davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Share #1 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Tonight, I was at a friends house for dinner and he literally gave me his Leica DBP camera. I know nothing about it. It also says, "Ernst Leitz, GMBH, Wetzler, Germany, Nr. 869 160." It looks to be in flawless condition, not a scratch on it. He gave me the camera and told me to sell it on ebay so I could use the proceeds to help start my photography business! I was amazed with his generosity. Would someone please tell me more about this camera and what its relative value would be if I were to sell it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 13, 2010 Posted June 13, 2010 Hi davidhunternyc, Take a look here Help? Just got a Leica DBP? ...and know nothing about it.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #2 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Upon further research, it looks as if this DBP is a Leica lllg camera. It has the parallax viewfinder and looks exactly like the photos of the lllg's I've seen. I first thought it was a lllf .What were all the differences between these models? I will take the camera to a reputable Leica service provider and have it cleaned, oiled, and fixed if needed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 13, 2010 Share #3 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Among shooter-collectors, and plain obstreperous film-in-thread mount camera-shooters, the IIIg is very highly regarded and prices are correspondingly higher than for the preceding IIIf. Â As for DBP, this means 'Deusches Bundes-Patent', German Federal Patent. This acronym replaced the older DRP, 'Deutsches Reichs-Patent', after the German Federal Republic was established in 1949. The German Reich ceased to exist in May 1945 of course, but the DRP continued to be applied until there existed a federal patent law, even though all German patents ceased, at least in theory, when the state that issued them was legally wiped out. Â The IIIg was introduced in 1957, so all carry the DBP engraving. Dennis Laney says that DBP was gradually introduced from 1951, but there are IIIf cameras from 1954 marked DRP. So the matter is a bit murky. Meaning that it is not too interesting to the minds of collectors. Â The old man from the Age of the IIIc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #4 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Thanks Lars, I have been advised that if I want to get top dollar for the camera I need to get it serviced at a Leica service center. I will do that. I have been searching the lllg for some time tonight and I just can't find one. I am trying to find the value of one in excellent condition. By the way, do you know why the lllg is more valuable than the lllf? They look so similar on the outside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 13, 2010 Share #5 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Ah, the differences. These were mainly in the finder and rangefinder department. The IIIf has only a 50mm plain reverse-Galilean finder, and a separate rangefinder. The IIIg, which was of course issued after the M3, has a finder with bright frame markings for 50 and 90mm, but the rangefinder is still separate. Â The flash sync was also changed. The IIIf has an adjustable dial under the main shutter dial, for adjusting the 'head start' of the synch impulse from 0 milliseconds ( = X, for electronic) to up to 20ms (M, for various types of flashbulbs. These had different ignition characteristics, so a small folder told the user which delay to use for each type of avalable bulbs). Â The IIIg has two different synch speeds marked on the main dial, one black for electronic, and one red for bulbs, because the flashbulb market was less disparate in 1957. Â The old man from the Age of Flash Powder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 13, 2010 Share #6 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Thanks Lars, I have been advised that if I want to get top dollar for the camera I need to get it serviced at a Leica service center. I will do that. I have been searching the lllg for some time tonight and I just can't find one. I am trying to find the value of one in excellent condition. By the way, do you know why the lllg is more valuable than the lllf? They look so similar on the outside. Fewer were made. Also, for shooters, the finder of the g is more useful. Â Values -- I don't know about the U.S.A. but good source for Europe is Leicashop in Vienna which also deals in used and collector stuff (http://www.leicashop.com). Their site is in both English, German and Japanese, and they may well have a IIIg on hand. Actual prices paid depend a lot on condition, of course. Â The old man again Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #7 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thanks Lars once again. You are a saint. Do you know where I can go to check the serial numbers just to make sure what my camera is? I don't really understand the information you told me about the viewfinders. My camera is: Nr. 869 160 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted June 13, 2010 Share #8 Â Posted June 13, 2010 867001 - 871200 Leica IIIg 1957 Â Official Leitz Factory data ... it's a IIIg - no doubt. Â One of the many sources of those data is this (Erwin Puts - downloadable) Â http://www.imx.nl/photo/downloads/page70.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #9 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Thanks once again. Yes, I just found it too. Wow, I was at my friends house for dinner tonight and he hasn't used the camera in 30 years so he just gave it to me! He told me to go ahead and sell it and whatever I get for it, to use the funds to get an X1. We both thought it was an M3. It even has the original metal chain from 1957. Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted June 13, 2010 Share #10 Â Posted June 13, 2010 If you are in US... here are the prices asked by a top specialist in USA : Â Leica Screwmount IIIG 35MM RANGEFINDER MANUAL FOCUS CAMERA BODY - KEH.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #11 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Thanks Luigi. I wonder how much the lens would add to the value. Anyway, I have enough to go on at least. I will fix it up and sell it on ebay. We will see what the market will bring, even in this down turn in the economy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted June 13, 2010 Share #12 Â Posted June 13, 2010 You might do better on this forums classifieds... Â The lens is also saleable what model and serial you got? Â Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert J Posted June 13, 2010 Share #13 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Thanks Lars, I have been advised that if I want to get top dollar for the camera I need to get it serviced at a Leica service center. I will do that. I have been searching the lllg for some time tonight and I just can't find one. I am trying to find the value of one in excellent condition. By the way, do you know why the lllg is more valuable than the lllf? They look so similar on the outside. Â Be sure mention the recent service when you list the camera and be sure to include the service invoice with the camera when sold.This should get you a better price. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #14  Posted June 13, 2010 You might do better on this forums classifieds... The lens is also saleable what model and serial you got?  Noel  The camera is Nr. 869160 The lens is Elmar f=5cm 1:2.8 Nr. 1450818  I read that this is a good place to sell the camera too, once I get it cleaned and checked out. I would love to sell it on the classifieds here but it doesn't seem like there are nearly as much as an audience here. I am still fairly new to the Leica forums and I don't know much as far as protocol and know-how. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #15 Â Posted June 13, 2010 O.K. It seems that I have been taking everyone's advice. I have contacted a couple of authorized Leica service specialists to have this camera checked out. It will cost me around $300 for the body and another $100 - $150 for the lens to be serviced. Is it really worth $450 to have this camera serviced? If I sell the lllg on ebay, I can't believe that it would add to the value by this much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 13, 2010 Share #16 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Keep it. I'd take a lllg and Elmar over an X1 any day! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #17 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Keep it. I'd take a lllg and Elmar over an X1 any day! Â If you have an X1, I'll trade you. ; ) Â To tell you the truth, I can just tell that the lllg is the better camera. Its resale value is still strong even though the camera was made in 1957. It is solid and built like a brick, the perfect camera for capturing D-Day. The X1, the other hand, is going to be fairly worthless in a few years time. Who knows, perhaps in as little as a month, Leica will release the X2 and the fate of the X1 will be sealed... just saying. I paid $600 for my C-Lux 1 and it is probably only worth $100 just a few years later. I just need the X1 to start my business. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ron (Netherlands) Posted June 13, 2010 Share #18 Â Posted June 13, 2010 O.K. It seems that I have been taking everyone's advice. I have contacted a couple of authorized Leica service specialists to have this camera checked out. It will cost me around $300 for the body and another $100 - $150 for the lens to be serviced. Is it really worth $450 to have this camera serviced? If I sell the lllg on ebay, I can't believe that it would add to the value by this much. Â If you are anxious to sell it, don't mind the servicing and leave it to the buyer; it is quite probable you won't recap the service cost in a sale. Just mention the camera wasn't used for a long time so, any buyer knows what to do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhunternyc Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share #19 Â Posted June 13, 2010 Yes, this is a way I can go. Hmmm, I will think about it. It seems that most people won't pay top dollar for a camera that they do not know is in good working condition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ron (Netherlands) Posted June 15, 2010 Share #20 Â Posted June 15, 2010 Yes, this is a way I can go. Hmmm, I will think about it. It seems that most people won't pay top dollar for a camera that they do not know is in good working condition. Â Well as long as the shutter cloth is light tight and there is no seperation in the glass of the rangefinder, most users/collectors will pay a fine price. Anyhow the price is influenced for a great part by the cosmetics of the Leica camera and/or lens (more than with other brands). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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