Leica III to IIIa conversions?

[landsknechte]

I picked up this morning what appears to be a 1939 IIIa, with the serial number 313668. All the serial number lists floating around on the internet list my new toy as a III.

Did the factory convert the III into a IIIa, or does this look more like an error of the various serial number lists?

Thanks,
--Chris

 

[xayraa33]

it could be a conversion, although in 1939 the IIIa was very much available.

 

[LeicaTom]

Leitz did some odd conversions up until the 1960`s

Yes, III to IIIa is an odd conversion, but that's not to say it was't done before....

I`ve seen some wild conversions, some making the original camera worthless -
like a 1920`s Elmax conversion to III
(the original camera`s worth like $15k after the conversion maybe $1k or less)

Leica I *three or four digit serial number cameras* to III (also was`nt a good idea)


and there`s others that are very strange ones that are now quite collectable

Leica II Black Paint to IIIF BD (makes a Black IIIF) *Rare conversion*

Leica IIIC K to IIIF BD Black Dial (kinda neat but worth like $1,000 less than a untouched camera, a shame some people did this including Leni Riefenstahl but in 1952 the IIIC K "Grey" was just another used camera)

IIIC to IIIF BDST Black Dial Self Timer (strange one)

IIIF BD Black Dial to IIIF BD Black Dial Self Timer (the camera that doesn`t exist)

and if anyone has ever seen a

IIIC Wartime "Stepper" Rewind Chrome body to IIIF BDST Black Dial Self Timer

or know where one is let me know.....I`m not too sure that this one was ever done?

Tom

 

[OldNick]

I picked up this morning what appears to be a 1939 IIIa, with the serial number 313668. All the serial number lists floating around on the internet list my new toy as a III.

Did the factory convert the III into a IIIa, or does this look more like an error of the various serial number lists?

Thanks,
--Chris

I have a 1935 Leica III, SN177xxx, that was factory-converted to a IIIa. It was not uncommon during the 1930s.

Jim N.

 

[xayraa33]

the IIIa was just the III with 1/1000 of a sec. top shutter speed, nothing else is different in these two models.
a conversion to a IIIa was quite routine in the late 1930s.
most converted Leica III(s) would have a mid 1930s serial numbers, but even early 1930s Leica standards were sometimes converted to the IIIa.

 

[colyn]

Did the factory convert the III into a IIIa, or does this look more like an error of the various serial number lists?

Thanks,
--Chris

Leica would convert nearly all older models to the newer version so yes it is a converted III to IIIa.

I have a IIIa that was factory converted to IIIf BD..