Leica If a la Al Kaplan

[aoresteen]

On Saturday I loaded up my Leica If RD that I haven't used in a number of years. I put the 15mm lens on it, the Leicavit, & the Voigtlander VC meter. Loaded it up with Arista 400 (Tri-X) and went to a football game. The Domke strap kept it safely around my neck.

What great fun! I couldn't help thinking about Al Kaplan and his Bessa L with the 15mm lens.

I haven't processed the film yet but just using it made my day. The Leicavit really makes it a completely different camera.

I really miss Al.

 

[charjohncarter]

Process and post images. I like the dual hot shoe, I might have to get one of those. I have an old multi format Leica finder that I don't use, because I like the VII meter is the shoe.

I miss Al too.

 

[B-9]

a great kit, the syoom is nice!

 

[WJJ3]

On Saturday I loaded up my Leica If RD that I haven't used in a number of years. I put the 15mm lens on it, the Leicavit, & the Voigtlander VC meter. Loaded it up with Arista 400 (Tri-X) and went to a football game. The Domke strap kept it safely around my neck.

What great fun! I couldn't help thinking about Al Kaplan and his Bessa L with the 15mm lens.

I haven't processed the film yet but just using it made my day. The Leicavit really makes it a completely different camera.

I really miss Al.

Sweet rig. I'm glad to see some 1f users here. It's funny, last year I was asking for input about these cameras here:
http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143310
but couldn't seem to get any replies from people who use them. Lately it seems like more 1f users are coming out of the woodwork. I passed on the Bessa L and bought a 1f as a light tight box for my 21mm. Super fun camera to use!



Envious of your winder 🙂

 

[Huss]

Is this turning into a 1f thread?

🙂

 

[aoresteen]

WJJ3,

I too passed on the Bessa L for a light tight box. The If seemed to be the way to go. I had my first 1F modded by Don Goldberg to add the slow speeds. I sold it and a month after letting it go I knew I had made a mistake. I got another If and this one is staying with me.

I also have the 21mm Voigtlander. I use a IIIf with it as the the 21mm is RF coupled so it's nice to have the IIIf RF to confirm focus. I do need to get the Leitz 21mm finder.

I guess this is a If thread! 🙂

 

[WJJ3]

WJJ3,

I too passed on the Bessa L for a light tight box. The If seemed to be the way to go. I had my first 1F modded by Don Goldberg to add the slow speeds. I sold it and a month after letting it go I knew I had made a mistake. I got another If and this one is staying with me.

I also have the 21mm Voigtlander. I use a IIIf with it as the the 21mm is RF coupled so it's nice to have the IIIf RF to confirm focus. I do need to get the Leitz 21mm finder.

I guess this is a If thread! 🙂

Really interesting! I had no idea 1f could be modified to include the slow speeds. Where did Don put the flash sync?

 

[aoresteen]

Really interesting! I had no idea 1f could be modified to include the slow speeds. Where did Don put the flash sync?

Don gave me a couple of options but as I don't use flash with my 15mm lens I decided not to have the PC socket moved. I gave up flash for the slow speeds.

As it turned out, I rarely used the slow speeds with the 15mm lens so when Don overhauled my 2nd If, I didn't bother adding the slow speeds. I use the 1/100 speed most often.

If I really need slow speeds I can always use my M3 or IIIf RD body. Ditto for flash.

 

[aoresteen]

Here's a photo of my first If with the slow speeds:

 

[WJJ3]

Here's a photo of my first If with the slow speeds:

woah! very cool. I am curious what options Don gave you for PC socket placement?

 

[aoresteen]

woah! very cool. I am curious what options Don gave you for PC socket placement?

Front left lower by the lens mount was one. IIRC front right low by the lens mount was the other. There's no room on the back or top.

Front left lower by the lens mount was a common placement for early non-syc Leicas that 3rd parties added flash sync.

 

[WJJ3]

Front left lower by the lens mount was one. IIRC front right low by the lens mount was the other. There's no room on the back or top.

Front left lower by the lens mount was a common placement for early non-syc Leicas that 3rd parties added flash sync.

cool thanks. I wouldn't want to loose my flash sync, but the possibility of adding the slow speeds to my 1f is really interesting. Trying to snap off a half or one second exposure by hand with a cable release is kinda tricky. Granted these situations rarely come up (once in the last year or so.). It's probably not worth going through the trouble to modify the camera...

 

[aoresteen]

I bought another Leicavit so both the If & IIIf each would have their own Leicavit 🙂 . It was a bit gummy (most likely from lack of use) so I sent it to Don Goldberg for service.