the !936 Leica Arrived

[seawolf66]

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As someone told you must in your life time own at least one: well here is it :

It has seen a lot of miles since it does give the apprearance of being used a lot with

cover almost brown than black but it works like a charm has some color film in it now:

as tghey we shall see what developes : the lens is a summar 50mm F-2. looks very clean but a little stiff pulling it out for use :

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[jc_braconi]

Good,

use a little drop of fine oil and rub with your finger on the tube and you will see it working fine again.

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[earleygallery]

Nice looking camera. I understand that the black vulcanite covering can fade to after much exposure to sunlight - it could indicate that your camera was well used, a good think IMO.

 

The Summar lens is capable of excellent results. Check yours by shining a flashlight through it and examine the front element for scratches - the glass is very soft and prone to scratching so avoid cleaning it with anything other than a blower brush if you can.

 

With colour film you will get very muted tones which you may or may not like. As a colour film lens I see it as a 'special effect' lens. Do post some results when you get the film back.

[Guest Ron (Netherlands)]

Very nice one indeed. A week point of these cameras (probably the only one) is the condition of the shuttercurtains. Try to ascertain with a strong light, whether the shutter is really light tight. I have the same camera (albeit one from the first batch of 1934) and I think they are more beautifully crafted than the postwar screwmounts.

[jc_braconi]

and I think they are more beautifully crafted than the postwar screwmounts.

The IIIa is, for its era, comparative to the IIIf respectively.

[jc_braconi]

Nice looking camera. I understand that the black vulcanite covering can fade to after much exposure to sunlight - it could indicate that your camera was well used, a good think IMO.

This is the real color of the vulcanite of this time, they received a light coating of black paint and depending of the fingers or palms acidity this coating slowly fade and disapeare

if you look well in the front picture the aera around the slow speed is darker than the rest because the fingers cannot reach this place due to the slow speeds knob.

[Guest Ron (Netherlands)]

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Here's mine with the same faded vulcanite, although I read somewhere that these early leica's were still covered with genuine leather.

 

[jc_braconi]

Here's mine with the same faded vulcanite, although I read somewhere that these early leica's were still covered with genuine leather.

Some were cleared off using petrol derivate for cleaning them but except for some luxus models no one was with genuine leather covered.

[greyelm]

I read somwhere that black shoe polish can revive faided vulcanite, I haven't tried it myself though. Others recommend products for use on car tyres, vulcanite being rubber should be ok. Once again I haven't tried this myself either. I have tried (on a Rusian camera) the colourless touch up pad used on shoes and although it didn't darken the colour it gave it a slight shine that looks fine.

 

This link goes into more detail

 

Leica FAQ - How to maintain & restore M Vulcanite body c…