Nicca / Tower LTM Tower,Nicca,Kardon,Reid....

Nicca / Tower M39 screw mount bodies
I`m making the LEAP into the world of Leica Copies with this 1957 era Sears Tower/Nicca 3-F

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I`m keeping this little kit all together, I also have a Nikon dogear cap for the lens, an original all chrome Nikkor hood and case and a green and a yellow NK 40.5 mm filter to use for black n' white fun

I can`t wait to try out this Leica IIIF copy, I`ll post more photos when it gets here and also samples from the lens, when I`m done shooting the first few rolls

Tom
 
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Here's my recent find.... A civilian Kardon with original LSM Kodak Ektar lens.

Dan
 

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I`m making the LEAP into the world of Leica Copies with this 1957 era Sears Tower/Nicca 3-F


I`m keeping this little kit all together, I also have a Nikon dogear cap for the lens, an original all chrome Nikkor hood and case and a green and a yellow NK 40.5 mm filter to use for black n' white fun

I can`t wait to try out this Leica IIIF copy, I`ll post more photos when it gets here and also samples from the lens, when I`m done shooting the first few rolls

Tom

Last week a Nicca 3 with Nikkor 5cm/2 sold for about $120. I could have ... but I did not ...:bang:
 
Last week a Nicca 3 with Nikkor 5cm/2 sold for about $120. I could have ... but I did not ...:bang:

Well, a "flip back" lever wind 1958 Tower 45 just sold on evilbay the other night for $266, I missed it!!!!!
THE SALE OF THE YEAR ON TOWER!

....... and the stupid seller seperated the original rare black rim f2/50 Nikkor from it and didn`t sell the lens, what a fool, he would have gotten at least $500 out of me for the combo, the gear was near mint , he turned down my BIN offer :(

Tom
 
Hi Tom,
I think I was the miserable ******* who won that Tower 45 thanks to the insidious Auction Sniper, but the camera was a little bit disappointing in reality - there was absolutely nothing to do to it! I suppose I could strip it down and service it but it hardly seems worth the effort.
I think the vendor had offered the 2/50 black ring Nikkor at a starting price of $250, and after the auction he offered it to me for $350 including postage. The 2/50 Nikkor is a brilliant lens
but I hope to eventually snag a cheaper example.
 
Hi Tom,
I think I was the miserable ******* who won that Tower 45 thanks to the insidious Auction Sniper, but the camera was a little bit disappointing in reality - there was absolutely nothing to do to it! I suppose I could strip it down and service it but it hardly seems worth the effort.
I think the vendor had offered the 2/50 black ring Nikkor at a starting price of $250, and after the auction he offered it to me for $350 including postage. The 2/50 Nikkor is a brilliant lens
but I hope to eventually snag a cheaper example.

What!!!!!!

That camera was junk??? Or in poor shape??????

No way, that`s not the way he passed it off in the auction......damm that`s too bad, my 1957 Tower 35 (bottom loader) with a chrome "click stop" f2 Nikkor and original case was only $275 and it`s Mint -
(MINT MINUS) and runs as smooth as a IIIC K, that`s why I was sooo impressed with the quality of the late production cameras.

hmmmm that`s really too bad that cameras in worse shape then we thought it was, it`s a truly rare with less than 3,000 or 4,000 being built/sold 1958/59.

Tom
 
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I've owned or own a few Leotax, Tanack (one), Canon, Minolta, and Leica bottom loaders or similar LTM cameras with swing- open backs, knob wind, and body mounted slow-speed knobs. I've begun to form some opinions on their relative merits as usable and reliable cameras. They are all a pleasure to own and use, but right now as far as reliability and build-quality I rate Canon at the top of the heap (to my surprise) with the prewar Leica's (e.g. Leica III) just behind them. The Canon IVSb is one particular standout, but the fairly common Canon IIIA is also a real winner in my view. The fact that Canon sold so many of these bottom loaders and that it led to their company's ultimate success is not an accident, they were making superior product. Leitz must have really been feeling the competitive heat from Canon by the mid fifties.

The Nikkor LTM primes are at top-of-my-list for acquisition in concordance with the many admirers here. The Nikkor wide-angles, despite their remarkable build quality are not that special optically by modern standards (I think vintage Canon beats them). I've not had the pleasure of owning a Nicca/Tower yet, but that may be my next acquisition. My Tanack IV-S is about to come out of the shop and I'll post a thorough evaluation here (it has aTanar 50/2).
 
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for sale

for sale

Hi Guys...this is all new to me, Im clearing out my late fathers house and find Reid lll (Type II)

how do i go about selling it
 
I have been given a Reid 1 and know little about it other than only 500 made, can anyone give me any information as there seems to be little on the web, is this camara worth much?
 
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