dreilly
Chillin' in Geneva
- Local time
- 9:20 AM
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,045
Well, okay, technically, it's a Leica IIIC converted to a IIIF. I like the slightly larger shutter speed dial.
This, some of you know, was a bargain item at KEH. I called up Ken there and he pulled it, along with a IIIF BD, and compared them for me on the phone. (In the meanwhile I found a bargain M3 on oboy that I couldn't refuse, but that's a different story). But Ken called me, we talked about both, he told me the older conversion model was in better shape, and I sat on it.
For about a day. But my scribbly notes were calling. KEH has a return policy. Why not just hold one for a little while, see what it's like. As many of you know, the more retro I've gone in cameras the happier I've been. So I picked up the phone.
Oh, bad mistake.
It came a few days later. My first impression: lots of brassing that gave it character, solid, beautifully designed, and seemed made for my hands. I took my first look through the VF: wow, not bad for something so small. I could use that.
To see the RF spot, you barely have to move your eye to the right. The highly-magnified view you get there is a little startling (whoa, I'm right in that person's nostril, excuse me, so sorry.)
I put my Gordy Strap on it. Nice!
I slapped (okay, carefully screwed) my j-8 on it, cut a leader of film, and loaded it following the sticky thread. Not much to it.
I've been shooting with it this past week, and just got my first roll back.
Most of my exposures have been calculated with a little chart I made out of the "ultimate expsosure guide" on the web, and occasionally a weston euro-master.
I've found it to be quite a "quick" camera. I change exposure (and focus for that matter) much less than with any other camera. Maybe I spend more time looking for shots. Dont' know.
But my little IIIC/F...I think it's a keeper. I know that's herecy in some circles. But for me it's a great trade-off between luxuries and size (and not to mention value!) $250 isn't bad.
Here's some results, and some camera-porn, too.
This, some of you know, was a bargain item at KEH. I called up Ken there and he pulled it, along with a IIIF BD, and compared them for me on the phone. (In the meanwhile I found a bargain M3 on oboy that I couldn't refuse, but that's a different story). But Ken called me, we talked about both, he told me the older conversion model was in better shape, and I sat on it.
For about a day. But my scribbly notes were calling. KEH has a return policy. Why not just hold one for a little while, see what it's like. As many of you know, the more retro I've gone in cameras the happier I've been. So I picked up the phone.
Oh, bad mistake.
It came a few days later. My first impression: lots of brassing that gave it character, solid, beautifully designed, and seemed made for my hands. I took my first look through the VF: wow, not bad for something so small. I could use that.
To see the RF spot, you barely have to move your eye to the right. The highly-magnified view you get there is a little startling (whoa, I'm right in that person's nostril, excuse me, so sorry.)
I put my Gordy Strap on it. Nice!
I slapped (okay, carefully screwed) my j-8 on it, cut a leader of film, and loaded it following the sticky thread. Not much to it.
I've been shooting with it this past week, and just got my first roll back.
Most of my exposures have been calculated with a little chart I made out of the "ultimate expsosure guide" on the web, and occasionally a weston euro-master.
I've found it to be quite a "quick" camera. I change exposure (and focus for that matter) much less than with any other camera. Maybe I spend more time looking for shots. Dont' know.
But my little IIIC/F...I think it's a keeper. I know that's herecy in some circles. But for me it's a great trade-off between luxuries and size (and not to mention value!) $250 isn't bad.
Here's some results, and some camera-porn, too.
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