Leica LTM IIIf RD with "black dial"?

[coelacanth]

I'm waiting to receive this IIIf supposedly carrying RD serial number although the sync timing numbers appeared to be black in color.

I searched around, but I couldn't find a definitive answer so I'm turning to Barnack gurus on RFF.

The S/N is 670XXX which is suposed to be from the batch of 18000 shipped in 1953. All of them from batch are supposed to be RD according to several websites. The shutter speed includes 1/25, 1/75 and 1/50 that's also supposed to be the indication of RD model.

Do you think this is RD in heart (faded color, transitional unit still with BD color but with ball bearings and mechanical characteristics of RD) or it actually is BD mechanically? Since the S/N and sync timing numbers are on the one-piece top plate, I can't imagine this being "franken-leica."

I'm not a collector and not much thinking about resell value, rareness, etc. I just wanted to know about this particular IIIf.

Any info, insights will be deeply appreciated.

 

[Melvin]

If you're going by a photo on the internet then you can't tell, the numbers might just look black. I bought a IIIf advertised as a black dial, photo looked like a black dial, but when I got it it was a red dial.

 

[coelacanth]

I've talked with the seller of the camera. He thinks it's black in color (not sure if it's desaturated with time), but other characteristic shows it is RD model in heart.

 

[coelacanth]

Here is a photo of the camera.

 

[xayraa33]

Can't tell the colour of the numbers in the flash sync dial from that photo.
The 25-1 on the high shutter speed dial suggests a Red Dial IIIf.

 

[raydm6]

Is there a red 25 on the slow shutter speed dial? I believe all RD's have 25 and BD's have 30.

 

[coelacanth]

Thanks for comments guys. It DOES have 1/25 on slow shutter speed dial as well as the "25-1" indication on faster speed dial.

According to the seller, the sync #s do look black, just like in the photo, but we both aren't sure if that's the result of fading or other changes in the lifetime of the camera, or it truly started as black dial color. All other external characteristics (S/N, SS dials) are indicating of RD's.

Edit: Here is a pic of low speed dial.

 

[colyn]

I've seen red dial Leicas that the owner colored in the numbers with a black china marker and I have seen a couple of black dials that were done in red.

The camera you pictured is in fact a red dial regardless of the coloring..

 

[FrankS]

I'll bet the seller is looking at the colours of the shutter speed numerals on "the dial" and not at the flash sync numbers. I"m betting it's a red dial.

 

[VictorM.]

It's a red dial: the shutter speeds on a black dial are 30-40-60-100.

 

[Melvin]

My red dial serial no. is 671xxx, same year and batch.

 

[Beemermark]

I have to say I had both a RD/ST and BD (still have the BD) and couldn't tell you which one was which by the dial color. I am a little color blind but it just wasn't that obvious. I could only tell because the RD had a ST. According to my book "The first 50 years" by Rogliatti yours is a 1953 red dial.

 

[coelacanth]

Thank you very much for your insights guys.

The camera should be here later this week so I'll see the actual color of the #s then, but based on the S/N and shutter speeds, this should be an RD model as you all said.

I'm getting back to Barnack Leica after my 2nd attempt to adapt RF camera failed a couple years back (1st was with Zorki 4 a decade ago, yeah yeah I'm just a baby). I got hocked with RF at the 3rd attempt with M mount Leica, but I think I can finally appreciate the beauty, the compactness and the practicalness of screw mount Leica this time around.

Thanks again guys. I can't wait to start using the IIIf RD (or BD'd RD). According to the seller, the camera is CLA'd and good to go.

 

[coelacanth]

Update:

I just received the IIIf. It indeed was an RD. The sync# color was red as well although I can say it's a tad bit faded compared to others I've seen. The camera is in really really good condition. I shall run a test roll now.

Thanks for your help guys.

Ahh, I really need to get an Elmar 50/3.5 now. The Nokton is all "Does this camera make my butt look huge?" 😀