Leica LTM The best Leica Barnack?

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
The best Barnack is a recently serviced one. Wow. My new IIIf is terrific bu the shutter mechanism has not been lubricated recently. I took it and the recently serviced III for a walk yesterday and felt and heard the comparison.
 


I've had this 1939 IIIb for a while, and sometimes think about selling the Summitar because I just don't use it as often as I should, but can't bring myself to do that because the lens was purchased with the camera, in Poland, and has been paired with it as the original owner's only lens since 1939
 
Quite right too! It makes a pleasant change to read your post after looking at dozens of camera bodies without lenses on ebay...

Regards, David
 
I feel the same. I have a pristine uncoated Summitar that originally was delivered with a IIIc stepper red curtain. They should stay as a set!
 
I've got two that came as sets and usually get used that way. A really nice 1949 sharkskin IIIc with a coated Summitar that came complete with the original manual and case, and a pre-war (I forget the year at the moment) IIIa with matching Summar and case that looks like it went through the war on the front lines (I have to put on a replacement body cover, as the old one was mostly gone).

I find the idea of separating sets like this appalling.

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I am very impressed by the photos of your wonderful Barnacks! They are truly beautiful. Owning two M3 - and intending to collect some more - I really shoudn't look too close. Otherwise I become addicted to them as well...
 
Why not call it series IV? Because I, II and III are statements of function - each does what the one before does, plus something. Then as the models progress they have a, b, c and so on added across the board - a IIc is built like a IIIc. So what would a IV have? Autofocus?

The Ms were the same until the M4 - 1, 2 and 3 were statements of function not date.

I have no beef with the VF - it's tiny but that's the trade-off for a smaller camera.

So for me, out of a IIIa and IIIc (my only experience), the IIIa is my favourite.

And if you want to change faster, get more rewind spools. Have the film cut with a long leader and loaded onto the spool ready - faster to change than most 35mm film if a little bulkier to carry. And of course more time preparing before you set out!
 
The best Leica Barnack?

The one that's in my hand.

Have really only shot with iiic's, iiif's & iiig's but find them all pretty much the same, and all pretty much different than shooting a Leica M or Nikon S series rangefinder. Am currently digging my iiic shown below.

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Best,
-Tim
 
Regarding usability: the rangefinder on the little Leica II is life-size, 100%.
So you can use it with the left eye open and it will superimpose the rangefinder patch on your view.

Also, the 100% rangefinder window is a very near match for the field of view from a 90mm lens.

These two features are not well-known and are not present in any other Barnack.
 
My first Barnack, a Ie.
I used to work surveying, then I practiced a lot estimating distance, and had to have a lens in feet. I've missed focus occasionally, but most pictures were sharp enough. I really enjoy the pocket-ability. SBOOI is the bomb.
I had a IIIc for a while, but it is gone now, for Barnacks, this one is the keeper.

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I've bought so many Barnacks and copies, really trying to love them. I've also collected as much German, Russian or Japanese LTM lenses as I have been able to find. It's been a costly endeavour.

I don't really think that there is a "best" Barnack, but I've finally found the lens/body pairings that really works for me. In the end, that's a IIIg with a Color-Skopar 50 f/2.5 and a Ic with a Super Wide-Heliar 15 f/4.5. They always come together in the bag.

The rest, from Ia to IIIf, from Industar to Summitar and from 28mm to 90mm, I couldn't care less about (and I should really sell that stuff away).
 
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