What's a fair price for a beater IIIf RD?

[mjm6]

I'm looking around for a Leica IIIf RD or BD in not great physical conditon so I can do a bit of a rebuild on it. I've found a few in various states of condition, but I don't have a sense for the value.

If it is in need of shutter repair and/or curtain replacement, and may have an engraving on the baseplate, plus some brassing here and there, what is the camera worth? Ebay is loaded with IIIf RD cameras, but the prices are all over the map, and most are not in beater condition to directly compare prices.



Also, what is a used collapsable summicron worth these days if it has a few scratches on the front element? I expect a good condition one to go for about $300 or so on Ebay, but what about one in not terribly good condition?


Many thanks...



---Michael

 

[Solinar]

It's not a scientific survey, but I paid $275 for IIIf BD with a well executed engraving last February and $350 for IIIf RD w/self-timer in March. Neither came with lenses.

With regards to the black dial IIIf, I've not have yet to use the self-timer on the red dial IIIf and I have only used the 1/50th of second flash setting once. Therefore, depending on condition, I'd say the IIIf BD is the better buy.

 

[FrankS]

IIIf's kind of grow on you. I'm looking for another one to replace that one I sold.

 

[Solinar]

Get the 5cm bright-line finder that fits in the accessory shoe this time and we'll have to wait to pry the IIIf away from you only when you pass from this earth. The finder makes the camera soooo much easier to use with aged eyes. Thanks to Frank, I bought my first Leica. Be aware that if you read his posts here, you'll be a GAS goner.

 

[rover]

KEH has a few. I just was looking at a IIIf BD graded as excelent for $340. I think KEH's prices for Leica stuff is a little expensive, I have seen better elsewhere, but you know you are buying quality stuff there.

Generally speaking, does anyone have an idea of the price difference between a IIIc and a BD IIIf?

 

[FrankS]

I recently got one of those 50mm brightline finders, thanks to a trade with Gene, so I'm all set.

 

[Traut]

There was a guy in NY on Craigslist that had a nice IIIf with lens he was trying to sell. Do a search on the NY site. I may have his email as well.

 

[Scarpia]

There is a camera store caty corner to the World Trade center site in NYC( it was a suit store then) which last month had a IIIf which looked in good shape at any rate, for $232.00.
They do not sell on the internet and I did not handle the camera so I do not know what its real condition was.
Kurt M.

 

[Gordon Coale]

I think you can get a IIIc for less than a IIIf if you don't need flash and why would you want flash on a focal plane shuttered rangefinder? 🙂

 

[FrankS]

As far as price goes, I guess condition is everything.

 

[mjm6]

Thanks for the input everyone.


---Michael

 

[ScottS]

There is a camera store caty corner to the World Trade center site in NYC( it was a suit store then) which last month had a IIIf which looked in good shape at any rate, for $232.00.
They do not sell on the internet and I did not handle the camera so I do not know what its real condition was.
Kurt M.

Which corner? What's the store's name? I haven't come across this one (although I haven't looked for camera stores in the area). Sounds like a worthwhile place to check out at some point.

Scott

 

[Scarpia]

Scott, good to hear from you. The store is located on Vesey St. just west of Church St. I don't remember its name and every time I have been there I have always feared that it would not be there as business seems very slow if non existant. They have a lot of users, most of which seem overpriced to me but are well worth a look at. The churchyard of St. Paul's is directly opposite if that is any help.
Kurt M.

 

[Scarpia]

Scott, I made a mistake. The camera store is just EAST of Church St. on Vesey St.
I woke up in the middle of the night and realized my mistake. It is just off the northeast corner of Church and Vesey.
Kurt M.

 

[ScottS]

Scott, I made a mistake. The camera store is just EAST of Church St. on Vesey St.
I woke up in the middle of the night and realized my mistake. It is just off the northeast corner of Church and Vesey.
Kurt M.

World Trade Camera. I stopped in this afternoon. They don't have a lot of RF gear, but what I did see seemed to be priced fairly reasonably (for a camera store at least).

They had a Canon IV-S2 body for $219, Canon III for $229, and what I think was a Leitz Canada 90 Summicron (chrome/silver) for $469. It was in the display cabinet and all I could read from the front of the barrel was "Canada" and "Summi", and it was about the size of a 90/2, so I can't imagine what else it could have been. All three were in good shape externally -- I didn't see any of them out of the display case, so I don't know the real condition.

Interestingly enough, the IV-S2 body had a J-12 on it, priced at $79. At first, that seemed a little steep, but I suppose when you factor in the fact that you aren't paying $30 for shipping from the ukraine and that it can actually be inspected ahead of time, the price isn't too bad.

I didn't see any Leica RF bodies, although there may have been one or two on a shelf behind the counter.

Nice little store, but not like some stores where you'll see 10+ M bodies, 10+ ltm bodies, and a bunch of both LTM and M lenses all awaiting your credit card.

Scott

 

[rover]

How did you walk out with out the Canon IV Scott? That seems like a good price. Was it in decent shape?

 

[back alley]

isn't world trade camera the place with all the 40mm filters?

joe

 

[ScottS]

How did you walk out with out the Canon IV Scott? That seems like a good price. Was it in decent shape?

I've already got a VI-Sb (purchased with Canon 50/1.5: $310 for the pair). And I've got a III courtesy of Joe. Now if it had been a Canon P it might be here with me now.

Looked to be in quite good shape externally, but with my IV-Sb I wasn't really considering buying it, so I didn't ask to pull it out. Perhaps I should have, as it would have given me a better idea how well they price their stuff.

Scott

 

[ScottS]

isn't world trade camera the place with all the 40mm filters?

joe

Could be. I didn't notice any (but I didn't notice that they didn't have any either 🙂 )

I just dropped in there briefly after lunch, and I wasn't looking for anything in particular, so I may have missed the 40mm filter stash.

Scott