Pecole Posted March 1, 2011 Share #1 Posted March 1, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) As I never hoped to be able to start my Fontenelle collection with a Leica I Anastigmat, I was very happy to find this "Elmax" with a reasonably low serial number : 499. I just finished digitalising the photos I made of this "baby" in 1984, and I am happy to share them with you. This Leica was in its strictly original condition, and I suspect it even never went back through Wetzlar shops. It displayed all the required characteristics : "low" knobs, "mushroom" release button, "racheted" film advance, all-black finish and short advance-rewind lever, four screws fastening the top fairing (against 6 in later Leica I), frame counter dial engraved to 40, flat viewfinder eyepiece, 6 speed shutter speed dial, datum line on the lens barrel and corresponding index on the flange, and old-style baseplate locking key wit crossbar. Incidentally, it contradicts Van Hasbroeck, who says that changes to the rewind lever, lens datum line, baseplate locking key etc.. were introduced from nº 400. [ATTACH]245895[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]245883[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]245884[/ATTACH] The Elmax lens with its datum line to align before retracting, and the corresponding index on the flange [ATTACH]245885[/ATTACH] View of the baseplate and body's interior. [ATTACH]245886[/ATTACH] The frame counter dial with the "40" engraving, the mushroom release button and the all-black short rewind lever. [ATTACH]245887[/ATTACH] At right, the old style baseplate locking key of the "Elmax" nº 499 compared to a later key. [ATTACH]245888[/ATTACH] The "flat" eyepiece of nº 499, below. [ATTACH]245889[/ATTACH] Below, the thinner winding knob of the nº 499. [ATTACH]245890[/ATTACH] The differences between the early six speed dial starting with Z - 25 - 40 - 60, against the later engraving starting Z - 20 - 30 - 40 - 60... [ATTACH]245891[/ATTACH] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 1, 2011 Posted March 1, 2011 Hi Pecole, Take a look here Fontenelle archives 59 : Leica I Elmax nº 499. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jc_braconi Posted March 1, 2011 Share #2 Posted March 1, 2011 Incidentally, it contradicts Van Hasbroeck, who says that changes to the rewind lever, lens datum line, baseplate locking key etc.. were introduced from nº 400. Pierre, I remind you, if necessary, that at Leitz exceptions are the rules Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.