Jump to content

Sharkskin Leicas


Recommended Posts

Thanks for the ideas. That helps some.

I tried to post some photos but it looks like they never showed up. I'll try again. As for the link, try searching for "leica iiic appareil" on Google. The first link should be one that takes you to an article for a 1949 sharkskin IIIc at www.collection-appareils.fr.

If it is for a flash attachment, would it have been added by a user, or Leica?

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!

Edited by patkuhl
Link to post
Share on other sites

Here is an example of an early IIIa with a post war cammed dial and VACU flash sync attachment.

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!

William

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

vor 16 Stunden schrieb alan mcfall:

This is an aftermarket flash sync ring that slips on and off, probably Geiss. The Leitz flash speed dial is cammed and requires removal of the dial itself to install.

It is not from Geiss. Geiss made a hood on the shutter dial, not a ring.

yours sincerely

Thomas

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

collection of various sharkskin Leicas

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!

274542 - IIIa syn, Lutz Ferrando engraved on bottom plate. Camera from 1938, conversion done early 1951

476275 - IIIc from regular sharkskin production

477018 - IIIc from regular sharkskin production

477473 - IIIc with horizontal sharkskin

498212 - IIIc converted to IIIf

357109 - postwar IIIb. Latest IIIb ever produced, camera listed as IIIa, however proven that it was originaly IIIb, sold to Leitz employee. With coated Hektor 96264

397635 - IIIf , former IIIc, Beriebskamera 063, originally from cca 1950 (thus sharkskin) converted to IIIf in 1962/63 and SN assigned from unused SNs for IIIc Type 1, with contemporary Summitar 682376

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Jerzy. It seems that 274542 and 397635 received new top plates as they have an engraved or stamped Black Dial. 498212 has the screwed on plate for that purpose and, therefore, it probably has its original top plate. We never really got to the bottom of the f BD cameras with sharkskin. My theory was that while some were owner requested upgrades, others were factory stock that were used up to produce f BD cameras. I do feel that it is a subject worthy of further research.

Well done on getting an example with horizontal sharkskin.

William

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have managed to get some more information about my sharkskin Leicas, particularly the ones upgraded to 'f BD' models. It seems that I must issue a mea culpa as the cameras were in use for quite a few years before they were upgraded to f Black Dial cameras and the upgrades took place after the Black Dial model was being made. SN 485593 was upgraded in late 1956, just before that last f Red Dial cameras were made. The shutter speeds remain the same as for a IIIc except that a larger dial was fitted with the 1/30th sync speed in red. I assume that going to the Red Dial speeds would have involved retro fitting a new shutter and that this was not part of the program. This is the camera with the black dial for flash sync added by way of a screwed in plate as shown in the photo which I posted above on 15th December last.

SN 455660 was upgraded probably in early 1954 (although this might also be later - in early 1962- but 1954 seems most likely) by which stage the f Red Dial models were well into production. In this case the original Ic camera had come with a 5cm Elmar as an OEINO & SBOOI, but the SBOOI was not necessary anymore when the top was replaced with a new one to become a IIf BD. This has the engraving for the sync speeds on the new top and, as with the camera mentioned above, it has the 'c' shutter speed range, except that this one has a top speed of 1/500th. Also, in this case, the 1/30th sync speed is not in red on the speed dial. See photo from 15th December last above.

I believe that someone (possibly Jerzy) previously posted the details of the possible upgrades from the early 1950s on the forum. I am still somewhat of the view that some 'c' models never left the factory and were upgraded to 'f BD' models before going to a dealer. The Ic and IIc models did not sell near as well as the IIIc.  There is also some evidence of cameras with lower SNs being issued to dealers after models with higher SNs. Anyone who has looked at the Leica SNs from 1948 through to 1951 will know that there was quite a degree of SN overlap in those years and it is not surprising to find 'fs' with what were originally 'c' SNs. Perhaps they were all the result of much later upgrades. It would be interesting to know when upgrades to 'f BDs' actually ceased. I suppose the one thing that is certain is that if an 'f BD' camera has sharkskin it was almost certainly originally a 'c' model.

It seems that all of my sharkskin cameras originated in 1949, which is nice as it was the year in which I was born. Indeed, one of my nicest IIIcs with sharkskin was delivered to a dealer 3 days before I was delivered (born) and I intend to shoot a roll of film in it around the time of my big birthday in a few month's time.

As before, any comments, knowledge or experience about upgraded sharkskin models would be much appreciated.

William

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

I just bought a 1948 11c sharkskin. Very nice condition, without any of the flaking to the chrome that many have. I had one a few years ago that was flakey and had other faults, sold it.

This is it with my 127mm Leitz New York Wollensak Velostigmat and a Canon 135mm finder.

 

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!

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, romanus53 said:

I think most sharkskins have better or say thicker chrome than vulkanit ones and sharkskin seems to be more durable so it's worth looking for these

Sharkskin is definitely more durable than ‘normal’ vulcanite, but the quality of the chrome can vary. I have both good and bad examples. Since my last post, I have added another sharkskin to my collection, from 1949 like most of my other ones.

William

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Just got a sharkskin 135mm f4.5 Hektor, 1949.

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!

Edited by Pyrogallol
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
On 12/15/2018 at 12:03 PM, Dr. No said:

Here you can download my article about sharkskin horizontal  /quer - sorry for it's in german ;)  :D

http://nattenberg.org/public/pdf/Vidom98_Sharkskin_quer.pdf

Hi Olaf,

I just realized I have a "Sharkskin quer“ Leica IIIc. I'm a shooter, not a collector and didn't realize what Sharkskin was until a friend pointed out to me that on one of my IIIc cameras (made in 1948) was covered in it. We were looking at it and suddenly realized that my other IIIc (made in 1949) had the same covering, but the grain pattern was going in the other direction, the grain was running horizontally. Fascinating.

Best, -Tim

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!

Edited by Timmyjoe
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 4/9/2016 at 11:04 AM, jerzy said:

Sharkskin was used by Leitz from 1948 until cca mid 1950......Hasbroeck is quoting SNs between 430xxx and 501xxx...

Curious...

I see that all the cameras listed in this thread (with one exception) are from the 430XXX and 501XXX range. My Sharkskin IIIc, like the one mentioned by James in post #19, is outside this range being 503XXX. Were Leica simply using up the old stocks of sharkskin as-and-when or was there a series of runs with s/k bodies interspersed with 'regular' vulcanite?

I, too, love the grip-level Sharkskin provides. Leica should re-introduce the practice for the newer and far heavier bodies now in production!

:)

Philip.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Greeting everyone, 

I have been offerred the following leica iiic converted to iiif with horizontal sharkskin. 

From what i read in this thread it seem the SN fall into the apporpriated period but i'm not in anyway an expert in leica iii models. Can anyone help enlighten me regarding this camera leigitibility? Is there any suspicious parts i should be concern? 

Thank you 

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

5 minutes ago, luigi bertolotti said:

Looks legitimate at all: the right "ear" for strap looks a bit mis-aligned (Picture #3... not exactly vertical, I mean) , but a minor cosmetic issue on a fine camera.

Just as a curios : is the lens (Summitar) from the same timeframe ?

 

Yes the seller said that the Summitar is from the same production year as the camera and he offered it as a combo with the camera or he is willing to sell just the camera. 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...