scigeek
Well-known
Hi.
This is an interesting one….
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Reid-III-came...ryZ15234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The auction is for a Reid (leica clone) rangefinder. Camera looks OK, not sure about the topplate engraving, but that could just be a bad pic.
Here’s what’s interesting:
The plans for Reid cameras are actually Leica, and were brought back to the UK after the war, and passed to Reid and Sigrist (aircraft and aircraft instrument manufacturers) in Leicester, England. Cameras were eventually manufactured, and were pretty good – as good as the original Leicas it seems.
That bit is common knowledge. The next bit isn’t.
Sales slumped in the 60’s with the influx into the UK of reasonably priced/well-made Japanese cameras, including SLRs.
It seems that Reid sold on drawings, parts and tooling to someone who was not a camera manufacturer. So there are a batch of Reids out there with bits of old Leica, bits of re-machined Reid, and bits of other stuff, which are definitely not up to the standard we would normally associate with this camera. Ivor Matanle (whose article in 24th Dec 05 Amateur Photographer) is the source of this info) warns:-
“ The (rehashed) cameras look OK, but rarely work properly. Always put a film through any Reid before you buy it”.
This is an interesting one….
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Reid-III-came...ryZ15234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The auction is for a Reid (leica clone) rangefinder. Camera looks OK, not sure about the topplate engraving, but that could just be a bad pic.
Here’s what’s interesting:
The plans for Reid cameras are actually Leica, and were brought back to the UK after the war, and passed to Reid and Sigrist (aircraft and aircraft instrument manufacturers) in Leicester, England. Cameras were eventually manufactured, and were pretty good – as good as the original Leicas it seems.
That bit is common knowledge. The next bit isn’t.
Sales slumped in the 60’s with the influx into the UK of reasonably priced/well-made Japanese cameras, including SLRs.
It seems that Reid sold on drawings, parts and tooling to someone who was not a camera manufacturer. So there are a batch of Reids out there with bits of old Leica, bits of re-machined Reid, and bits of other stuff, which are definitely not up to the standard we would normally associate with this camera. Ivor Matanle (whose article in 24th Dec 05 Amateur Photographer) is the source of this info) warns:-
“ The (rehashed) cameras look OK, but rarely work properly. Always put a film through any Reid before you buy it”.
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