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Hello, this is my latest heavy metal addition to my collection, that has been built up since 1981. Back then, I started with a Leica IIIa. A few days ago, the circle of collecting closed for a moment with an IIIb plus Mooly motor drive. I am more than happy. This little monster makes great music. Cheers, Ralph

 

 

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Mooly.m4a
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My brown III from 1935. I actually bought this as a parts camera since the RF window was missing from my IIIa, when I received it it smelled strongly of cigarettes but seemed to work OK, maybe a little sluggish. Time took care of the smell then I had Youxin take care of the sluggish. 

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Is this the forum page for LTM Leica's ? Is there not a dedicated forum page for LTM ? I have recently got a Leica IIIf BD and am looking for recommendations for a suitable lens to go with it, I believe it should be a 50 but am looking for a 35 that I can also use on my Fuji X pro 1 and with the crop factor make that around a 50. i was looking at the Summaron 35/f3.5 but there prices seem to be going up, any recommendations, thanks ?

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Best "bang for your buck" is either Canon, Pentax, Kobalux or Nikkor lenses but check carefully for fungus and fogging or get a sale or return agreement. They are after all 60+ years old.  In newer LTM lenses, there are Cosina-Voigtlander and some of the earlier Konica Hexar lenses. The Cosina LTM lenses were their earlier efforts and quality can be quite variable. My first 21/4 was unusable but my second one, which lives on my Ig, is just fine. I have a 35/2.5 CV Skopar, which focuses correctly at infinity but becomes progressively worse the nearer you get (wrongly ground RF cam?). I would avoid Russian lenses as they RF focus with a different system, using a curved RF cam on the lens, mating with a flat tongue on the FED/Zorki etc camera, as opposed to the flat RF lens cam with roller in the camera body, for both German and Japanese RF cameras/lenses. There are quite a few less common German lenses from the 30's to the 50's from the likes of Steinhell, Novoflex etc in LTM/M39 but check carefully as some are not RF coupled, being designed to mount on a mirror box, like a Visoflex. There is a good guide from Stephen Gandy here: https://www.cameraquest.com/ltmlens.htm 

Wilson

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12 hours ago, fitou1959 said:

Is this the forum page for LTM Leica's ? Is there not a dedicated forum page for LTM ? I have recently got a Leica IIIf BD and am looking for recommendations for a suitable lens to go with it, I believe it should be a 50 but am looking for a 35 that I can also use on my Fuji X pro 1 and with the crop factor make that around a 50. i was looking at the Summaron 35/f3.5 but there prices seem to be going up, any recommendations, thanks ?

I think you can call Leica Collectors & Historica the home for LTM subjects and you'll probably get more answers if you make your own thread rather than appending your question to a tread of a different (though related) subject.

To address your question - without a Leica lens you can't really say you have had the full Barnack experience. A IIIF is made for a 50mm lens, and the 50mm Elmar is a great lens and is as cheap as Leica lenses come, besides; I doubt Leica lenses will become cheaper if you wait.

Edited by nitroplait
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13 hours ago, fitou1959 said:

Is this the forum page for LTM Leica's ? Is there not a dedicated forum page for LTM ? I have recently got a Leica IIIf BD and am looking for recommendations for a suitable lens to go with it, I believe it should be a 50 but am looking for a 35 that I can also use on my Fuji X pro 1 and with the crop factor make that around a 50. i was looking at the Summaron 35/f3.5 but there prices seem to be going up, any recommendations, thanks ?

Maybe also have a look at the new Voigtlander Heliar 40mm f/2.8 lens in LTM mount.

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  • 3 months later...

I have been caressing my Leica iii today, such a nice camera. I got it at Christmas 2019 from Petralka and it was my first Leica. I bought it without knowing much about them except it looked so cool. I put 3 rolls of Ilford through it in 2020, the results were pretty good. Then I got an M3. Since then the iii has been a shelf queen on account of the rangefinder being so hard to use. I wear glasses and can’t use the rangefinder without them. In strong light it’s useable but awkward and indoors when lighting is more subdued it’s simply unusable. I have a screw mount 25mm Voigtlander somewhere which can be used with focus by distance-scale and with an external finder but I want to use it with the Elmar 50mm on travel. So it no longer gets used, but I still like to fondle it!

 

There’s nothing like the Leica iii. I’d eventually be interested in a digital body, but unfortunately Leica has not seen any business merit to making a digital Barnack for us.

Edited by Mr.Prime
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14 hours ago, Mr.Prime said:

I have been caressing my Leica iii today, such a nice camera. I got it at Christmas 2019 from Petralka and it was my first Leica. I bought it without knowing much about them except it looked so cool. I put 3 rolls of Ilford through it in 2020, the results were pretty good. Then I got an M3. Since then the iii has been a shelf queen on account of the rangefinder being so hard to use. I wear glasses and can’t use the rangefinder without them. In strong light it’s useable but awkward and indoors when lighting is more subdued it’s simply unusable. I have a screw mount 25mm Voigtlander somewhere which can be used with focus by distance-scale and with an external finder but I want to use it with the Elmar 50mm on travel. So it no longer gets used, but I still like to fondle it!

 

There’s nothing like the Leica iii. I’d eventually be interested in a digital body, but unfortunately Leica has not seen any business merit to making a digital Barnack for us.

I use my Leica Standard (no rangefinder) with a Nikkor 2.8cm lens and loaded with Delta 3200. It allows me to shoot stopped down, including indoors when well-lit, and so is very forgiving of focusing errors.

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Interesting idea, I haven't used the finer grained Delta films before, so far I've topped out at 400 using HP5+. I may have to dust off my Skopar 25mm and try the same as you have suggested.

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The interest and our attraction to quality such as the classic LTM models is shared.  Yes, this iiic and the more recent Elmar are fully operable.  The 1938 year parallels my own existence on earth.  Definitely, at minimum a roll a year is in order.  Hyperion strap.

 

 

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I have two cameras without strap lugs: a Standard and a II (Model D). I carry them around in a shoulder bag and shoot with them as they are in my hand. I worry about the lack of security of a strap, though, and the wear and tear from my sweat and fingers on old vulcanite.

How do you hold your lugless Barnack bodies?

Edited by LocalHero1953
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1 hour ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I have two cameras without strap lugs: a Standard and a II (Model D). I carry them around in a shoulder bag and shoot with them as they are in my hand. I worry about the lack of security of a strap, though, and the wear and tear from my sweat and fingers on old vulcanite.

How do you hold your lugless Barnack bodies?

I use a Luigi half case with fixed strap, however I accept that many do not like half cases. The cases are beautifully made but a tad expensive.

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Although I don't have a lugless Barnack, I sometimes use the Photo Equip USA LM-Grip (shown below). One can also attach a wrist strap if desired to its base.

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2 minutes ago, Matlock said:

I use a Luigi half case with fixed strap, however I accept that many do not like half cases. The cases are beautifully made but a tad expensive.

Leica IA, with Elmax lens, converted to IC by Leica.

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11 minutes ago, Matlock said:

I use a Luigi half case with fixed strap, however I accept that many do not like half cases. The cases are beautifully made but a tad expensive.

That is one option I have been considering. I have two other Luigi cases (for M4 and IIf). The other option is a wrist strap and connector to the tripod bush, but just for security - not for 'hygiene'.

What colour is that case? I mean what colour does Luigi call that?

Edited by LocalHero1953
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