Canon LTM My L3 shouldn't exist?!?!

Canon M39 M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
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tvrguy

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Folks I just bought a really strange animal. It appears to be an L3 (the bottom plate says that), however, it has a self timer, PC socket, and 1/1000th shutter speed?!??!?

Were these officially made, or has mine been modified?

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I can't find any record of an L3 having these features. Anyone else?

Thanks
 
I’ve got a canon VL1 that’s almost identical to yours except for the baseplate, rewind knob and steel shutter curtains. Yours could be one of the later models with a different baseplate.
Nathan
 
It's interesting, I've still been searching for any info on this, and haven't found any explanation for this camera existing. it actually looks like a VL-2, but it has 1/1000th shutter speed. Otherwise, it's close. I'd be tempted to say it's some other camera with the baseplate transplanted from an L3, but I haven't found any other Canon rangefinders that have the lever advance, self timer, 1/1000th shutter speed, flash sync, and the pop-up knob rewind.

I am wondering if it's some kind of prototype. Also, there is some kind of marking around the viewfinder in the front of the camera, that seems to indicate something had been mounted there at some point. Very strange.
 
Odd beast, for sure! According to Dechert's book, nothing was produced with those specs and configuration irregardless of what the baseplate says. Would you mind sharing the serial number?
 
The VL1, L2 and L3 were all in production at roughly the same time. It's possible that Canon was just using up some old parts so mixed-and-matched to create you hybrid camera.

Jim B.
 
Ha! This is hilarious. I am awaiting arrival on an almost identical beast bought off ebay this weekend.

Though the auction did not show pictures of the base plate, it appears to be an L1 with a VL2 top plate.

Has 1/1000th speed, flash sync, cloth curtains, no self-timer...yet has the knob rewind.

Here's the auction: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-L1-35mm-Chrome-Rangefinder-Camera-Body-RARE/162918899352?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Once I get it I will report what if any markings on the base plate. I actually bought it because I like the knob rewind. It stays out of the way better when loading film.
 
That's interesting. So there may be other "unique" cameras out there from that time period.

I was going to put it on ebay myself, or sell it through here. Tough to determine what's it's worth, though, when there are no other cameras like it!
 
I've been messing with these models for a number of years and have never seen one like these-- but two in the same week! That's serendipity! Yes, baseplate switches happen more frequently, and while anything is possible, I suspect both of these are user-conversions...for whatever reason. If anything, it probably makes them less valuable (these models don't seem to fetch much money anyway, despite the relative rarity...(I'm not complaining)). I may open mine to clean the viewfinder...but unless I'm mistaken Canon did not inscribe serial numbers on the internals like Leica, so it will be pretty hard to tell if it came from the factory that way.
 
Probably true, bluesun267. Oddly, though, even the top plate features don't seem to match having a self-timer. Forgetting about the bottom plate engraving - was there a body that came with self-timer, flash sync, 1/1000th max shutter speed, lever wind, and the rewind knob??

One thing that I guess we all have to keep in mind - the likelihood that our sources of information on these cameras are likely ancient and possibly not complete.

I did call Canon and essentially, they didn't know anything about it. Ancient history for them.
 
Canon didn't have an 'a la carte' program. Sorry.

You have a bitsa. Someone's fantasy camera. Bitsas are rare, but only in the sense that because they are made from disparate parts, each is unique. A one of one. But, bitsas don't sell well. Rarity does not equate to value.
 
There’s a retired Canon repair tech on the Facebook “Canon Historical Society” group. He personally has created hybrids using parts from V-series and L-series cameras. Maybe you have one of his creations.

A few weeks back, somebody was selling a Canon 7 that had a trigger-wind from a Vt attached to its bottom.

Jim B.
 
Mackinaw said:
There’s a retired Canon repair tech on the Facebook “Canon Historical Society” group. He personally has created hybrids using parts from V-series and L-series cameras. Maybe you have one of his creations.

A few weeks back, somebody was selling a Canon 7 that had a trigger-wind from a Vt attached to its bottom.

Jim B.
Click to expand...

I remember seeing that one, and thought, isn't the Canon 7 big enough already?:eek:
 
I thought I'd give a rundown of what I know of these L/V models, based on several years experience:

VT--Trigger wind, 1/1000th, FP/X flash sync, rewind KNOB, cloth curtain, self-timer
L1--Lever wind, 1/1000th, FP/X sync, rewind LEVER, cloth curtain, NO self timer, model # on baseplate
L2--Lever wind, 1/500th, FP sync only, rewind KNOB, cloth curtain, NO self timer, model # on baseplate
L3--As L2 but no flash sync of any kind
VT Deluxe--As VT, but with rewind LEVER and metal curtains
VL--Lever wind, 1/1000th, FP/X sync, rewind LEVER, metal curtains, self-timer, NO model # on baseplate
VL2--As VL but with 1/500th and rewind KNOB

I read somewhere the late-production L models can sometimes be found with metal curtains, but have never seen one myself.

I think I should make some sort of spreadsheet for this...
 
tvrguy said:
So it kind of seems like I have an L1 with a self-timer.
Click to expand...

L1 has rewind crank, not knob. The knob is a L2/L3 feature.

bluesun267 said:
I thought I'd give a rundown of what I know of these L/V models, based on several years experience:

VT--Trigger wind, 1/1000th, FP/X flash sync, rewind knob, cloth curtain, self-timer
L1--Lever wind, 1/1000th, FP/X sync, rewind lever, cloth curtain, NO self timer, model # on baseplate
L2--Lever wind, 1/500th, FP sync only, rewind knob, cloth curtain, NO self timer, model # on baseplate
L3--As L2 but no flash sync of any kind
VT Deluxe--As VT, but with rewind lever and metal curtains
VL--As L1 but with self-timer, metal curtains, NO model # on baseplate
VL2--As L1 but with 1/500th, self-timer, metal curtains, no model # on baseplate

I read somewhere the late-production L models can sometimes be found with metal curtains, but have never seen one myself.

I think I should make some sort of spreadsheet for this...
Click to expand...


I have an L2 with metal curtain. The seller listed it as VL2..
 
Guys, if you don’t have a copy of Peter Dechert’s long out of print Canon rangefinder book, I highly recommend tracking down a copy. Very concise and informative. A good read for any Canon RF enthusiast.
 
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