New IIIa

HuubL

HuubL

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Just arrived, this lovely 1938 Leica IIIa + matching 1938 Summar. The camera's second curtain is a little hesitant when using the slow speeds (I've already started practicing it), but the camera looks to have come through WW2 and the 50 or something years behind it pretty well. The summar looks nice too. No dust, fungus or haze between the elements, and the front and back lenses seem almost devoid of cleaning marks, although the front lens has a short but nasty scratch. I've seen wonderful photos of the Summar lately and wonder if this one would be able to deliver similar quality. If the scratch results in too much flare I could always fill it in with Indian ink.
I made a quick photo. I'll make better ones when there's a bit more light.
iiia.jpg
 
Wow, that's a nice looking IIIa.

I'm still waiting on my IIIc to get back from being repaired. Need's a complete shutter overhaul and just a general clean up. So anxious to get out there and take some photos with it 🙁

I also bought a '34 Summar to use with it. Simply because it was the cheapest Leitz lens that I could afford. It seems to be in great condition with only a few specks of dust inside.
 
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That Summar is barely used, look how shiny the barrel is. Of course, maybe it wasn't a very sharp one, so it sat on a shelf. Summars are from when there was more unit-to-unit variation at Leica.

Hopefully, it was just more camera than the original buyer could use, so it stayed pristine.
 
chippy said:
its a beauty! gleaming...

i hadn't noticed before, but while i was admiring this 1938 IIIa i noticed the center window on the front is different to the 1935 IIIa. are there any other differences between 35 and 38 IIIa models?
Click to expand...

This is also different compared to my 36IIIa. Also, when did the Summars switch from feet to mtr? My 1936 Summar reads feet.
 
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