Leica LTM Odd Standard

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
analoged

analoged

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Well I bought this recently through the classifieds here and the owner was selling it at what he thought was a fake. After seeing some more pictures I thought otherwise. So we made a deal that included a user Elmar and now I'm here to hear your opinions on the being a fake, or indeed a Leica Standard. Serial # from what I can make out is 66414. Also I know the base plate is real and from a later date.








 
It is theoretically a 'I' rather than a Standard. The Standard has a smaller rewind knob. Date is 1931. Obviously it would have started life black.

Michael
 
The vulcanite is gone too, judging from the photos, and replaced with something thinner and less textured.

Some parts of it (like the bottom plate) have likely been switched out for chrome ones, in order to fit its new non-black appearance.
 
Thanks and no one's commented on the 1/4" tripod bush but I guess that's been covered en passant...

Regards, David

PS Forgot to say how nice it is to see the body and lens still together.
 
Congratulations on the camera and lens.

I have a Standard that I use with wide angle lenses, such as Canon 19/3.5 and Minolta 21/4. It has a butter smooth shutter release like no other camera I own. The 50mm accessory finder has been removed and has been replaced with a second accessory shoe.
 
David Hughes said:
Thanks and no one's commented on the 1/4" tripod bush but I guess that's been covered en passant...

Regards, David

PS Forgot to say how nice it is to see the body and lens still together.
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Oh sorry David! Misread your post! The lens is from 1938 and chrome. I read your post thinking you were asking about the Lens mount!

So, basically I feel this is a genuine Leica I, originally black paint with nickel hardware, but made to look chrome and a bit cobbled together (base plate).

Do we all agree with that?
 
Having and extra accessory shoe comes in handy. You could even use an external RF attachment to assist with focusing.
 
analoged said:
Oh sorry David! Misread your post! The lens is from 1938 and chrome. I read your post thinking you were asking about the Lens mount!

So, basically I feel this is a genuine Leica I, originally black paint with nickel hardware, but made to look chrome and a bit cobbled together (base plate).

Do we all agree with that?
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Looking at the pix in my Lager's, it is (mostly) a "Standardized Model C". The later Leica I variants were somewhat different as early on they acquired the smaller pull-up rewind knob of the Leica II (aka D) and had a differently shaped accessory shoe. From the pix it is obvious that the vulcanite is gone and replaced with some thin shot leather and there is one incorrect screw above and just to the left of the lens mount. It should match the two outboard screws in the front of the top plate. The highly polished pieces are obviously from a black body and likely original.
 
Dwig, yes thanks! I remember looking at eBay listings and thinking "Standardized Model C"!

Oh and Dwig! I'm a conch ;)! Grew up on Waddell across from Louies Backyard.
 
Hi,

What's interesting to me is that they used the older body with the plug in the back and hole in the pressure plate after standardisation in 1931. I guessed they'd use up old parts and then start somewhere with new but not seen evidence before.

Also interesting is a 1938 lens with the '0' or zero for the 28.8mm registration. I've also seen it on another 1938 Elmar and wondered.

As for it being a model I, I don't think it was called that at the time; right up to the end of the 30's cameras were just Leicas and the model II started the model naming. Leitz weren't the only ones I've Contax adverts that didn't bother with the model number and just called them Contax cameras. And the USA and European later variations of the name screwed things up further. And why didn't Leitz start with a model IV name, with the die cast body, instead of calling it the IIIc...

DAG could probably supply the bits to take it back to the original but should you bother? I'd only change the odd oversized screw at the front.

Anyway, have fun with it and post some pictures from your first film.

Regards, David
 
analoged said:
Here's what my camera above probably looked like, http://www.ebay.com/itm/262385570189?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
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Yes, your camera would have had a 'round' accessory shoe and it might have been likely that the original lens had a smaller diameter flange. Your current lens has a flange that is the same diameter as the lens mount on the camera, but then you have said that the lens is later.

Anyway...perhaps we are overthinking this a bit, I hope it works and that what you have is a good 'user' so ignore all comments and enjoy!
 
David Hughes said:
...
As for it being a model I, I don't think it was called that at the time; right up to the end of the 30's cameras were just Leicas and the model II started the model naming. ...
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My facsimile copy of the 1931 catalog lists 3 models with several variants of each; the "Leitz Leica Camera" (black w/ vulcanized covering), the "de Luxe Model Leica Camera" (LELUX gold w/ lizard and LEANEKALB black w/ colored calf skin), and the "Camera with Interchangeable Lenses" (LENEU black w/ vulcanized covering) along with various bundles based on these (e.g. with cassettes, with RF, with case, ...)

In various literature later, the models were described using letters, A thrugh G. Only later the newer roman numeral plus letter (e.g. I, II, III, IIIa, ...) came into use. The I (aka E) designation should probably only be used to refer to those variants derived from the II (aka D) and later chassis leaving the "Leica Camera with interchangeable lenses" as the "C", or whether original factory or later retro, "Standardized C".
 
Well it has a roll loaded now, so to hell with its ******* appearance! I'll worry about cosmetics later! Cheers!
 
analoged said:
Well it has a roll loaded now, so to hell with its ******* appearance! I'll worry about cosmetics later! Cheers!
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That's the proper attitude. Cameras are for shooting and not for looking at.

BTW, my dentist is in South St., not far from Waddell. I live near the top of Solaris Hill (the "Alps" of KW :) ) on Elizabeth. My commute is a 7 minute stroll down Duval to the gallery where I work as the "primary Photoshop jocky and EPSON printer wrangler".
 
Dwig said:
My facsimile copy of the 1931 catalog lists 3 models with several variants of each; the "Leitz Leica Camera" (black w/ vulcanized covering), the "de Luxe Model Leica Camera" (LELUX gold w/ lizard and LEANEKALB black w/ colored calf skin), and the "Camera with Interchangeable Lenses" (LENEU black w/ vulcanized covering) along with various bundles based on these (e.g. with cassettes, with RF, with case, ...)

In various literature later, the models were described using letters, A thrugh G. Only later the newer roman numeral plus letter (e.g. I, II, III, IIIa, ...) came into use. The I (aka E) designation should probably only be used to refer to those variants derived from the II (aka D) and later chassis leaving the "Leica Camera with interchangeable lenses" as the "C", or whether original factory or later retro, "Standardized C".
Click to expand...

Hi,

Those old catalogues are fascinating, aren't they?

Your 1931 one must be the Hove Foto copy of the 'Wetzlar and London' version and I guess the others are the 'New York' versions which deviated slightly even for the same year and month. In GB they lagged a little behind in the model variations (probably as London was overstocked or something) but had colour pictures showing what could be done by the late 30's but only in the customers' version. The 1931 was a copy of the dealers' catalogue.

I'm always amazed how cheaply they can be picked up, with the exception of the 1920's versions. One I bid on reached GBP 130 (about US $ 200) but I wasn't bidding then.

Regards, David
 
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