Early pictures of my Leica IIIc

[Gordon Coale]

My mother moved into a family care facility last week. Last night two of my brothers and my sister met at her old place and split up her belongings that she couldn't take with her, which was most of her stuff. I ended up with all the photographs. I did a quick look through this morning and pulled out some gems. A couple of them are of the Leica IIIc that my grandfather gave me.

The first picture is of my grandfather (mom's side) and grandmother. (I don't know who the woman and child are.) He is in Japan during the occupation. He went over in 1949, to Sendai in NE Japan, so this is probably taken in 1949 or 1950. He has is Leica on. The Leica has a 1949 serial number so it is pretty new in this picture.

In 1960 my grandfather and grandmother returned to Sendai to visit. My family was living in Japan at the time. My dad was in the Air Force. The second picture has my grandfather taking a picture with the Leica. The gaijins, from the left, are my father, mother, grandfather, and grandmother.

The third picture is a detail of the second showing the Leica IIIc with a 50/2 Summitar.

 

[Skinny McGee]

Thanks for sharing these images

 

[Todd.Hanz]

great memories, I hope to start the same sentiments as I hand my cameras down as well.

Todd

 

[ywenz]

that is so cool

 

[Kyle]

These photographs are awesome. Its wonderful that your grandfather's camera has survived through the years and stayed in the family.

 

[Ronald M]

These old family photos are precious.

I have Zone 6 4x5, R cameras, and various M bodies. But my treasured possesion is the mintish 111f I found at a camera show. There is something special in how it handles. Learn to use it and you will love it.

Lens aquired are 50 1.5, summar, summitar, 3.5 elmar. It took some effort to get all the lenses cleaned and over a year to get a satisfactory shutter curtain replacement. The photos are great now.


Markhama.com did the shutter work.

 

[Andrew Touchon]

Nice photos Gordon.

Yesterday I was using a 30 year old Kodachrome slide to do some comparisons of Photoshop Elements vs a trail version of Photoshop CS. I chose an old family slide of my wife and two daughters that I took with my then new Leitz-Minolta CL and 40mm Rokkor. The photo was taken at my home in Iwakuni, Japan. I chose this as a test slide because of the bright colors.

FYI on my computer I can't tell any difference between the scans I created using my Canonscan FS4000US. so I guess I will stick with the Photoshop Elements.

Conclusion: My wife and I look a heck of a lot older now, but the Kodachrome slide, my two daughters and the CL still look and work like new.

Andy

 

[zpuskas]

Nice photos and they are a wonderful addition to your legacy.

 

[sockeyed]

Thanks for sharing, Gordon. Your grandfather would probably be delighted to know that his camera is still loved and used.