Leica LTM IIIf black dial self timer

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
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blacknoise

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Hi there,

I posted in another thread about getting a IIIf red dial self timer, when my camera arived, the condition was good, but the numbers for the flash sync are black. The camera has a flash sync and the film memo under on the winder. It also has a self timer and the serial (starting digits 51) is from a IIIc I believe.

What camera do I have and is it likely I have the improved shutter of the RD?

Thanks

Rob
 
Black dial will have 30-1 for the slow speed on the top shutter dial and 25-1 red dial
 
the shutter has 30, so i guess its a black dial. But I always thought that only the RD has the self timer, and the serial number is very confusing :S

Thanks

Rob
 
You may have a Leica IIIc that was sent to back to the factory to upgrade it to a IIIf.
I'm not that familiar with them. So, maybe Tom Eitner will weigh in later tonight.
 
yes upgrades were done on the IIIc.

it could have been sent to the factory and come back with a black dial flash sync and even a self timer.
 
thanks for all the help :)

Is there any real difference in the shutters? and also will the lens (f3.5 elmar) be any different?
 
I have a IIIc converted to IIIf/Black Dial/Self Timer. When it was CLA-ed by Youxin Ye, he noted that while externally (shutter speeds and black sync numbers) the camera had been converted to a Black Dial, the shutter mechanism had parts characteristic of a Red Dial. He had difficulty, which he has seen on only a few cameras, to adjust the slow speed knob correctly because the markings on the dial didn't correspond exactly to the mechanism inside. (BD speeds on the dial with RD speeds on the internal mechanism.)

If you have a converted IIIc to IIIf, tthe sync numbers should be on a thin metal plate under the fast shutter speed dial and attached to the original IIIc body with two little screws. Apparently, Leica didn't engrave the old IIIc top with the sync numbers but just added a little plate when they reassembled the camera.
 
tjh said:
I have a IIIc converted to IIIf/Black Dial/Self Timer. When it was CLA-ed by Youxin Ye, he noted that while externally (shutter speeds and black sync numbers) the camera had been converted to a Black Dial, the shutter mechanism had parts characteristic of a Red Dial. He had difficulty, which he has seen on only a few cameras, to adjust the slow speed knob correctly because the markings on the dial didn't correspond exactly to the mechanism inside. (BD speeds on the dial with RD speeds on the internal mechanism.)

If you have a converted IIIc to IIIf, tthe sync numbers should be on a thin metal plate under the fast shutter speed dial and attached to the original IIIc body with two little screws. Apparently, Leica didn't engrave the old IIIc top with the sync numbers but just added a little plate when they reassembled the camera.
Click to expand...

Yep, I agree on this 100%

Quite a few Leica IIIC`s were modified to IIIFBD specs in the early 1950`s
to include the "earlier wartime" styled IIIC`s with the raised rewind lever platform (but these cameras were NOT Self Timer modified, it has to do with some kind of space limitations inside etc.)

Many Europeans factory modified later "flat top" IIIC`s to IIIFBD and IIIFBDST as well, while it was CHEAPER than buying a new camera

I have (2) 1945 Leica IIIC K (non stamp) cameras modified to IIIFBD that have to go to Youxin shortly, I hope he doesn`t have that same problem with my cameras

Tom
 
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