FSU cams are adjustable, making both ends of the RF throw adjustable, not just the infinity end. I've seen claims that this was necessary since the FSU bodies and lenses were not made to Leica's precision, so it made proper adjustment possible. The roller does not have this property, although it should be better for drag and wear. In practice, I've never seen an FSU with obvious wear on the sensor though.

 

[mexipike]

Ok I finally got some more pics

 

[mexipike]

shoot let me come back with a better link...