Non-Russian Leica copies

[dll927]

I suppose it's pretty well-known that there were others besides Russians who tried their luck at Leica copies. There are Niccas, Reids, Towers, etc. A few questions:

1. Are these worthwhile cameras?
2. What prices are reasonable? A search on the 'bay' brought up a couple of
of Reids at that German "photo-arsenal" place, but as usual they have prices that would gag an elephant. Are they worth such prices?
3 Does anyone have/use such cameras?

Most of these seem to have been attempts to make a Leica copy at a lesser price. And needless to say, they would now be old. Just wondering what use or value such machines would have.

 

[ferider]

A good place to check on price is KEH, they always have some of them.
Prominently, there are also Leotax and Canon bodies.

I believe they are all good and not so far off Leica prices, condition will be
more important than features. There are collector cameras, too, that
are very, very expensive, like the Kardon. Stephen has some good documentation
on his web site.

For Canon the transition from Barnack copy to modern RF was smoother than
for Leica. There are some bodies that have hinged back and combined VF/RF
and that are otherwise very similar to Barnacks. So this might be a choice if you
want the feeling of a Barnack with some added features.


Also, on ebay, you can sometimes get great lenses on such a copy.
For instance Nicca bodies with Nikkor 50/2 or 50/1.4, sometimes for
prices that are cheaper than just the lens alone.

Roland.

 

[dexdog]

Aside from the Canon lieca copies like the IIIa and IVsB, I have a Nicca 5L. I have used them all from time to time, and all perform well. Prices of the various Canons are probably cheaper than others brands such as Nicca or Leotax, probably because Canon made so many of them, while the output of other makers was relatively small.

I really like the Nicca 5L as a user. It has lever wind, a flip-open back panel for easier loading, diopter adjustment, and excellent build quality. A beautiful camera, as noted on the Cameraquest site.

 

[physiognomy]

1. Are these worthwhile cameras?

I definitely think they are... I have limited experience with handling ltm Leicas, but the quality I have seen in Japanese ltm cameras is nearly equal & in some cases I think that these manufac's outdid Leica.

2. What prices are reasonable? A search on the 'bay' brought up a couple of of Reids at that German "photo-arsenal" place, but as usual they have prices that would gag an elephant. Are they worth such prices?

I have seen the sort of prices you mention & can only offer a shudder... I definitely would not pay that sort of $$$, but fully working cameras in great cosmetic condition can be had for much less... It has been a while now since I was watching prices, but I picked up my Nicca IIIS + Nikkor 50/2 for well under $250usd.

3. Does anyone have/use such cameras?

Yes... They are great!

Peter