IIf - what to look for..

G

Gazzah

RF newbie
Local time
11:53 AM
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Messages
167
Location
N.Ireland - at the edge of TonnaghNeive
View My Gallery
Ive just been given an old IIf to try out and possibly buy.
Its been lying in the bottom of an old school cupboard for a few decades. It looks totally mint, there is not a single mark on the pressure plate and the curtains look good. I have downloaded the manual and after a bit of trying I have a film loaded.
Other than putting a film through to try it is there anything else I should look for?
How much are these worth (in UK), I want to offer a reasonable price as the current owner has no idea, he didnt even know the Leica name?
One last question - where in the UK do you guys source your film, I live in Northern Ireland and there are no specialist shops around, even the local Jessops has the choice of 3 films - all generic colour print and nowhere to do B&W processing (I got rid of all my darkroom equip years back...)
TIA

Gary NH
 
For pricing (in the US) try KEH and Collectible Cameras. Also completed listing on eb*y.

Shoot a roll....that will give you lots to go on. The wind-on should be smooth and even and the speeds should sound "right". By your description it should be serviced and although I know who to use in the US I don't know about the UK.

Good luck.... beautiful camera rig! Love those Barnacks.
 
With regards to b/w film, using Ilford XP2 (even the smallest Jessops branch always seem to have a roll or two hidden away in a drawer) and then getting it processed wherever you can (it is developed using a C-41 colour process that the 1 hour developing/printing places use) is more than an acceptable compromise.
 
Just had a look at the pictures of the camera. Very nice condition and quite a late IIf (1955). Here in the UK I would have thought on Ebay that the lens could go for around £120 and the body £150. Hope this helps.
 
You have a red dial IIF, as I do. They did not make very many of these and in this condition it is a solid collectible. IIf red dial cameras often sell for more than IIIf red dial cameras. Try an ebay completed auction search to see what previous cameras sold for, and consult Peter Coens and Stan Tamarkin's auction sites as they have both had them at auction. And set the sutter speed to 1/15th: you should hear a definite two-part release. But very very likely the slow speeds need adjustment.
 
Last edited:
Great camera! In this condition it's very rare - it really seams to be mint! If something is a little stiff, let it get a CLA if you can afford it. I would only send it only to a highly recommended Leica-Repairman who has some experience on old Leicas, you should get some hints from others.
I think it is worth something more than Ebay can tell because of its condition. But at least Ebay can give you the hint, how much to pay to the actual owner. Wish I would find a shelf like that - it's like finding an old Mercedes in a barn which hasn#t been driven for more than a thousand miles!
Have lots of fun - Frank
 
I bought a very similar camera (but mine is not in as good cosmetic condition) from Peter Walnes about a year ago (if you search the net for his name you'll find his shop). Mine has a small dent on the top plate. I paid £175.00 for mine but that obviously included a three month guarantee (may have been six months, can't remember). There was no lens. Most of the IIf camera bodies have top speeds of 1/500, the one you're looking at has 1/1000, as mine does - that may elevate the price a little too. As has been mentioned above, the red scale Elmar lens that you're looking at could be worth the same again if it's in clean condition.
 
You guys are starting to scare me now - the price keeps going up!
The lens - like the camera is totally mint, not a mark anywhere.
The camera came from a school in Belfast that is doing a refurbishment, they were clearing the art classroom and a friend who is teaching at the school recued the camera from the bin - they were just going to dump it - he thought it might be worth £50 so he asked if he could take it..
Knowing I was into photography he asked me to have a look. Basically what i have agreed with him is if I take the camera I will not sell it for at least 1 year incase the original owner ever turns up. I really cant afford to pay him any were near its true worth having just bought a bessa R and a few lenses - getting fed up with digital imaging..

I will let you know how the first roll comes out.

Gary H
 
bobkonos said:
You have a red dial IIF, as I do. They did not make very many of these and in this condition it is a solid collectible. IIf red dial cameras often sell for more than IIIf red dial cameras. Try an ebay completed auction search to see what previous cameras sold for, and consult Peter Coens and Stan Tamarkin's auction sites as they have both had them at auction. And set the sutter speed to 1/15th: you should hear a definite two-part release. But very very likely the slow speeds need adjustment.
Click to expand...

slowest shutter speed is 1/25th on a IIf RD.
 
If your friend thought it was worth 50 quid, and if you do not propose to re-sell it for profit, I'd say there's nothing wrong in paying far less than its estimated market value.

You speak only of appearances, not of function. One roll exposed in the camera should show up any defects. Having lain idle "for a few decades", it is almost certain to need skilled attention.

Sean Moran, an RFF member, is not far from you and can probably advise on technicians. I shall give you his e-mail address if you write to me at uthappam AT gmail.com.
 
What's a fair price? Depends on what your intentions are. Are you planning to pay full market value, or just a price both you and the owner can be happy with? If working and the optics of the lens are still clean, $350-$450 would seem to be a very fair price. Likely, it'll need a CLA, but the nice cosmetics will make the investment worth it. Full market value is likely around $500-$600 ($250-$350 for the lens, $150-$250 for the body). If someone is really trying to find an example in extremely nice condition, they might be willing to pay a bit more.

The lens isn't worth a fortune by any means, but is a nice, uncommon, vintage Leica lens.

If you are a shooter rather than a collector, it's often a wise decision to invest in M-series Leica equipment, rather than uncommon LTM items.
 
Thanks all for the advice - I will put a film through it tomorrow and see what the results are like. It is a thing of profound beauty that I would really like to own.
If I had the spare cash I would go for an M, but Im just finishing building a house, work is slow, Ive just bought a bessa etc etc....

Gary NH
 
Put a film through it...

Put a film through it...

and it looks like the shutter speeds are way off. Every frame was very over exposed, except those that I delibrately under exposed by 2-3 stops and even those are to thin to use.
I was using an old Weston meter that had been serviced and calibrated last year, and has proved to be reliable.
So it looks like it will definatly need a good service if its to be used.

Im still feeling guilt pangs about how much Im willing to pay for it compared to how much it is worth.... Bad karma man....:angel:

Gary NH
 
The IIf black dial is rarer than the red dial version but neither seem to command particularly high prices in comparison with their IIIf series cousins.

I suspect this is due to most of the market for later ltm cameras being users who feel they need the full gamut of functions. Having said that, the IIf is a nice camera to use, often found in good condition (in UK anyway) whose origins lie in an attempt by Leitz to build a lower priced version. Your example looks great. The 'red scale' Elmar is a lens that I imagine features well up most collectors and users lists. Not rare but desirable none the less.

Michael
 
I put a film through the camera - everything is very over exposed, so it looks like the shutter speeds are slow by about 2-3 stops.
It does vary across the range with the slower speeds being the worst - so it looks like the camera is really going to need a CLA before its usable.

With the added cost Im tending towards not buying the camera - just save my money for an M at some stage.. and a 35mm lens for my Bessa R

Gary H
 
Final results.....

Final results.....

Well its the end of my week with the IIf. I put several films through it and the shutter speeds seem to have improved, apart from the 1/1000 which is still very slow.
The only issue that I now have is a slight back focus, so does this mean that the RF is out of alignment?

I will have to decide what Im going to do about it - buy or not. I have been eyeing up some 2nd hand Ms recently as well... so its the iiF or an M..

I know the IIf would be a better investment as I would get it really cheaply, but as a useable camera I think maybe an M would be a better bet.

Gary H
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Opinions on this IIF
2
Replies
24
Views
2K
DownUnder
D
Dralowid
Service history
Replies
7
Views
889
ddutchison2
ddutchison2
C
Did Leica Make A Soft Release For Barnacks?
Replies
14
Views
1K
Malcolm M
Malcolm M
titrisol
Flange to rear of lens table for RF calibration?
Replies
9
Views
1K
titrisol
titrisol
I
Visoflex with 135mm lens
Replies
3
Views
380
Dralowid
Dralowid
Back
Top Bottom