Leica LTM Just Bought a Leica III

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
T

tedwhite

Guest
And from a fellow rff member, too. Included with the camera is an Industar 50/3.5 and an Elmar 90/4. Should arrive tomorrow or the next day.

My question is this: the Serial Number is 270189, and each time I google different sites that have data bases for Leica numbers I get confusing results. One - I think it was Leica Wiki, suggests only 100 were made that year (1938); another site claims 10,000 were made. Did someone drop a couple of zeros? Does anyone have a suggestion in terms of how I can reach some sort of definitive answer?

Anyway, looking forward to learning how to use the kit.

Ted
 
Just looking at the back of my Rogliatti book that has all the serial numbers, they were generally made in 100 camera batches. But, there were a heck of a lot of 100 camera batches of Leica III's that year! I counted about 50 batches for that year in that list, plus 3 that are marked as 1938/39, and some of them are in 100 camera batches, and some are 400 cameras. So I'd think somewhere in the neighbourhood of 6000 Leica III cameras were made that year. 1939 was the last year they appear to have been made.
 
Thanks, all of you (even Jan), for your input. I was initially just curious about the camera's age, then became curious about how many were built that year.

Now I have to figure out where to get a viewfinder for the 90.
 
I had a VIOOH (and a VIDOM before that) and hated both of them; at 90mm you get a pretty squinty little image.

Unfortunately the otherwise excellent Russian turret VF won't work for you because (a) it is a loose fit in the unsprung accessory shoe and (b) it has an 85mm, rather than 90mm, objective.
 
Congrats on the Leica III, Ted. I hope you enjoy it!

I use CV finders on my IIIc. They're generally pretty good, although some are getting pricey new.
 
I think I'll pass on the VIOOH and get a CV finder instead. In the meantime, considering the 90/4 Elmar is generally used for portraiture, I think if I center a face/head in the viewfinder I'll probably get a face/head shot?

The Industar 50/3.5 didn't come with a lens hood. The outside diameter seems to be 1 3/8". I'm wondering if it's the same as the 50/3.5 Elmar as the Industar may be a copy?

I managed to get film loading right on the second try and have been wandering around this late PM shooting TriX.

Ted
 
Congrats on the III Ted. This is a great day. Looking forward to seeing many fine photos in the future. All the best.
 
Hi, Jan. If I could find some Rodinal I'd give it a whirl. In the interim it's D76. I have never used HC110. Does it do a better job with TriX?
 
This is OT, but a photographer friend here in town needs CLA's on his Hasselblad lenses. Where's the best place to send them? I tried googling DAG but all I got was a camera parts page.
 
tedwhite said:
The Industar 50/3.5 didn't come with a lens hood. The outside diameter seems to be 1 3/8". I'm wondering if it's the same as the 50/3.5 Elmar as the Industar may be a copy?
Click to expand...
The Industar isn't quite a copy of the Elmar, though it's similar and does take the same size hood. If you get a good example it's a sharp lens - I use one regularly on my IIIC.
 
tedwhite said:
The Industar 50/3.5 didn't come with a lens hood. The outside diameter seems to be 1 3/8". I'm wondering if it's the same as the 50/3.5 Elmar as the Industar may be a copy?Ted
Click to expand...

The 36mm lens hood I picked up in a flea market fits both my Elmars and my Industars and was a lot cheaper than the correct one for the Elmar but dearer than the plastic KMZ version.

Regards, David
 
Thanks, Vince, Wolves3012, and David. Just took a pic of it.
 

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