Leica LTM Leica IIIf + Summitar 5cm f2

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
Thank you very much guys! I learned I lot from this site and I keep learning. I am going very fast to be an RF addict I suppose. In one week I bought a canon IIb and a Leica IIIf 🙂 And I have some other bids for other items! haha...

I may need to sell my precious summicron for sum of money 🙁
 
Lovely camera at a very decent price! You might consider adjusting the rangefinder yourself, if that's the only problem with it. Saves you the cash so you can spend it on something else!

Else: Think you'd better sell something else instead of precious lenses, maybe a kidney? 😛😀😉
 
If you're in Toronto, I can't see why you wouldn't bring it to Gerry Smith at Kindermann. Heck, you could even hand deliver it. He's one of the best in the business, and could certainly do the work. As far as cost goes, I can't see them being really any pricier than anyone else, not to mention the fact that you wouldn't have to pay two way shipping charges, have to pack it up, go through Customs to the States, blah blah blah. 'Dr. Dave' Eve is another Torontonian (Oakville, actually) who's done masterful work for me as well (davideve@globalserve.net), but Gerry's great. Kindermann's on Steelcase Rd. in Markham.

Gerry reskinned a IIIf for me and did a CLA for me about a year and a half ago, and did beautiful work. Plus, I've brought things to him over the past 18 years (particularly when I was living in Toronto) and he always delivered 1st class work. Tell him I sent ya!
 
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Leica rangefinders are meant to be adjusted. It's pretty easy to DIY.

When I got my first Leica the vertical alignment was off, too, and I didn't even realize it. I thought it was supposed to be that way. It has no effect on focusing accuracy. I used it that way for a few years before finally sending it in for an overhaul. But that's an M5, a very hardy beast.

The bad thing about IIIfs is the shutter curtain material is poor compared to much earlier or later Leicas, due to wartime shortages of materials, so they often need to be replaced because of pinholes or striping on film, which shows up at high shutter speeds, 1/200 and over. Shoot a roll of chrome film and any defects will be more pronounced than on B&W due to it's narrow exposure range.

The great thing is they are very compact and have a very quiet, smooth shutter, super accurate rangefinder, and the diopter is really nifty.
 
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Melvin

One small thing, the IIIf was 1950s production so it suffered no wartime problems. You may have had in mind the IIIc stepper model?

Bob
 
Nikon Bob said:
Melvin

One small thing, the IIIf was 1950s production so it suffered no wartime problems. You may have had in mind the IIIc stepper model?

Bob
Click to expand...

Yes, the part about wartime shortages is conjecture on my part. Europe was still recovering in 1951, when the OP's camera was made.

Shutter Curtains: If your camera is pre-war and original, there is about a 50% chance the shutter curtains will need replacement. If your camera is post-war and original, there is about a 80% chance their shutter curtains will need replacement. --from The Camera Quest site.

I've also been told pretty much the same thing by DAG, that the Leica II curtains often still look new, but the IIIf ones don't age as well.
This has been borne out by my own experience of having to replace my IIIf's curtain, and not having to replace my M2, M5 or Leica II's curtains.
 
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Melvin

Yes, it was not pretty in Germany after the war for many years. If you had of said post war shortages it would have had to agree. There is also the issue of bad chrome jobs on some post war LTMs.

Bob
 
well I am getting more excited as time passes...🙂 The camera is on the way to Youixin. He is a really decent guy dealing very closely with you and the charge will be 70$! the shipmint will not cost more than my gas money to travel to toronto 🙂 so I guess this time is ok.

He told me he will check the curtain as well...we will see If I need...

and my canon is on the hands of

Garland Camera
1401 NW. Hwy. suite 101
Garland,Texas 75041
1-800-794-3451

as Youixin doesnt fix canons

Thanks everybody, as soon as the camera is on my hands I will finish a roll and post the images.
 
Hey guys! I got my Leica IIIf with summitar! It is my first vintage Leica...

I cant explain how wonderful I felt when I opened the box from Youxin...It is so cute camera...It is...I dont know, I think I wont be able to sell this camera...

I must say I am very happy that I chose Youxin. He did a great job for only 90$ he CLA both the body and the lens. He checked the curtain and he didnt change it. He finished the camera the same day he took it!!! He is incredible...

Here are some photos of my new Leica IIIf 🙂 with the old Leica M6 🙂) the dust seen on the objective are on the objective, inside is pristine clean...

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I have a couple of questione on the use of Leica IIIf...what is the dial by the objective that has readings 2,4, 30, 20, 15?

and there are two viewfinders, one is for focusing I see, but the second one, does it show 35mm view by default?

and what is the readings below the shutture speed dial, 2,4,6,8,10...?

Thanks...
 
Thank you very much for the link!

Hans, I am sorry but I am new to summitars...Brian may know about the aperture blades...Though I kinda like it...It looks so complicated 🙂
 
I was amazed by the results! The colors are just little bit saturated in GIMP because scanning was bad...but without tweaking even superp...I liked the bokeh it gives and it can be really sharp just like its brother summicron when step down to 4-5.8

Enjoy!
 
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