IIIc with Summitar

[FrankS]

I have the chance to buy a 1949 Leica IIIc with 50mm f2 Summitar in almost new condition for $500 or $600 Cdn. The fellow selling it is the original owner and it has been recently CLA'd. Everything works smoothly. The only cons about the camera are some small blisters in the chrome on the back of the camera's top deck, and the rangefinder patch is somewhat dim. Thsi camera has had at most 100 rolls of film through it over the years. The seller received the camera as a gift and was never an avid photographer. He had it CLA'd because it had sat unused for so long. The seller has been told by a camera shop owner that the camera iwould sell for $650-700Cdn. in a shop. The camera comes with its original inspection slip signed by various factory workers who tested the shutter speeds and fangefinder before it left the factory. What do you guys think about this deal?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Sounds good to me. Is the RF usable?

 

[back alley]

i'd buy 2 canon p's with the same money and have 2 great users with excellent finders.

but then, that's me.😉

joe

 

[Nikon Bob]

The chrome blistering/peeling or pitting is fairly common on IIIc Leicas from what I have read on various web sites. If the finder patch is too dim DAG can replace the beamsplitter and bring it back. A very nice outfit, especially given the history. As for the price, considering the recent CLA and overall condition, seems reasonable to me but I am no expert. Then again beamsplitter relacement is not cheap either if needed in the future.

Bob

 

[Dan Chang]

IIIc like this is very common due to poor Nickle plating under the poor chrome plting, you know Leica is not alway mean high quality.

 

[FrankS]

If it weren't for the blistering, this would be a collector's piece. The Summitar lens has no filter threads, eh? I'm still uncertain what to do. I've got the camera for 2 weeks to play with it and see. It is weird to think that I've got a virtually new camera from 1949, almost as good as Doug(2) and his Contax I. What kind of performance can I expect from the Summitar? I will put film through the camera and try the lens on my other bodies in the next 2 weeks.

 

[FrankS]

The blisters have not broken through, there is no corrosion as in a previous posted picture of another IIIc.

 

[Dan Chang]

My friend turn this Junk into a very usable IIIc gray paint. I believe Summitar is fine lens with old time style picture. it uses a screw in adaptor to use 39mm filter, the adaptor is expensive. two types of aperture, hexal type the the perfect round one. highlight back ground bokeh just like these leica's - bad.

the attached photo is IIIf , Summitar at f2, Ilford hp5+

 

[FrankS]

2 types of aperture design? One with 6 blades, the other with 11 or so? This one has 11 or so blades.

 

[johne]

Frank,

I have a Summitar I got with my Leica IIIF RD. The man I purchased the camera from in Florida did not have a body cap but said he had an old lens he would put on it for free. Several of my pictures on the Leica site received very positive comments. The front element looks ok but the rear has a swirl of marks around the edge but not in the center. Interesting . One person suggested that was done on purpose to reduce flare as only the center of the rear element is used for the picture. I am no expert by any means but I do know that the lens looks like a dog but takes wonderful pics. Johne

 

[FrankS]

I'd be more interested in the lens than the body. (I love 50's!) Is anyone interested in the body for $300US? Comes with a leather Leica case in very good condition.

 

[Hektor]

FrankS, I'm not sure how familiar you are with Summitars, but you should find that a good one is very close to an early Summicron. 1949 should be a coated lens and wil be very pleasing with say, Tri-X and Diafine. They are slightly cool on colour film, -no bad thing.

You say it has no filter threads but it looks OK in the picture. Summitar filters are slightly cone shaped and quite different to Summicron filters and are fairly readily available second-hand if you can recognise them. As has been mentioned, an adapter is available to use Summicron filters but few can recognise it so it seems rare but isn't really.

Regards, John C.

 

[FrankS]

You say it has no filter threads but it looks OK in the picture.

Hi John. I really mean that there are no filter threads. They aren't worn or anything, they are just not there. Designed and built without filter threads on the lens.

 

[back alley]

made for clamp on filters and hoods.

i have a couple of leitz clamp on filters for my lens w/o threads (34mm, i think - filter 36mm)

joe

 

[doubs43]

You say it has no filter threads but it looks OK in the picture.

Hi John. I really mean that there are no filter threads. They aren't worn or anything, they are just not there. Designed and built without filter threads on the lens.

I have a Summitar and one could easily miss the filter threads if they didn't look for them deep inside the front ring. I'm not saying the lens you're talking about has them but mine does IF you know where to look. Leitz missed the boat on the Summitar IMO by making the filters propriatary. Companies that require odd-ball and limited source accessories set themselves up for poor sales in many instances, no matter how well-made the product is.

As for Leitz not holding to quality standards, they did the best they could with available resources and held to the highest possible standards. The period after the war was tough for German manufacturers who had problems acquiring the highest grade materials. Leitz was no different than other companies who need chromium, brass and other materials that were in short supply. The IIIc fell victim to that period of manufacture and the finish suffered. However, the overall quality is there and the IIIc is as capable as any other Leica.

Walker

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

i'd buy 2 canon p's with the same money and have 2 great users with excellent finders.

but then, that's me.😉

joe

Who's your dealer? Looks like somebody talked up the price of the P into the mid $400s recently... 😉 I have seen the price of the Canon 7's go down, though; superior finder, imho. It is too bad that the price for a 7s aka "z" is sometimes higher than an M3.

I think that's a good deal FrankS, considering that it's been CLAd recently; a CLA is worth $100-200 at least. It depends on how bad the blisters are, though. They are fun, elegant retro cameras. I second the same question: how good is the rangefinder? They tend to be dim and hazy, look for that too; you of course know the insane prices for viewfinders.

 

[Hektor]

Hi Frank, You seem a regular guy with lots of experience so don't misunderstand my remarks but to quote a popular UK saying ---"I can't believe it". lol.

It's got to have filter threads, - they all have 'em, - I've seen hundreds, - really !

The threads are next to the glass, not at the front of the rim. Look again - this is interesting.

A very small number of late Summitars, 1950's ones, had an asterisk after the serial number, they are actually pre-production Summicrons, and very rare and valuable.

If your lens really has no threads next to the glass (I still don't believe it) then it bears much closer evaluation, because it aint what it says it is !-- pleeese look harder.

Best regards John C.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I ditto Doubs and Hektor. Look again, Frank. If you've never seen a Summitar filter, your confusion is understandable, but the threads are there, unless you have an absolutely incredibly rare copy (then take the money and run, put it on ePrey...let the collectors pay thousands for it)

 

[Hektor]

Joe, there aren't any clamp on filters of Leitz for Summitars, the OD is nominally 41mm, whereas a Summicron is 42mm and Elmars are 36mm. Summitar lens hoods clip on though, using an anular groove which Frank's lens does appear to have.

I know bug*er all about Canon P's though !

John C.

 

[Hektor]

FrankS,

p.s. you need a special cap for Summitars too !, it should be flat, not domed like a Summicron cap which will be a bit loose.

JC.