Pastor Chris
Well-known
Oooh, that's a good one! I like the line "that's a joke son"
I hope it sells for you. Really pretty camera too. Are they a unique lens mount?
Leica LTM Creepy Old Cameras
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Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
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Oooh, that's a good one! I like the line "that's a joke son"
I hope it sells for you. Really pretty camera too. Are they a unique lens mount?
goamules
Well-known
Every patch of ground on earth has probably been witness to human horrors. Murders and evil occur in each generation. Do you tiptoe around when you walk the ground? If you are creeped out by inanimate objects, you are not thinking about the truth of human nature. All are capable of evil. All are capable of great good. I'd be looking at my fellow humans and thinking about that, rather than trying to get some kind of "evil vib" off a piece of metal.
goamules
Well-known
Many German soldiers, sailors, and airmen who may have used the Leica IIIC where just young men, who joined the service because that's what ALL families at the time told their youth to do. They were loyal to their Units, Comrades, and Country. They fought to protect that. They weren't thinking about the political rhetoric of the Nazi party any more than the drivethrough worker at Chic Filet worries about what her CEO believes. They were....going with the flow...as 99.9% of humans do.
Livesteamer
Well-known
I have a IIIc stepper of 1942 vintage and have never been bothered by it and I'm glad it's now used for mostly family pictures.
Now I have a Mauser rifle, a 98K from 1939 with most of the gun blue worn off. When I pick that up and think about where it's been, what it has seen, how often it has killed and been killed; that's scary, creepy history. Joe
Now I have a Mauser rifle, a 98K from 1939 with most of the gun blue worn off. When I pick that up and think about where it's been, what it has seen, how often it has killed and been killed; that's scary, creepy history. Joe
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
Not trying to be argumentative, but the original question was, "Anyone have similar thoughts about such things?" A Y/N question. hunghang's re: that "Creepiness is a state of mind..." is quite relevant. Which translates [I understood] to "No. I've never had similar thoughts."
And I agreed. No, I've never had similar thoughts because hunks of metal don't creep me out. People who do evil things with said hunks of metal? Yeah, they can kinda creep me out. But not the objects themselves. (Actually, a lot of people creep me out. 😱 ) But I never expect to feel creepy being around an object.
I know you weren't asking ... but, do I think you should've gotten rid of that particular camera? Oh yeah; definitely. Face it, you just flat didn't like the thing. That's reason enough for me and I'm not judging you at all for it. You did well to dump it and get one you liked. Period.
And I agree also, it is an intersting discussion.
fotomeow
name under my name
Lets not let our imaginations run too wild with the Luftwaffe camera.
As well stated previously, we dont really know its particular history.
It could be bad, it could be good, we dont know.
I am not afraid to say its fascinating from a historical perspective.
A symbol of a bygone era, and thank god we are not all speaking
German in the US right now.
As well stated previously, we dont really know its particular history.
It could be bad, it could be good, we dont know.
I am not afraid to say its fascinating from a historical perspective.
A symbol of a bygone era, and thank god we are not all speaking
German in the US right now.
peterm1
Veteran
I once owned a lovely Lieca 111a. I checked its serials and found that the camera was made in 1936, the Elmar 50mm f3.5, slightly earlier in 1935. Both had been back to the factory in the 1950s for a factory upgrade - coating for the lens and flash sync with 111f type shutter collar in the 1950s. It certainly set me thinking about how this camera had spent the war. I am certain it did not see official service as it had no military markings but you never know it could have spent part of the war in some soldiers backpack in the steppes of Russia. At least this is how my imaginings ran at the time. One never knows but its always tempting to think about such things and wonder what horrors could have been captured by the lens.
Simon Bruxelles
Established
My immediate reaction was what an odd question, how can a camera, even one used by the Luftwaffe, possibly be "creepy"?
Then I wondered whether i would be comfortable using a camera inscribed with SS insignia. Or what about the camera used by Dr Josef Mengele to record his gruesome medical experiments on Jewish prisoners? Both would creep me out and I would not touch them with the proverbial barge pole.
So inanimate objects can be creepy, it just depends on the individual's degree of sensitivity. A German military Leica would not cross the threshold for me personally but one used by the SS would.
Simon
Then I wondered whether i would be comfortable using a camera inscribed with SS insignia. Or what about the camera used by Dr Josef Mengele to record his gruesome medical experiments on Jewish prisoners? Both would creep me out and I would not touch them with the proverbial barge pole.
So inanimate objects can be creepy, it just depends on the individual's degree of sensitivity. A German military Leica would not cross the threshold for me personally but one used by the SS would.
Simon
I Love Film
Well-known
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Very true. From my study window I can see a fortress begun a thousand years ago. The Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion were both very bloody around here. In my lower garden I have a small water-gate that opens on the river. This sounds much grander than it is: the water-gate is only the size of a normal garden gate, at most a metre wide, and the river is maybe four metres wide. Atop the stone posts either side of the water-gate are stone balls about the size of a football. These were ammunition for late mediaeval/early Renaissance siege weapons. Did these balls kill people, or maim them horribly, before someone gathered them up a century or two ago and used them as ornaments? How much does any of that matter, now?
Addendum: in nearby Loudun, there's a café just near where Urbain Grandier was burned alive. This reminds me that I find Salem's celebration of the witch trials as a tourist attraction a LOT 'creepier' than any nazi artifact I've ever handled.
Cheers,
R.
I Love Film
Well-known
I think it is a reality that extreme Leica fetishists are often Nazi memorabilia fetishists. The two concepts are related.
As a case in point, over a decade ago I used to take tables at big NY camera shows and sell. A well known female Leica repairperson, often discussed here, would often exhibit Nazi paraphernalia at her table, which she shared with some other character.
During one show, I became disgusted because they were exhibiting and selling "GI Joe" type action figures, but wearing SS uniforms, with swastika arm bands, etc.
I felt that these should not be sold at a "camera show", and complained to management to have them removed from display.
As a case in point, over a decade ago I used to take tables at big NY camera shows and sell. A well known female Leica repairperson, often discussed here, would often exhibit Nazi paraphernalia at her table, which she shared with some other character.
During one show, I became disgusted because they were exhibiting and selling "GI Joe" type action figures, but wearing SS uniforms, with swastika arm bands, etc.
I felt that these should not be sold at a "camera show", and complained to management to have them removed from display.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Then again, I do have one piece of Nazi memorabilia of which I am quite fond, an SS Viking Division ring. It belonged to my late brother in law, Dr. Boyd Collins. During World War Two, he worked in military intelligence in the United States. This is why he was the only person I have ever met who belonged simultaneously to both the Nazi party and the communist party. Once, when a raid on the opposition headquarters was arranged, he had to feign illness in order to get out of visiting the rival party in order to beat himself up.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
Pastor Chris
Well-known
That is one heck of a story. It is stories like that that might have made me think twice about keeping the Luftwaffe camera.
Perhaps someone knows the reason why the markings on the back might have been obliterated, other than a distaste for them themselves. This one looks like it was done on some sort of machine, versus casually scratched out by someone.
Attachments
goamules
Well-known
I thought you wrote earlier you already got rid of it? The war markings were scratched out as part of the post war rebuilding process, from what I understand.
Mr_Flibble
In Tabulas Argenteas Refero
Or someone might have done it because they didn't want to get into trouble carrying a (possibly stolen) military issue camera.
Try finding a Kodak 35 US Army Signal Corps "PH-324" camera with its original nomenclature plate still attached.
Try finding a Kodak 35 US Army Signal Corps "PH-324" camera with its original nomenclature plate still attached.
isoterica
Established
I would be fond of that ring as well given its story-- even if the soldier wasn't related to me. Tried to google it to see what it looks like and there are all manner of rings it would seem. Not sure if some are fakes or if there were different ones or what. Thanks for sharing the story of yours though 🙂
Roger Hicks
Veteran
There's a picture of mine about 5 pieces down on http://www.rogerandfrances.com/short/z short schrift archive.html It may, in fact, be a fake -- but as long as it made him look like a good Nazi...
Cheers,
R.
Pastor Chris
Well-known
Indie get rid of it, traded it for some other gear. I still have detailed photos of it though.
isoterica
Established
That is one of the rings that I saw. And you are right someone might have made an imitation to make him look like a Nazi but then again, it means the same thing being from that era and made [even if subversively] to show one's dedication. A very nice memento/story to have.
Red Robin
It Is What It Is
To me its not about it being creepy as has been said, it's about the camera. How does it work, the kind of pictures it takes. If given or offered a Red Flag 20 I'd not turn it down, I would fill it with film and see how it works. bet it takes pretty good snaps!
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