Factory modified Leicas

[colyn]

Leica IIIc sharkskin factory modified to IIIf BD with selftimer. 😀

 

[reagan]

Very nice Colyn. A beauty. I've got a mod coming, but it's not on this side of the Big Water yet. I'll have to post it later.

 

[colyn]

Very nice Colyn. A beauty. I've got a mod coming, but it's not on this side of the Big Water yet. I'll have to post it later.

I've had a couple of mods over the years but this one is a keeper. I use either a Summitar or now my J-12 lens on it.

I wonder why the skin is referred to as sharkskin when it is vulcanite. Unless it is the texture being referred to as sharkskin.

Post yours when you get it...

 

[Nikon Bob]

I think it is the texture that is being referred to as sharkskin. It has a rougher sandpaper sort of feel to it which has been said to be similar to the feeling of sharkskin. It sounds reasonable to me but I am not about to check it out. I have a IIIc sharkskin and much prefer it's feel to my other SM leica with the more usual vulcanite texture. Nice camera BTW. There are several good atricles on the net about the care and maintainance of vulcanite too.

Bob

 

[reagan]

Finally arrived from Oleg, my Leica.I conversion to III... 77 years young, still kickin'. Here's a pic posted in the C & C thread. (I used my PoS Kodak DigiWidget, so put on your glare resistant glasses.) 😱 😎

Here in tropical Illinois, it's supposed to be bitter cold between now and Tuesday, so I'm going to HAVE TO go somewhere indoors and take the little unit for a spin.

 

[thomasw_]

colyn,

do know of the claim that the IIIf RD ST has a quieter shutter system than used in the IIIf BD or IIIc, etc.? When converted did your camera receive a new shutter? FWIW, I asked Don at DAG about this and he didn't buy the idea that the IIIf RD ST had a quieter shutter than other IIIfs or the IIIc. What is your experience of this?

respectfully,
thomas

 

[OldNick]

How far back do you want to count as "factory modified" ? My first Leica started life as a 1935 Leica III. It was later modified as a IIIa by adding the 1/1000th shutter speed. Later still, a slot was milled in the shutter pivot in the bottom and a special Leica flash and new baseplate were added. The flash unit was used with flashbulbs for a number of years, but has now been replaced by a standard baseplate, since it did not synch with electronic flash. The attached photo shows it as it appears today.

Jim N.

 

[Dralowid]

I enjoy the diversity of factory conversions.

I've just picked up , from a well known internet auction site, a black II turned into a IIIa with chrome knobs from the 'f' range plus baseplate in English with 'small' tripod bush.

Makes rather a nice 'melange'!

Michael