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Re: [OM] Leica screwmount ID help

Subject: Re: [OM] Leica screwmount ID help
From: Mark Kronquist <mak@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:03:37 -0800
The IIIf is a wonderful user kit but it is that a user kit. 

The 50 f1.5 Summarit is from my own experience a horrid lens performance 
wise...(and from the reviews of others as well). The 90 Elmar is sharp, slow 
and common as dirt ditto for the 135mm f4.5 Hektor. With Leica pricing 
condition is everything. 

With user bodies the RD ST price difference is minimal (RD/BD are the color of 
the numbers around the shutter speed dial, the  sync delay settings) There are 
BD ST bodies as well. 

Concepts (thankfully) foreign to OM Shooters like base plate wear and meter rub 
marks can knock a $600 body to a $200 body in a heartbeat. Ditto for chipped 
Vuncanite (the gutta percha covering on the body has a tendency to chip off 
where the base plate hooks on) 

Were I looking for a user kit I would guess $500 is a fair and realistic price

There are a plethora of IIIf users with Buy It Now Prices in the $250-350 range
Black user 90 f 4 Elmars bring maybe $100 on a good day
There is a Hektor with a  day left at $2. While some ask more there are well 
over a dozen with BIN under $100
50 1.5 Mint (and with Leica MINT means flawless to even the most picky 
collector) ones bring far less...$250?

Thanks Mark


On Nov 24, 2011, at 1:33 PM, Chuck Norcutt wrote:

> I think the serial number is in the 64xxxx range so it must be red dial 
> even though no red paint is visible.  It does wind, cock and fire the 
> shutter.  It also has a self timer which I believe is characteristic of 
> later model IIIfs.
> 
> Chuck Norcutt
> 
> 
> On 11/24/2011 3:52 PM, Jim Nichols wrote:
>> Chuck,
>> 
>> Red Dial Leica IIIfs start with SN611000.  This refers to the numbers of the
>> synchronizer dial, which is on the top cover, at the base of the shutter
>> speed dial.  There are a few differences between the red dial and black dial
>> models, but both take great photos.
>> 
>> I recently resumed shooting with my red dial model (it is hard to see any
>> red paint in the engraving).  The lenses sound like the 50/1.5 Summarit, the
>> 90 Elmar, and one of the screw mount 135s.  One place to get an idea of the
>> value is to look at the classifieds on RangeFinder Forum.  All of this is
>> fine gear if it is in reasonable shape.
>> 
>> Jim Nichols
>> Tullahoma, TN USA
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Chuck Norcutt"<chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: "Olympus mail list"<olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Thursday, November 24, 2011 2:33 PM
>> Subject: [OM] Leica screwmount ID help
>> 
>> 
>>> Last night my son casually mentioned that the father of his friend of
>>> many years died recently and, knowing of my interest in cameras, had
>>> gifted me his father's camera.  I asked him what it was and he said, "I
>>> don't know, it has some lenses with it and it's in a box in your room
>>> upstairs".
>>> 
>>> Well, I was nearly bowled over when I looked in the box.  One Leica IIIf
>>> (I believe) with 5cm f/1.5, 9cm f/4 and 13.5cm f/4.  Also an adjustable
>>> viewfinder covering 3.5 to 13.5 cm, a square lens hood, a GE lightmeter
>>> (selenium I suppose, no battery), an Afga electronic flash (whose
>>> batteries expired in 1993 but had not leaked) plus leather cases for
>>> camera and meter and plastic cases for the lenses.  Also a 1952 book on
>>> Leica IIIf and M bodies... and one partly exposed roll of film in the
>>> camera.
>>> 
>>> Wow!  All of it's well used but not ugly.  I have no idea what it's all
>>> worth but I assume it's not peanuts.  I think I've pretty well ID'd the
>>> body as a IIIf but in looking around at IIIf ads I see reference to "red
>>> dial" bodies.  Dunno what that means but doubt that this is one since I
>>> don't see any red paint on any dials.  Can anyone tell me what that means.
>>> 
>>> I'm really torn as to what to do.  My son says he doesn't think his
>>> friend is likely to take it back... he and his wife have been anxious to
>>> just move as much stuff as possible out of his father's house.  But I'm
>>> not sure he has any inkling of what this stuff might be worth.  I'm sure
>>> he saw it as nothing but an old camera and I feel guilty accepting it.
>>> 
>>> I'll get the film developed.  I suspect it's been in the camera for 20
>>> years but maybe something will come out of it that I can give back the
>>> son.
>>> 
>>> Chuck Norcutt
>>> --
>>> _________________________________________________________________
>>> Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
>>> Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
>>> Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
> -- 
> _________________________________________________________________
> Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
> Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
> Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
> 

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