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Peter Sellers' Leica M4 1967


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Having correctly identified, for a friend, the camera that Peter Sellers is holding, seen pictured in this month's Octane magazine, my friend expressed disappointment (in jest) that I couldn't give him the serial number of the camera (1967 M4).

 

Anyone out there that can help me to amaze him?

 

PM me, or even "x" out the last digit, if it would help.

 

Many thanks,

 

John

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Here, the s/n is hard to spot (and also the lens isn't so clear...:o... the big VF makes to think of some 21/28...:confused:)

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What is the massive viewfinder? It looks larger than the current Frankenfinder.

 

Nick

 

A question that intrigues me too... :confused:... surely not leica, and at those times there weren't Zeiss nor CV... my only hipotesis is that it is a VF NOT made for 35mm cameras... could be a VF for medium/large format cameras (Linhof ? Plaubel ?) with a std. shoe mount and a coverage right for the lens mounted (also unknown... hood suggests a range 21 to 28... looks a chrome lens, but not a SA 21, I'd say... )

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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The external viewfinder looks it is from the Mamiya Press camera for their 65mm lens. Here is an example:

0272 Mamiya Universal 65mm f6.3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Which would correspond to about 28mm on the Leica (assuming 65mm lens and 6x9 format on the 120 roll film camera).

 

The corresponding Mamiya finder for 50mm is round so this would rule out the 21mm lens on the leica:

 

Nick

Edited by Nick_S
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The external viewfinder looks it is from the Mamiya Press camera for their 65mm lens. Here is an example:

0272 Mamiya Universal 65mm f6.3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Which would correspond to about 28mm on the Leica (assuming 65mm lens and 6x9 format on the 120 roll film camera).

 

The corresponding Mamiya finder for 50mm is round so this would rule out the 21mm lens on the leica:

0291 Mamiya Universal 50mm f6.3 hood and caps | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Nick

 

Thanks !!! I hadn't thought of the fine Mamiya Press 23 ... :) It's surely it.... and the lens question remains open... if it isn't a 21, but is chrome, which lens is it ? No chrome 28 did exist...and no reason to use such a bulky VF for a 35 onto a M4.... :confused: (unless it is NOT a M4....picture not too clear... is the rewind knob definitely angled ? Should it be a rare black M3, a 35mm with VF could have sense...)

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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Thanks !!! I hadn't thought of the fine Mamiya Press 23 ... :) It's surely it.... and the lens question remains open... if it isn't a 21, but is chrome, which lens is it ? No chrome 28 did exist...and no reason to use such a bulky VF for a 35 onto a M4.... :confused: (unless it is NOT a M4....picture not too clear... is the rewind knob definitely angled ? Should it be a rare black M3, a 35mm with VF could have sense...)

Luigi, check the lens button release : no guard around and the few M3 of the last bunch which do not have it, were not in black (except 10 of them, that confirm the rule ! )

and if you count the white spots in front of the lens ring you get the same as the letters for SUPER-ANGULON

Edited by jc_braconi
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Thanks for the various inputs. Good reading.

 

However, the camera in Octane magazine is chrome, not black. It is pictured with Sellers leaning against a then recently launched Ferrari 275 GTB/4. I strongly suspect it will be from the original M4 batch of 3,000 .... and probably a low number.

 

I reckon the black camera shown may indeed be a late M3 .... rare and expensive sounds as though it might fit the profile of a movie star!

 

Best wishes,

 

John

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Luigi, check the lens button release : no guard around and the few M3 of the last bunch which do not have it, were not in black (except 10 of them, that confirm the rule ! )

and if you count the white spots in front of the lens ring you get the same as the letters for SUPER-ANGULON

 

OK for the body... btw I'm convinced that the rewind knob IS angled, after all, and also the surface around front windows definitely looks flat... and, even it is also not 100% clear, the selftimer lever looks M4-style.

The SA 21 was my first thought... but there was something in the (apparent) shape that didn't convince me completely... :confused: : anyway, you're right that the front writing is well in accord with the SA 3,4.... and a 65mm VF for 6x9, if you haven't another, is anyway better than the native 35mm frame.

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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Thanks for the various inputs. Good reading.

 

However, the camera in Octane magazine is chrome, not black. It is pictured with Sellers leaning against a then recently launched Ferrari 275 GTB/4. I strongly suspect it will be from the original M4 batch of 3,000 .... and probably a low number.

 

I reckon the black camera shown may indeed be a late M3 .... rare and expensive sounds as though it might fit the profile of a movie star!

 

Best wishes,

 

John

 

Good to know that is a silver version...

Can you post a pict of this magazine ?,

what can be the fact that the camera is from the 'original' batch you said 1967, in this year 4 batches for a total of 10700 issues were produced (in silver)

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OK for the body... btw I'm convinced that the rewind knob IS angled, after all, and also the surface around front windows definitely looks flat... and, even it is also not 100% clear, the selftimer lever looks M4-style.

The SA 21 was my first thought... but there was something in the (apparent) shape that didn't convince me completely... :confused: : anyway, you're right that the front writing is well in accord with the SA 3,4.... and a 65mm VF for 6x9, if you haven't another, is anyway better than the native 35mm frame.

 

Luigi, working on the picture with PS and comparing with a black M4 in hand I am 99% of its identity the rewind crank is easily identifiable also as you said the seltimer is square shaped BUT, IMHO the cocking arm is chromed ;)

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OK for the body... btw I'm convinced that the rewind knob IS angled, after all, and also the surface around front windows definitely looks flat... and, even it is also not 100% clear, the selftimer lever looks M4-style.

It also looks like it has a dog-legged wind-on lever of the M4 camera an the opened out position.

 

 

However, the camera in Octane magazine is chrome, not black. It is pictured with Sellers leaning against a then recently launched Ferrari 275 GTB/4. I strongly suspect it will be from the original M4 batch of 3,000 .... and probably a low number.

Is it this photograph?

3461262167

 

Nick

Edited by Nick_S
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There is even the vague shadow of a red dot , in the correct position around the lens' mount... ;) it must be really a SA 3,4.... it seems even to recognize the tapered surface ... but the white spots on the front are REALLY white pixels and no more... so SUPER could be also LEITZ (5 letters) and ANGULON could be WETZLAR (7 letters) :D

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The Ferrari is undoubtly a 275 GTB ... but I don't think it's a camera he has in his hand... :confused:... maybe a binocular ?

 

Looks a camera but I will not bet any about, can be a M4 or a Leicaflex why not PS owned a lot of camera and not only Leica's

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