Oddity in camera shop

[xwhatsit]

Hi guys,

I've been keeping my eyes out for a LTM camera of some description and spotted something unusual in a nearby camera shop.

Now forgive me because I didn't have long to look at it, and didn't have a camera on me to take a photo, but I'd like to share some of my impressions in order that I might determine what it is.

At first blush it's the familiar Leica III shape, with the dial on the front for the slow speeds. Lifting it up to the eye the rangefinder window definitely has the 1.5X magnification, so with the slow speeds and the magnified rangefinder it's no Fed or Zorki.

It's the top plate, however, that has me confused. Unlike the rest of the camera, which (from memory) looks like faded black paint and a lot of brassing (or maybe not black paint, not 100% sure on my memory), it's bright BRIGHT chrome. Also, it has a quite poor hand-etching of the Leica logo, with no serial number I think.

I'm reasonably sure it was a separate top plate, not a die-cast IIIC style unit.

Another odd thing was the advance knob, which had sort of a notch about 5mm wide cut into it across the diameter through the centre.

I asked if it were for sale, it had "Not for Sale" written on a sticker underneath so the lady called the shop's owner and asked him about it. He said it had a faulty shutter so would sell it for $NZ250. I suppose I would pay $NZ200 or so, as it has a reasonably clean looking Summitar collapsible attached (it is the Summitar, isn't it, the f2 collapsible?). I don't know how easy a Leica shutter is to repair, but I've completely disassembled a couple of Synchro Compurs (and more importantly, put them back together working) and I've heard focal plane shutters are relatively simple so I'm hoping I can figure it out.

I'm just intrigued about the top plate and advance knob. Anybody have any ideas?

Cheers!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

If the Summitar is in good condition, it is worth the price.

Reapairing the camera is likely to run ~$200US, if it needs new curtains. Given the cosmetic condition of the camera, you will not be able to get anywhere near that if you decide to sell it.

 

[sevo]

A camera that is likely to be a pastiche from wasted Leica III bits with some faked-up Soviet and Japanese parts thrown in probably won't recoup the cost of a shutter repair - so it is up to the lens value whether this is a good deal.

 

[xwhatsit]

I don't really care about recouping cost, I'm not planning on selling it. I'd attempt any shutter repair myself, so it would be only my free time (I actually enjoy doing this sort of stuff funnily enough). I don't like giving things to other people to repair, that's no fun!

A Soviet or Japanese top plate? They're really that interchangeable?

EDIT: It may have been a 50/2 Summar collapsible -- it seemed small, even on the tiny III body and looking at this photo the Summar seems more like it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/108164...s/10816453@N00/185370098/in/pool-1289696@N22/

 

[Roger Hicks]

It could of course be a genuine Leica with really rotten re-chroming. And no: very few top plates are interchangeable, though (for example) Reids were reputed to be.

My bet is either an out-and-out fake (check the rangefinder follower -- roller for Leica, triangular finger for Fed) or a bad re-chrome.

Edit: The notch on the wind on suggests ex-Luftwaffe or the like, specially adapted for some purpose, deliberately defaced after WW2 then badly 'restored'. I've seen that before.

Cheers,

R.

 

[xwhatsit]

I instantly thought `fake' too because of the bright chrome, but the Soviet fakes didn't have 1.5x magnification and slow speeds, did they? Weren't they Leica II copies?

I don't know much about the Japanese copies. The Japanese LTMs are very, very rare in NZ and it would seem odd to fake up a Japanese Leica copy (as they mostly seem to be worth much more than an original Leica -- a shame, as I'd prefer a Nicca, they're prettier!).

I might have another look this weekend and see if I can have a word to the owner, if only to find out about the shutter issue. I'll check the follower -- the Canons had a roller too, but the body is angled and it has a combined viewfinder/rangefinder so it's obviously not one of those 🙂

If it's a terrible rechrome maybe I can find a new top plate. The top plate Leica engravings are the one of the prettiest parts of a III, it's a shame to lose those. I wonder how easy it is to find a new top plate?

 

[johannielscom]

Maybe you can ask the owner if you can take some detailed pictures for reference, should he not be able to tell you anything more on the camera?

Sure sounds intriguing.