Kampermann Posted February 24, 2020 Share #1 Posted February 24, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Since i bought my first Leica III from 1934, i fell in love with these old Barnacks. I introduced it also in a nice review with pictures of many accessories. 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! 4 Quote 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/306775-leica-iii-showcase/?do=findComment&comment=3918879'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 24, 2020 Posted February 24, 2020 Hi Kampermann, Take a look here Leica III showcase. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
luigi bertolotti Posted February 25, 2020 Share #2 Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) Compliments ! Really an item in excellent shape ! As you say this is a significantly reworked item (born as model III) : thanks to these capabilities of upgrading, there are lot of fascinating variants of the classic Barnacks... 😎 By the way : I see that also the top writing is "new" ("GMBH" - and capital letters) : I didn't remember that, when Leitz "upgraded" old cameras, they re-engraved the top... Edited February 25, 2020 by luigi bertolotti Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted February 25, 2020 Share #3 Posted February 25, 2020 vor 3 Stunden schrieb luigi bertolotti: : I didn't remember that, when Leitz "upgraded" old cameras, they re-engraved the top... Hello Luigi, they did not. This is now IIIa sync, in order to have enough space for flash contacts the new top cover has been produced, note different shape around speed dial compared to regular III. And because engravings are in capital letters conversion has been done after 1954 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted February 25, 2020 Share #4 Posted February 25, 2020 2 hours ago, jerzy said: Hello Luigi, they did not. This is now IIIa sync, in order to have enough space for flash contacts the new top cover has been produced, note different shape around speed dial compared to regular III. And because engravings are in capital letters conversion has been done after 1954 Thanks Jerzy , indeed the top writing is the detail that suprised me more... I think that Barnacks which such writing are rather few (some IIf/IIIf... apart IIIG, of course) : do you think that, anyway, the conversion has been made by Leitz ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted February 26, 2020 Share #5 Posted February 26, 2020 Luigi, I am quoting the Dates out of my memory now, I believe it was 1952 when Leitz started to engrave GmbH instead of DRP, at that time it was in lower/uppercase changed later to uppercase all. So yes, only late cameras and conversions have uppercase only but I believe that lower/uppercase are more scarce. It is possible that sync was added by third party however I think it was done at Leitz. All features are like Leitz was doing it, more components are needed with this implementation then it it in case of typical third party synchronisation. Note the position of flash socket, it is placed directly under the accessory shoe, there is no place in IIIa to position it left to the socket like it is in IIIf. In order to have enough room for the flash socket the accessory shoe needs to be moved a bit up, the rails are higher now then top cover. None of the photos in review shows details of top cover around the speed dial, but I believe that there is a small screw between 11 and 12 contact numbers. This screw was introduced in later IIIa sync, to stabilize the top cover. And this needed additional support to be mounted on the top plate. So all in all it is rather complicated conversion and I do not think that anyone else besides Leitz and their subsidiaries got authorization (and spare parts) to perform such upgrade. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted February 26, 2020 Share #6 Posted February 26, 2020 A bit off the topic, but a wartime IIIc with uppercase only engraving is a curiosity, until now I have seen only 3 cameras like this. Well, it is in reality a IIIf with wartime SN. It is not unusual to find wartime IIIc with added flash, but almost always it has been done by screwing on a small plate with contact numbers on the existing top cover. Those 3 cameras have IIIf top cover, without the step with original SN engraved. Mounting IIIf top cover on stepper IIIc require replacement of most of the parts including die cast, so it was done on special order only. Similarly like it is with IA converted to IIIa sync as well in case of IIIf with wartime SN it is practically a new camera keeping its original wartime SN. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kampermann Posted February 26, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted February 26, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) It is a very interesting and valuable insight that is shared here, please i added a picture of the top cover, so you can enrich your findings. Thanks! 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! Quote 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/306775-leica-iii-showcase/?do=findComment&comment=3919955'>More sharing options...
sabears Posted February 26, 2020 Share #8 Posted February 26, 2020 6 hours ago, jerzy said: A bit off the topic, but a wartime IIIc with uppercase only engraving is a curiosity, until now I have seen only 3 cameras like this. Well, it is in reality a IIIf with wartime SN. It is not unusual to find wartime IIIc with added flash, but almost always it has been done by screwing on a small plate with contact numbers on the existing top cover. Those 3 cameras have IIIf top cover, without the step with original SN engraved. Mounting IIIf top cover on stepper IIIc require replacement of most of the parts including die cast, so it was done on special order only. Similarly like it is with IA converted to IIIa sync as well in case of IIIf with wartime SN it is practically a new camera keeping its original wartime SN. To understand better, please post a photo of these wartime items Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted February 26, 2020 Share #9 Posted February 26, 2020 Pity that this camera suffered a fall typically the indent under the s/n is the evident of the base of a VIOOH at time of the fall. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted February 27, 2020 Share #10 Posted February 27, 2020 vor 16 Stunden schrieb sabears: To understand better, please post a photo of these wartime items here is the non-usual wartime IIIc with top cover from IIIf. Note black flash contacts numbers - in the time of conversion all IIIf were produced as red dial but because the shutter has still old speeds Leitz painted the numbers black. Samples of regular conversion (added plate with contact numbers) are common to be found 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! 1 Quote 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/306775-leica-iii-showcase/?do=findComment&comment=3920509'>More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted February 27, 2020 Share #11 Posted February 27, 2020 13 hours ago, jc_braconi said: Pity that this camera suffered a fall typically the indent under the s/n is the evident of the base of a VIOOH at time of the fall. Is that a dent, or just a reflection of the front of the VIOOH on the chrome due to the lighting? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted February 27, 2020 Share #12 Posted February 27, 2020 10 hours ago, TomB_tx said: Is that a dent, or just a reflection of the front of the VIOOH on the chrome due to the lighting? The edge of the camera on the left is scratched and the top cover near by is stamped the viewer is an SBOOI The base of a VIOOH comes across the top cover and the parallax compensatory hurt the top when a force is applied on Saw some cameras with this stamp..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted February 27, 2020 Share #13 Posted February 27, 2020 Ah, I see. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kampermann Posted February 27, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted February 27, 2020 Yes, the moderator is right, the rewind knob is also slightly bent due to, i presume a fall. Fortunately the Leica was CLA' ed by Will van Manen here in the Netherlands, a famous Leica specialist and the camera works 100%, but it is a pity of the dent. Things can happen in 86 years... Thanks guys for your insights about the camera. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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