What do I have?

[average joe]

I recently inherited a camera from my father and I am almost completely ignorant about it. Obviously it is a Leica, with a screw on lens. I believe my father bought it new in the 50's and as far as I know it hasn't been used in 30 or 40 years. I took it to a local camera shop and they said it was in excellent condition and offered me $350 for it. I'd like to be better informed about the camera and its value before I make any decisions. What can you tell me about it and how should I proceed, I plan on selling it as I won't use it and someone who really appreciates it should get to enjoy it. Thanks in advance, Joe
I'm not sure how to post photos, so I'll try to link to photobucket.

http://s1116.photobucket.com/albums/k577/joestryjewski/

 

[ray*j*gun]

Its a Leica IIIf witha a 50mm Summicron F2 lens. The camera and lens are wonderful items and if the price you mentioned includes the lens its way too cheap. However, it probebly needs service and that will cost you something depending on what it needs. For example it may need curtains and the lens may have issues like fungus or haze. The short answer is if you want to shoot film thats a great combo once its properly set up.

 

[Simon Bruxelles]

Hi, The camera is a IIIf red dial from the early 1950s, which is quite a sought after model. The 5cm Summicron lens is also desirable lens as it was the top of the range standard lens for the Leica screw thread cameras. Yours looks to be in unusually good (ie unscratched) condition.
The camera shop which offered you $350 would probably have to get it serviced if it's to sell it with the usual guarantees and may have it sitting on the shelf for a time, depending how much they ask for it.
If you were to sell the lens and body privately you could be pretty sure of getting what they offered, but for each item.
Good luck, S

 

[Ronald_H]

Going on the serial it is a 1953 Leica IIIf (courtesy of Stephen Gandy's site) with a 50mm Summicron lens.

It's worth more than they offered you. Just look up comparable offerings on eBay (but be aware that some asking prices are a tad, err, unrealistic).

If you are just planning to sell it, having it CLA'd (Clean Lube Adjust) might not be worth the investment. Count on $150 to $200 or thereabouts. If you want to use it, by all means go for the CLA. If you are not familiar with old equipment like this the learning curve will be steep, but you've got an outstanding combo there. In 1953 it was the best money could buy for 35mm, and it is still great today.

Edit: Of course several people jumped on this thread before I finished my post...

 

[batterytypehah!]

First off, sorry for your loss.

Do you know how to tell if there's still film in it, and if so, how to remove it? These "forgotten" cameras quite often still have a roll of film in them and it might still be possible to develop those pictures.

And yes, this looks like you have fine examples of both camera and lens. Not rare by themselves, but rare in this condition.

 

[average joe]

Thanks for all the responses. I assumed that their price must allow for a profit margin.
As far as the condition, he actually suspected that the shutter curtains(?) had been replaced, but like I said I doubt that my father touched it in years and years. He also said that the lens was clear, the only thing that he mentioned that seemed like a negative was that the focus was a little stiff, but it seems better after playing with it a little.
There was actually film in it, Kodacolor-X, process c-22, CX135-20. They also mentioned that it might be difficult, expensive and ultimately with not very successful results if I got it developed. Actually, my father had this camera when he lived in Scotland, working on, then, somewhat classified missiles, so perhaps it's best not to look...
Is Ebay the best route, or are there other venues with a more educated clientele? Looking on Ebay it seemed that there were cameras all over the map, many with seeming outrageous asking prices and most without any bids.
I think my favorite part is that there is a price on the instruction book at $178.50. He always joked that before he had kids he was rich, I don't know if that's 100% true, but he had good taste.

 

[Simon Bruxelles]

However you eventually sell it make sure you tell the story... many people prefer to buy a camera with a bit of history and a previous owner who used it to photograph "classifed missiles" in Scotland is worth an extra ten per cent at least! But I would suggest unless you need the money you should hang on to it for the time being. Prices of vintage Leica gear in this condition are still heading up like those missiles with no sign of slowing down. It's also a great camera to use if you appreciate precision engineering.

 

[greyelm]

I would have the film developed and scanned by your local lab (or send it away if you don't have a local one). I found a film in one of my cameras that had been in a chest next to a heating radiator for 6 years and the pictures came out well and yours may be good enough to recover with help from a computer. Also I would run a film through your camera to see if it still produces acceptable results, if it does then you can sell it as being in working condition for a higher price.

If you don't need the money from the sale I would suggest keeping it as a reminder of your dad. My father died many years ago but I still have and use some of his tools, I would never part with them.

 

[n5jrn]

There was actually film in it, Kodacolor-X, process c-22, CX135-20.

I would have the film developed and scanned by your local lab (or send it away if you don't have a local one).

How many local labs can develop C-22 film? That's a pretty esoteric thing, these days, given how long it's been since such film was made.

I know Rocky Mountain Film in Aurora, Colorado, USA can do it. No experience with them personally, I simply remember a previous conversation on photo.net talking about this subject.

http://www.rockymountainfilm.com/c22.htm

 

[batterytypehah!]

Here's a C-22 lab in the UK: http://www.processc22.co.uk/

Likewise no personal experience with them, I just found them via the Wikipedia article on C-22.

The film can also be developed as black and white. Search flickr for "kodacolor x" to see some examples.

 

[beyond]

That's a good camera you have there. Keep it. And don't get ripped off by the camere store.

 

[wolves3012]

Personally, I'd think long and hard about selling a family heirloom like that. If you must part with it, why not put it in the classifieds here? It's more likely to go to a "deserving cause", get looked after and used and fetch a fair price.

I still have my father's Kiev 4, not at all valuable except sentimentally.

 

[Simon Bruxelles]

That's a good camera you have there. Keep it. And don't get ripped off by the camere store.

I have some sympathy for the camera store here... a 60 year old camera is going to need some, quite possibly pricey, attention even if there's nothing obviously wrong with it. Just because they don't offer the kind of stoopid money being asked by some eBay sellers doesn't mean they are trying to rip you off.
The price paid by most specialist dealers is usually between 30 and 50 per cent of retail... remember they have to pay staff salaries, rent etc and if they put it on the shelves at $1,000 it could sit there for months, and they still have to give a guarantee.
Looking at recent ebay auctions "mint" IIIf body are selling for $212 and up, which hasn't stopped one dealer, who I know has none of the overheads listed above, asking $2,500 for exactly the same thing. Say he is buying and selling on ebay that's a profit of more than 1,000 per cent with no additional costs!
So please don't begrudge the reputable bricks and mortar camera shop its relatively modest profit.

 

[B-9]

I second, listing it here on the classifieds, would love to have the summicron.