Leica LTM Barnack Leicas - why do people like them?

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
Krosya

Krosya

Konicaze
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Feb 15, 2006
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HI all,
Well, title says it all, really. Whats wrong with us - people that like, love and use Barnacks? I mean, they are old, difficult to load, small, squinty viewfinders, pain to rewind (or even wind) film, many with poor contrast RF spot. Just overall a PITA cameras, it seems. In the world with superb Leica M system, with all kinds of other cameras - yet we still love those old things. Can anyone explain this? I fall under the same spell - I have M3 and IIIF and find myself reaching for a IIIF at least as often as M3. Why? No idea. Seems it just feels good in my hands. It's difficult to focus sometimes, but I still use it. Am I sick? Is there a cure for this? But.........I just can't help it. And I know there are more people like me out there. People that feel as I do, that there is even more magic to Barnacks than even ever popular M series Leicas.
 
...Am I sick? Is there a cure for this? But.........I just can't help it. And I know there are more people like me out there. People that feel as I do...
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Yep, you're sick. Nope. Nobody else. It's just you...






;)
 
I use them because I have them, and can't justify moving up to an M. I bought my IIIa in 1952, and, more recently, a IIIf RD, and they have seldom let me down when I needed an image. Now that I am addicted to tri-focals, I find an external finder makes them much easier to use. From what I see on the various forums, they seem to require less upkeep than their newer siblings.

Jim N.
 
Okay, just kiddin'. We're all sick - sick 'n happy. I've got two Barnacks in hand and another on the way. Check out the second "Leica.III" in my sig. The picture, as bad as it is, makes the camera look good. It's a totally beat up b.e.a.t.e.r - even has a shutter speed dial that someone has taken a file to and made a couple of corners on it, for some reason. It's not even clean. 50% brass, 50% dirty black paint. :rolleyes: .... and I love it. It goes with me just about everywhere. I've got bigger VFs, brighter RFs and TTL metering on the shelf. But I always just grab a Barnack.

What the heck. Sick is fun and I ain't lookin' for a cure. :D
 
Small

Small

Hello:

Well they are small* and a M is a beast by comparison.

yours
Frank
All the best for the Holidays

*A Barnack with a 25mm cv Skopar gives the world.
 
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My first Leica was a IIIa given to me by my granddad. I took many photos with that camera and still have it 47 years later. I have several including IIIc's and IIIf's. They are fun little cameras and when I don't want to carry my M3 or M6 I carry one of the above..
 
Barnacks are form dictated by function, and as most such things are beautiful. Make a hull around focal plane shutter, slap RF/VF atop, add necessary controls and you end up with Barnack Leica.
 
I've never used an M. I got my IIIf last year because I wanted a"no-battery" camera. I started carrying it every day, and got used to loading film pretty quickly.

Since I don't have to chase exposure, and shooting outside I usually have a small aperture so focus is pretty easy, the external VF just seems natural. The lenses seem to be great, too.

Maybe someday I'll try an M, but right now I don't think I need one.
 
johne said:
Oskar gets my vote!!! [especially with a refurbished Summitar!]
Johne
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They are also great with a good Jupiter 12. Right now, that is my favorite rangefinder combination. See my avatar.

Jim N.
 
OldNick said:
They are also great with a good Jupiter 12. Right now, that is my favorite rangefinder combination. See my avatar.

Jim N.
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I won an auction for a LTM J-12 from grizzleybear which I will use on my Leicas and Canon P.
The one I have for my Kiev is an excellent lens.
 
I could never work out what people saw in screwmount Leicas ... until I held one! :angel:
 
To hold & look at, the most beautiful camera ever.

Love my recently acquired IIIf, which I wanted
since adolescence (think: LBJ.)
 
For me it is the separate rangefinder. At first it was hard to get used to, but now I have trouble when I go back to a combined viewfinder/rangefinder. The magnified rangefinder image just snaps into place so easily that I find focusing so much faster that it makes up for the time spent switching to the separate viewfinder. In fact, I think I save time overall.

I have the IIIg, so the viewfinder has the paralax corrected brightlines for 50 and 90mm and I am not sure I could get used to one of the earlier ones without brightlines. I also use the Voigtlander minifinder to add framelines for 28 and 35mm, altogether maiking for a pretty modern feeling screwmount camera.
 
it is the just the bare essentials of a great camera, but what essentials!
it is all you really need when you remove the unnecessary bits.
 
David Murphy said:
They are small, tough, reliable, precise platforms for lenses and (sometimes) finders. They look cool too IMO.
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While they don't do too well in a shirt pocket they do ride well in a jacket pocket. Very compact...
 
the compact size, the jewel-like mechanical precision, and the simple, effective design of the controls....these are my three reasons for using a barnack leica.
 
The only practical reason for me is their small size. Other than that, it's more historical interest & the aesthetic appeal of the design.
 
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