TomB_tx Posted October 18, 2015 Share #1 Â Posted October 18, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) I notice DAG has a IIIg for sale that was converted to M mount by his father, Norman. Not a factory prototype, but bound to be excellent quality. Above my price range however... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 18, 2015 Posted October 18, 2015 Hi TomB_tx, Take a look here M mount IIIg conversion. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
luigi bertolotti Posted October 18, 2015 Share #2  Posted October 18, 2015 Very interesting... price is high, but the history is well documented and maybe they will find someone disposed to pay... pity for the removal of slow speeds... but it makes it even more "unique"...  (iirc, the factory original IIIG in BM had the slow speeds... I don't remember the timing, but some years ago there had been a thread about this item, in the forum...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lleo Posted October 18, 2015 Share #3 Â Posted October 18, 2015 Is it a modification Leica used to do? Or is it something unique? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted October 18, 2015 Share #4 Â Posted October 18, 2015 I saw it a couple of months ago, before he had decided what to ask for it. I should say, if the camera brings what is asked, it should encourage others to produce duplicates. I really, really would love to have such a camera; but.........I suppose to own it you must really, really, really, really want it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 19, 2015 Share #5  Posted October 19, 2015 Is it a modification Leica used to do? Or is it something unique? No, surely Leitz never offered a IIIG conversion to BM ; the Leitz item I quoted above was a factory prototype... if I remember well, wasn't the only one... probably they made some but very few (the IIIG, after all, was designed when M mount already existed for some years)  In the meantime, I found a picture of one of those prototypes (it is unnumbered... years ago in a magazine, they displayed another, which had a s/n, iirc... something in the 00000xx)  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/251513-m-mount-iiig-conversion/?do=findComment&comment=2907357'>More sharing options...
lleo Posted October 19, 2015 Share #6 Â Posted October 19, 2015 It might be interesting for mounting M lens on the III camera, but I would have never ever modified a III in that way. It would be like modifying the Leonardo's Gioconda pretending to paint it with an airbrush. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted October 19, 2015 Share #7  Posted October 19, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Back in the 1960's and 1970's, Norm Goldberg of Camcraft, Madison, WI, and Marty Forscher of Professional Camera Repair, New York City, had the skill to make practically any modification that a photographer required.  Norm invented the Leica M2 motor drive that became the Leitz New York motor drive.  If there were only one IIIg in the world, I would agree it should not be modified.  But there are many, and Norm earned the stature to make this modification.  I think the price reflects that the modified IIIg is from Norm.  Don Goldberg probably still has some more of his father's creations.  I would love to get one of the Visoflex reflex housings modified with a beam splitter in place of the moving mirror. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted March 6, 2016 Share #8 Â Posted March 6, 2016 I notice DAG has a IIIg for sale that was converted to M mount by his father, Norman. Not a factory prototype, but bound to be excellent quality. Above my price range however... Â Just to refresh - it, or another like it, is on the 'bay right now. Item # 311561221782 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted March 7, 2016 Share #9 Â Posted March 7, 2016 The ebay price is highly questionable, imho... surely a well made lab work, but no more than this... it has been even disguised as a "IIG" taking off the slow speeds... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted March 7, 2016 Share #10 Â Posted March 7, 2016 I agree with Luigi. The main advantage of this camera is that you can use both M and LTM (with adaptor) lenses on the camera. I also favour IIs against IIIs as I prefer not to have the slow speed dial under my right hand and I don't use slow speeds. It is an interesting 'one off'. The 'market reaction' should be interesting. Â William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Pop Posted March 7, 2016 Share #11  Posted March 7, 2016 I'd buy this in a heartbeat if I could afford it; I love my current iiig so much as it is...if I could use the full quiver of M glass on it, I'd be even more delighted.  Which makes me also wish (foolishly, I'm sure) that Leica had made it possible to 'change mounts' between the majority of their lenses, i.e. a few screws would remove the threaded LTM collar and replace it with the M collar, and more importantly, vice versa.  Not for lenses that are too bulky, and of course the design of many pre-M period lenses (like the little Elmar 50 3.5) wouldn't allow for this.  But for some of the other regular M classic compact lenses (35, 50 'Cron, Lux, 28 Elmarit, etc...a few of which have been made in those expensive 1999 LTM limited editions anyway) it sure would be nice.  Of course, I'm just daydreaming, and can't really complain with the way things are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted March 7, 2016 Share #12 Â Posted March 7, 2016 Luigi, I really doubt Norm Goldberg was trying to simulate a IIg. Â At the time the camera was converted, I doubt anyone was interesting in a IIg replica either. Â My understanding is that the slow speed mechanism was in the way of Norm's lens mount conversion. Â Leitz seems to have worked around this issue. Â The good thing is that anyone interested can simply call Don Goldberg and ask. Â Camcraft products are collectible in their own right. Â I saw that the Z Housing on E-bay (Viso II with beamsplitter, about 50 made) sold at a big price. Â The Camcraft motor drives are going for out-of-sight prices. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckrider Posted March 8, 2016 Share #13 Â Posted March 8, 2016 I'm not that deep into Barnacks, but did You have a nearer look to the IIIg-M shown above here? Look at the M3 alike frames around the viewfinder! Adorable! What makes me worry is the flange distance, does a M lens focus at infinite with this IMO far outwards looking mount? Thomas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckrider Posted March 8, 2016 Share #14 Â Posted March 8, 2016 ....and that film counter, it gives me the creeps! Â are there some more pics pleaaaaaaaaaaase? Â Thomas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted March 8, 2016 Share #15  Posted March 8, 2016 I'm not that deep into Barnacks, but did You have a nearer look to the IIIg-M shown above here? Look at the M3 alike frames around the viewfinder! Adorable! What makes me worry is the flange distance, does a M lens focus at infinite with this IMO far outwards looking mount? Thomas Eh... that's surely a problem... I think that the prototype in my above picture (#5) is really a prototype... maybe even not completely operative : take note, btw, that the shutter speeds are NOT the ones of IIIG... probably it was machined/assembled with leftover parts at the factory... just to test how a BM could fit into the IIIG body... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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