Why is it called a 'red dial'?

[rjschell]

My IIIF has a red 1/30, but supposedly is a 'black dial'. Ah, the inscrutable Germans.

 

[Iestrada]

If I am not mistaken, it's the flash sync numbers around the base of the speeds dial that gives it the name.

 

[NeeZee]

If I am not mistaken, it's the flash sync numbers around the base of the speeds dial that gives it the name.

That's correct. In German it's referred to by "IIIf mit roten Kontaktzahlen' meaning 'IIIf with red sync numbers'. Don't know where the 'red dial' translation comes from (maybe leitz themselves?) but in German it's actually quite clear 😉