REID III with Taylor & Hobson Anastigmat

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Is the Reid III (seems to be a fine Leica III copy) a rare camera?
How about the quality of the standard lens

Any info about its value is appreciated.

thanks


in the meantime, found these prices on the web (apart from the collection that Arsenal has, but their prices tend to be 'way out of spec'):

Photographica World (2007)$ 641 - 743

Photographica Auctionen (2007)$ 1755

Tamarkin Auction (2007)$ 1035

Christies Auction (2007)$ 2064

 

[Peter_Jones]

This is not the voice of experience, however by reputation they are a fine camera, the shutter mechanism having bearings similar to Leica 111K (?). The lenses are supposed to be very good for the era, and they are rarer than 111c etc. and often sell for well over UK£1000 in user condition.

I was talking to an old guy who used to be in the RAF aerial reconnaisance unit, he reckoned Taylor Taylor Hobson lenses were superior in both build quality and optical resolution, having had the opportunity to test various equipment during his carreer.

 

[payasam]

A Reid would make sense for a collector. A user is better off with a Leica, the IIIc being perhaps the best choice. As Peter says, TTH lenses were excellent.

 

[xayraa33]

read what Ken Oakes had to say on the Reid Camera at the end of this thread:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Bitm

 

[Roger Hicks]

I had one, years ago, and it was very good; the lens was one of the best of its era. Reid were among the few Leica copies that really could compare with the original in fit and finish.

In the days when I had Reids, they went for rather less than Leicas, but now, their rarity has pushed the price up to levels where only a collector would normally be interested: a good deal more than a comparable Leica.

They are especially valued in England, much as Focas are especially valued in France.

Cheers,

R.

 

[M. Valdemar]

The Leitz factory was studied by British Intelligence after WWII. The Reid was then produced in UK from the Leitz blueprints. It's practically a total reproduction, even more so than the Kiev was a copy of the Contax, because the original Contax blueprints were destroyed and redrawn after the war:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page26.html

 

[furcafe]

From what I've read, that's 1 of the reasons why the Reid was actually better made than the Leica originals: during & before the war, the British didn't know that Leitz's production methods involved a lot of adjustments made on the assembly line (the most valuable tool being a small mallet), so Reid & Sigrist made parts, etc., to higher tolerances than Leitz, assuming that the cameras were supposed to work properly from the get-go.

As far as their market value, I bought a Reid III, Type 2 body (has the flash sync connectors) about a year & a 1/2 ago & IIRC, the going rate for the body alone in good working condition (not like mine) was in the $600-900 range.

The Leitz factory was studied by British Intelligence after WWII. The Reid was then produced in UK from the Leitz blueprints. It's practically a total reproduction, even more so than the Kiev was a copy of the Contax, because the original Contax blueprints were destroyed and redrawn after the war:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page26.html

 

[xayraa33]

speaking of Taylor, Taylor and Hobson, I would love to try out a Cooke Amatol 2" lens in LTM.

 

[M. Valdemar]

Why not try it on a Bell & Howell Foton, which it was made for? It produces negatives like a Summicron, on my Foton.

 

[xayraa33]

Why not try it on a Bell & Howell Foton, which it was made for? It produces negatives like a Summicron, on my Foton.

owning a Foton sound like a good idea.

 

[M. Valdemar]

The Foton will destroy your eyeglasses.

The tiny, squinty viewfinder is it's Achille's heel.

Otherwise, a great camera, way ahead of its time.

 

[furcafe]

Mine hasn't been noticeably tougher on my glasses than my other vintage cameras w/metal eyepieces, even though the Foton's RF eyepiece ring should be much worse because of its serrated edge.

The RF window is indeed tiny & squinty, but the VF is OK. Too bad Bell & Howell couldn't have added an extra 1/2 inch or so in height to allow for a bigger RF & VF (& combined the 2 while they were @ it).

The Foton will destroy your eyeglasses.

The tiny, squinty viewfinder is it's Achille's heel.

Otherwise, a great camera, way ahead of its time.

 

[xayraa33]

speaking of Taylor, Taylor and Hobson, I would love to try out a Cooke Amatol 2" lens in LTM.




You can't use a LTM Amotal on the Foton because although the Foton has a 39mm thread mount the pitch and optical registration is different from the Leica.

M Valdmar meant to get the whole camera, a Foton with the Amatol lens.
probably a bit cheaper to buy than just a coverted LTM for Leica Amatol lens.

The Amatol lens in LTM for Leica was just a conversion done in Italy with the leftover Foton camera lenses by photo stores in NYC like Peerless and Willoughby.

The Amatol lens was aslo converted in smaller amount to Contax mount.

These big stores could sell a Leica IIIc body much cheaper with an Amatol lens than a IIIc with a Summitar as a manufacturer could at the time dictate the selling price by law if the camera was sold with his make of lens.

 

[xayraa33]

here is a pic of a converted LTM Amatol lens for Leica off Kevin Li's site.

 

[furcafe]

Nah, the lens itself can be had for much less than a Foton w/lens. Even accounting for condition, Kevin's prices are about twice what you would pay on eBay if you're patient. The LTM Cooke Amotals will often be found together w/Leica IIIc, etc. bodies (probably for the reason they you mention, the avoidance of the old retail price maintenance rules).

Also, for the record in case anyone's confused, the TTH Cooke Amotal Anastigmat for the Foton (later modified to LTM) was a different lens from the standard lens on the Reids.

M Valdmar meant to get the whole camera, a Foton with the Amatol lens.
probably a bit cheaper to buy than just a coverted LTM for Leica Amatol lens.

 

[xayraa33]

a lot of people say they prefer the Amatol over the TTH Anastigmat.