Leica LTM My 1st IIIc stepper

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
I've coveted these nice things from afar. I don't recall if I've even held one.

Can anyone tell me what they are like to use? I know they have an interesting loading procedure. But once that is taken care of, what are they really like to use?

Maybe I'll get one too, one day.

Any recommendations?? Lenses, accessories, cases etc.etc.
 
nice smooth little cameras to use, the VF is small and kind of squinty and the framing pretty much sucks... I mean, what isn't to love? The loading isn't a big deal, just cut the film.
 
Paul C. Perkins said:
IIIc Stepper . . . I have a Leica IIIc. What is thmeaning/importance of "stepper?"

Paul
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An easy question to answer - Take a look at how the rewind lever sits on the top plate on the above camera and note the slight step just for the rewind lever. There are internal differences as well and the nice little knob on the diopter lever, too.
 
I've been trying to post some more photos of my IIIc but have not been successful. I used the same process that I used on my 1st post but it has not worked for me. Can someone point me in the right direction?
 
Another rare survivor of the postwar US Army issues..........this time from early 1946.

Mike, you want to photoshop out the last three numbers in your top plate serial numbers for posting cameras on line (I explain to you why over the phone) and try using a TFP or Photobucket as a carrier for photos and just copy and paste, that`s how I get the big photos to post here at RFF.

Ohh and to answer Paul`s question, the term "stepper" or "stepped rewind" are two phrases that Leo B. and I started using last year about the "wartime" or series one style of Leica IIIC`s produced from 1940 to 1946 - all these era cameras have a raised platform under the rewind lever and are among the most collectable of all vintage Leica`s not just because of being "wartime" but because of their superior build quality and workmanship - (far finer than the postwar cameras) , the film transport is much smoother (especially the IIIC K "ball bearing" versions) that were made from 1943 to 1945.

This camera that Mike has is from the very last of the production and is in a bunch of cameras I call "crossover" cameras, while they are made after the ball bearing WW2 cameras and before the IIIF styled bearings, from left over parts from WW2 era cameras, and these were the very last of the original styled Leica IIIC casted body designed cameras that were sold - all of them going to the US Occupation Forces in Gemany 1945 and 1946.

Tom
 
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payasam said:
Must be late production, as it has the lock on the slow speed dial.
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Lock on the slow speed dial came out in mid to late 1942 and that`s nowhere near late production - those were also the first cameras post Red Curtain, (no Red Curtain Leica`s have the slow speed dial lock button)

1946 late production cameras were identical to IIIC K`s except they didn`t have the ball bearings inside, they also had the second pattern "wartime" vulcanite........this will all be explanied in the book Leo B. and I are preparing about these cameras

Tom
 
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Thanks for the clarification, Tom. Clearly at some time I read something written by someone who didn't have the facts right.
 
Here is another photo of my IIIc showing the upside down placing of the film loading instructions. It appears that this was done on a number of cameras during this period of production.
 

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Congratulations on your IIIc, Mynikonf2.

I've only acquired mine two "steppers" in the last 4 months. and neither look as slick as yours, but they're wonderful cameras. I'm sure you'll enjoy using it very much.
 
Mr.Flibble, They really are special cameras. It's a tribute to those who produced these handcrafted cameras under such terribly stressful conditions.
I have another IIIc, on the way, that was manufactured 880 cameras before this one. I'll post photos of it when it arrives. I also have one in the 391xxx range that will arrive in the same package.
UPS will be delivering them tomorrow & If they are anywhere near as nice as this one I will be thrilled. This IIIc is exceptionally nice, it is hard to believe that it was ever used.
 
Speaking of upside down film loading instruction plates, my own IIIc "stepper" (3929xx) has the plate right side up, but the lettering and diagram is done in a gold color, instead of the usual silver my other Barnacks have. Maybe that's pretty common though, but hey, I think it's chic anyway.

- Steve Busch
 
Attached is the source of my information (or misinformation). It is a page which no longer exists on Christoph Ozdoba's site but which I saved some years ago.

If the numbers are to be believed, the first IIIc with a lock on the slow speed dial came after some 20,000 units without the lock had been made; and only some 8,000 of the later version were made until the end of WW2.
 

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