Leica Standard or Leica I

[mcfingon]

Looking along the top deck of your camera Raid, it looks like the rewind knob and shutter speed dial are later, chrome-plated items than the nickel-plated film advance knob. My 1933 III has nickel fittings on all those items. The paint and leatherette seem exactly the same as my camera. Your shutter button protrudes higher above the finger rest than mine, but has the same bell-push profile.
John Mc

 

[raid]

Hi John,
How can you tell apart Nickel from Chrome parts in the camera? They all look like Nickel to my eyes!

 

[Rob-F]

To my eye, the nickel parts on my Leica II have a warm yellowy patina, like silver can take on. Chrome always looks colder to me, like stainless steel.

 

[David Hughes]

Dear David,
if the serial # 160933 is correct (and not some Russian or American Leica-faker's joke), then it's made in 1935 — no hockey stick; see: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Leica_Standard
In how far do you find the shutter release button strange (or particularly old) looking, David?

I hate to say/type it but I'm not so sure now but I'm using a different computer and a different monitor and in different room lighting. Alas, that's the problem with forums; I need the things in my hands to play with - I mean fully research - and so on. It was the proportions of the shutter button that I was worrying about.

Regards, David

 

[David Hughes]

No way, David! This camera will stay "clothed" and stay unstripped! It is not a valuable colelctible item.

Quite right too but often a strip reveals things like the camera's serial number, dates and so on, in pencil scribbled on it by a technician (and I suspect pawnbrokers). I've seen several devices (not cameras in particular) with the last three digits of the serial number stamped on the major parts (and some minor) to wonder about it; it usually means the parts have been matched during assembly. You could ask if it ever needs some work done on it. Luckily I use firms that are happy to let the technician talk to me and have learnt a lot...

Regards, David

 

[raid]

Quite right too but often a strip reveals things like the camera's serial number, dates and so on, in pencil scribbled on it by a technician (and I suspect pawnbrokers). I've seen several devices (not cameras in particular) with the last three digits of the serial number stamped on the major parts (and some minor) to wonder about it; it usually means the parts have been matched during assembly. You could ask if it ever needs some work done on it. Luckily I use firms that are happy to let the technician talk to me and have learnt a lot...

Regards, David

I agree that having such a check during a future CLA or repair job is a good thing to do, David. With old cameras I always feel that just the fact that the camera is that old makes the camera interesting to me even when it is not a rare model or unique item in the end.

 

[raid]

To my eye, the nickel parts on my Leica II have a warm yellowy patina, like silver can take on. Chrome always looks colder to me, like stainless steel.

Both knobs on top of my camera appear to be made in Nickel. Other (smaller) parts seem to be in Chrome.

 

[Erik van Straten]

even when it is not a rare model or unique item in the end.

It is a rare item, the way the serial number is printed in the top plate is unimaginable.

Erik.

 

[mcfingon]

Here's my 1933 III Raid. I was going on the nickel parts having a more gold tone than the chrome parts which look more silver to me. It may be the lighting or the signs of usage are different on your camera but I believe the rewind knob and the shutter speed dial appear more silver. I think I read somewhere that 1935 was a transitional year when Leica stopped nickel-coating and moved over to chrome-plating only.
John Mc

 

[Erik van Straten]

Both knobs on top of my camera appear to be made in Nickel. Other (smaller) parts seem to be in Chrome.

In my eyes only the speed knob and the lens mount are in chrome, you can replace them easily if you can find those parts in nickel. They can be genuine however. In 1935 also chrome Leicas were made. mcfingon says the same.

Erik.

 

[raid]

It is a rare item, the way the serial number is printed in the top plate is unimaginable.

Erik.

Hello Erik. Please clarify to me why the engraving looks to you as making this camera rare. Thanks.

 

[raid]

Here's my 1933 III Raid. I was going on the nickel parts having a more gold tone than the chrome parts which look more silver to me. It may be the lighting or the signs of usage are different on your camera but I believe the rewind knob and the shutter speed dial appear more silver. I think I read somewhere that 1935 was a transitional year when Leica stopped nickel-coating and moved over to chrome-plating only.
John Mc

Hi John. You could be right, of course. Thanks.

 

[raid]

In my eyes only the speed knob and the lens mount are in chrome, you can replace them easily if you can find those parts in nickel. They can be genuine however. In 1935 also chrome Leicas were made. mcfingon says the same.

Erik.

I see the same thing as you do, Erik. The lens mount and the speed knob seem to be in shiny chrome finish.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Hello Erik. Please clarify to me why the engraving looks to you as making this camera rare. Thanks.

This type of engraving is called Woods metal (there are also other names for it), it is a very expensive type of engraving in the metal that is filled with a hot, liquid metal, a mixture of lead and silver. This liquid metal solidifies as it cools and then forms the engraved numbers, letters and signs in a positive (convex) relief. This process has not been used for a long time and it is now impossible to imitate. The black pre-war Leicas have such engravings, not the chrome ones. This type of engraving can no longer be copied nowadays. So when your prewar black Leica has such engravings it can't be a fake.

Erik.

 

[raid]

I will check out my camera after I return home from work today. Thanks for the explanation, Erik. Mine has the serial number engraved, and it is black.

 

[raid]

This camera on BeeBay seems to come from a similar lot of cameras as mine (?). My camera is in a much better cosmetic condition, though. these pics are not of my camera.

This one looks better:

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

You can see what I did to mine for a while, put the finder back on to sell it though.

 

[raid]

Hi David. So you removed the 50mm finder from your camera. Based on what Eril has said about the engraving, your chrome Standard should not have such metal engraving.

"The black pre-war Leicas have such engravings, not the chrome ones."

 

[Erik van Straten]

This is a nice example of the Woods metal engraving. All black Hektor 73mm f/1.9.


Erik.

 

[raid]

Are the aperture values engraved as you have explained?
This is a fine looking Hektor, Erik!