Tower 48?

[Tjs909]

Hi all I'm new to the form I just recently purchased a tower 48 I think with a 5 cm F2 Nicor H lens wondering what it's worth? Seems to be working good haven't ran a roll yet

 

[Tjs909]

https://flic.kr/p/VbQ7LF

 

[seany65]

Hello and welcome to the forum Tjs909.

I've just had a quick g**gle and it looks like a fairly nice looking thing. Certainly better than some cameras from around that time. Was there any particular reason you went for that one?

 

[Peter Jennings]

I had one of these, and a Tower 45/46 also. Not as highly valued as the 45/46 which is has the Leica M style rear door and a top speed of 1/1000. Regardless, it's a high-quality camera. What ever they sell for on eBay is what they're worth.

Enjoy it!

 

[xayraa33]

what is it worth?

depending on the condition of each.

body, 150 to 250 USD

lens, f2 Nikkor 250 to 350 USD

if you enjoy using this combo and you get the results you are after, then it is priceless.

 

[jonmanjiro]

If you scored that set for 90 bucks you were very lucky indeed.

 

[Tjs909]

I also just purchased a M3 with a 50 1.4 summilux. I just woke up one day and said I am tired of digital and feel like shooting film so I sold my Nikon d610 and lenses and got the Leica set up

 

[Tjs909]

Just finished a roll of Hp5 on my m3. Not I need to test the tower. Also what's a good aftermarket ltm to m adapter?

 

[Tjs909]

Hello and welcome to the forum Tjs909.

I've just had a quick g**gle and it looks like a fairly nice looking thing. Certainly better than some cameras from around that time. Was there any particular reason you went for that one?

The price lol

 

[farlymac]

Looks like the Nicca 3-F http://corsopolaris.net/supercameras/nicca/nicca.html

One of the later models, two versions made in 1954, one with and the other without the lever winding.

PF

 

[Doug]

Congrats, Tjs909, looks pretty nice! As a followup to farlymac's post just above, Tower was a brand name used by Sears for photo products, which were made by other companies. Some Tower SLRs were made by Pentax, for instance, and perhaps Nicca made your Tower.

 

[citizen99]

Very neat model - a good buy.

 

[Dwig]

Congrats, Tjs909, looks pretty nice! As a followup to farlymac's post just above, Tower was a brand name used by Sears for photo products, which were made by other companies. Some Tower SLRs were made by Pentax, for instance, and perhaps Nicca made your Tower.

The list of manufacturers whose cameras were sold under the Tower brand is a very long list, most also sold the same or very similar cameras under their own brand. There were American, German, and Japanese manufactures among others.

The Leica-clones, like the OP's, were make by Nicca, and, like the Nicca branded versions, were sold with Nikkor lenses. Sears sold a full range of lenses for this series of cameras, all Nikkors.

 

[David Murphy]

I own a Tower 48 and it's an excellent camera. I had mine CLA'd not long after I bought it and it's now my main LTM body. It is very well made and yet light - a pleasure to use. I like it more than the pure Barnack style Tower models, at least the later era ones.

I have a review of it on my Wordpress blog.

I think Ray has the valuation (above) about right. It's not a common camera, although I'm not sure if it is so uncommon as to be considered rare.

 

[seany65]

@Tjs909: You bought it on pirce alone?

Huh! Cheapskate. lol.