Finally! I have a Leica

R

richiedcruz

Guest
Just got my new IIIC today. I won it off Eb** last week. Just thought I would post a few observations before I head out to run my first test roll through it.

1. God! This thing is so small! Which seem to be the first thought of all new Leica screw mount owners.

1a. And it seems to be working! 😀

2. Hey! It took me two hours to get the film loaded!? :bang:

2a. I hope I get better at it.

2b. I thought my Argus was difficult to load.

2c. I hope I didn't expose the whole roll while I was getting it in.

3. It is so pretty that I could not stay mad at it, or swear at it for the two hours that it took me to get the film in.

4. It came with an 50mm Elmar, and it just so happens that all the accessories I got for my Argus Cintar lens (series V filter adapter, a couple of different shades bolt right on.

5. I feel a bout of GAS coming on.

5a. But I know I can stop any time. I just need a few extra lenses. Maybe an accessory viewfinder. A new leather covering. A small shrine... etc. etc. 😉

Well I'm off for a photo walk, if any of the pics turn out I'll definitely post them.

Richie
 
Congratulations. The barnack cameras are not only beautiful, they keep going, and going...
 
Congrats Richie! I hope you had better luck loading your first roll film than I had. I "loaded" film into my new IIIf a while back and went out and shot a whole roll of "air shots" - the film came off the take-up spool as I loaded it and never wound on! Check the rewind knob axle as you wind on to see that it's turning! Loverly cameras though!
 
Some may recall The Emperor: "Goooood"; or Monty Burns: "Excellent".

I would rather say to you, a la Homer Simpson: "Whoo-hoo!". But beware...you're going to be wanting more Leica glass, and more...and more!!! (d'oh!)

You got a nice camera there; treat it with care; they're not uberkameras. They've made it this long due to a combination of great craftsmanship, obsessive-compulsive owners, and very a***-retentive care.

Enjoy!
 
First Test Shots

First Test Shots

I finally got my first test roll back. I was so excited to just be using it that I did not really get any keepers, but I thought I would post some results anyway.

I have to say that I am surprised by the performance of the Elmar 50. I really don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly turns out nice pictures considering its age, and the fact that I was using one of those free rolls of film that some labs hand out with every roll they process. I can also see what people are talking about when they mention the difference between vintage and newer glass.

The first pics were taken the first day that the camera arrived. But it started to rain and I had to finish the rest of the roll the next day. Rain in California in June? 😛

The pics I took in the rain were either at F11 or F8, with the lens set to 25 feet or so. The pics I took the next day were all taken at F16 and zone focused

1. I thought I would show you a pic that I got while I was loading the camera. 😀

2. An old gas station across the street from Alameda's City Hall. So that's what low contrast looks like 😉

3. Local Elks Hall. A good demonstration of the way that the interesting way that Elmar handles colors. Notice the flag on the left. It definitely did not look that pale in person. Definitely not like any other lens that I have used.

4. Old, soon to be restored movie theatre. Notice that the colors are still muted, even with the bright sunshine. It almost makes me want to run out and get some slide film through it and take flower pics.

I definitely think I am going to have a lot of fun being a Leica owner 😀
Richie
 
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Congrats Richie! I also just recently got my "New" IIIc, Great compact kit.
You did better than me, I didnt bother trimming the film leader on my first roll
therefore I shot 36 shots on the same frame!!.
I too was surprised with the results I'm getting with my 50mm Elmar f3.5.
I don't know about you but I find having a Leicavit very convienient and
makes using the camera more intuitive/pleasureable than winding the knob.
Any pictures of your "new" IIIc
Mike.
 
The III series Barnack's are pretty decent shooters in spite of their 1930's ergonomics. The packaging is compact, bare essentials and quite robust when using the collapsible Elmar.

Film loading will come more naturally over time. I can even do it while standing now. The secret is to have extra film with properly trimmed leaders ready to go.

Color rendition will improve a bit with a clamp-on FISON hood. Here are couple from a recent vacation.
 
Oh yea, I have both the black dial Duanne Garrett ala carte edition of the IIIf and a IIIf Red Dial with a self-timer bought from a local teacher who noticed my IIIf BD. The above photos were taken with the Elmar.
 
First off, thanks for the encouragement everyone. I definitely would never have even thought about getting a Leica without the information that I learned here.

Mike, I was just thinking about getting a picture of my IIIC up. I will get one up, as soon as I can. Although, I was also thinking of getting it recovered now that I know that it does not need a CLA. (I wonder how it would look in red leather? 😀 )

Solinar, I have a few hoods already that I will try out while I am hunting down a hood on Eb**. I forgot the name of it, but I saw a Leitz adjustable hood that looks neat, and that is at the top of my wish list unless anyone who has used one can give me a reason otherwise.

Currently, however, I am busy trying to figure out what lenses I am going to buy. And I am leaning towards making it my life's goal to collect complete sets of Leitz, Canon, Nikkor, Russian and CV lenses 😀

Richie
 
Mike, almost forgot to mention that I do not find the knob wind that inconventient. I like to sling my cameras over my shoulder that way I can swing them behind me when I am not using them, and I find almost every camera with a lever wind that I have ever used gets caught on something that I am wearing every time. 🙄

Also, I have never had much trouble getting my Argus to take as many pics as I need, like the time that I was rushing to take pics of a bus that had just been on fire. 😀

Richie
 
Richie, FWIW I happen to like - very much - the more pastel colors of your shots. If you look closely, there's a tremendous amount of fine detail in your pictures as well. Your Elmar has done just fine....... and so have you, with your "new" IIIc. 🙂

Walker
 
The adjustable hood is FIKUS. It's the best choice for an Elmar because it's very deep but you will have trouble setting the aperture. A FISON is just as good and not much easier for aperture setting.
 
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