Should i get...

[Terrence]

I've found a mint conditioned Leica IIIf with Summarit 50mm f/1.5 at about USD300, is this a good deal? From the look, the camera seems hardly used. I've a bunch of fixed lens rangefinders + a Zorki 4 with Jupiter 8, so this would be my first Leica. Before really buying it, i have some question :

How's does the Summarit fares over other Leica's lens such as Summicron and Summilux?

Can the lens be mounted on more modern bodies such as the Leica M, Bessa R2, R3, Konica Hexar RF with an adapter? How much is the adapter and is it reliable?

Is the price ok?

The owner said the shutter curtain was changed like 2 years ago and it was hardly used there after. What other things I should be looking out at?

thanx!

 

[cmedin]

That is a very good deal. Can't comment on the Summarit characteristics since I've never used one, but I wouldn't think twice about purchasing the set. 🙂

 

[brachal]

I don't know anything about the Summarit, but I'd buy the set in a heartbeat. I paid over $300 for my IIIf without a lens.

The lens should be usable on an M-mount camera with an adapter. These have been around for a long time, and I haven't heard of anybody having problems with them. If the Summarit is collapsible, don't collapse it into a Bessa as it could hit the shutter.

 

[Stu W]

Terrence, I can see you're offline now. I hope that means you are running over to purchase that IIIf. I own a Summarit and I really like it. It's nowhere as sharp and contrasty as the rigid Summicron but it is a really useful lens. Especially nice as a short portrait lens. The Summarit will fit all Leica bodies, including the M mounts with an adapter. When I first bought mine it was a flarey dog, but it was quite hazed. After a trip to the spa it's as clear as a glass of gin. On top of everything else it's a cool looking lens-really well made. Hope you get the outfit. Stu

 

[Terrence]

i guess i am getting it, but the thing is; over here now, it's a major national holiday for a couple of days and the seller if off to somewhere. but he promised to sell to me once he's back. hope he stays to his word. keeping my finger crossed. and thanx for the advise guys!

 

[rover]

Buy it and resell it here for a fair price and still a profit if you don't like it. Just make sure the lens is clean and functions are good on both.

 

[Terrence]

Buy it and resell it here for a fair price and still a profit if you don't like it. Just make sure the lens is clean and functions are good on both.

hahahhaaa.... good idea eh! 🙂

 

[LeicaTom]

Buy it, and resell it, there`s lot`s of people in the far eastern market who would want that camera combo....if you were in the USA I would have paid $150 for the lens if it`s clean, but I don`t like buying from overseas

Tom

 

[Terrence]

btw, the lens is not the collapsible version. and does anyone knows what the filter thread size is?

 

[Terrence]

an update, meet up with the seller just now and check the camera thoroughly. i was eager to buy it but ended up not buying it. why? well, found out that the front elements of the lens have quite a lot of swivel cleaning marks, that put me off. though i must say that the body is in immaculate condition, all speed looks and sounds accurate, no brassing, no scratches, no dent, no nothing. even the lens barrel looks clean and nice, comes with an original blue filter too! too bad about the cleaning marks, else now I would have been a contended bloke with a Leica IIIf.

guess, it's just not my time to be a Leica-ians yet.

 

[HuubL]

an update, meet up with the seller just now and check the camera thoroughly. i was eager to buy it but ended up not buying it. why? well, found out that the front elements of the lens have quite a lot of swivel cleaning marks, that put me off. though i must say that the body is in immaculate condition, all speed looks and sounds accurate, no brassing, no scratches, no dent, no nothing. even the lens barrel looks clean and nice, comes with an original blue filter too! too bad about the cleaning marks, else now I would have been a contended bloke with a Leica IIIf.

guess, it's just not my time to be a Leica-ians yet.

If in addition to looking good, it also functioned well, I would still have bought it for the body only. And a fair chance that the cleaning marks on the lens wouldn't result in image degradation, in any case not with a proper hood (which you need on that lens anyhow).

 

[JNewell]

Moreover, I used a very early collapsible Summicron 50mm for years that had serious coating scratches - never had a problem (used a lens shade religiously, though). I think the camera was probably a huge bargain as a body alone, and the lens having coating scratches wasn't an issue that affected use at all. 🙁