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SMPhoto · 04-09-2010, 12:52 PM

Hey guys. I have a quick question.. Today I was at an estate sale, and lo and behold I find a box with a beautiful Leica IIIf in it! It comes with two rangefinder eyepieces, both in excellent shape, and a Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon S 80mm f/2, Canon S 35mm f/3.2, and Canon S 135mm f/4; all in what I would rate as Excellent++ condition. There is also a nice lightmeter, but I forget what brand it is. They are asking $200 dollars firm for the whole set. Is it worth the price? What is a set like this generally selling for these days? They set it aside for me until tomorrow, so I need answers ASAP please. TIA to everyone.

wildman · 04-09-2010, 01:01 PM

Yes............

Nesster · 04-09-2010, 01:31 PM

YES!!! even a quick peek at ebay or KEH will tell you... this could be the bargain of the year, the Leica by itself is worth 2-3x the price...

pingflood · 04-10-2010, 01:04 PM

Hope you bought it. I'd send it off to Youxin Ye for a CLA; he does an excellent job at a lower price than most.

SMPhoto · 04-11-2010, 12:11 PM

Thanks for the advice, guys, helped a lot. I scooped it up yesterday

It turns out the Leica is the original 1934 model III, not the IIIf, but that's fine. Doesn't detract much from the value.

I played around with it all day yesterday, brought it in to my favorite (read: only) local camera shop to see if they could help me figure out how to load the film. While I was there I took out some of the minty, chrome Canon Serenar lenses and attracted a small gathering all wanting to hold them

I felt like I was carrying the holy grail or something. They ARE beautiful though!
Anyway, the guys, great as they are, couldn't figure out how the hell to get the film in. I swear it's like tinkering with an old BMW!
So I brought it back home, found an online manual for one of the later models, which helped a lot. I finally got the film in (QUITE a process

) advanced it, and now it's snapping fine. Can't wait to get that Kodak BW400CN I put in developed and see what this baby (and it's assortment of $300+ lenses) can do!

I'll get some pics up of it as soon as I can. Again, thanks for all the help!

pingflood · 04-11-2010, 05:07 PM

Make sure to cut the leader of the film rather than mess with leaving the shutter open and trying to wrestle things in place (which some people recommend but IMO is a bad idea). Did you get any hoods with the lenses?

I had a 1935 III and it was a great camera. Still have my IIf and M4-2.

MikeW · 04-11-2010, 06:59 PM

You made out like a bandit.

I have a IIIf and have had it for many years. Check out Rangefinder Forum. They have an entire section devoted to screw mount Leicas. The cameras are a lot of fun to use and are, of course, capable of excellent work. My only complaint is the viewfinder. Or at least my only complaint now that I have older eyes and progressive lenses. I have added external finders (SBOOI 50mm; SGVOO 90mm) to be exact and it has made all the difference. Here is a good link. Leica FAQ - Accessory "bright-line" viewfinders (Loading the thing will become a snap once you do it a couple of times.)

MikeW · 04-11-2010, 07:09 PM

Pingflood makes a good point. Be sure to trim the leader. Leitz made a trimmer but they are very hard to find and you really don't need them. Instead, count 24 sprocket holes from the end and using scissors just cut half way into the roll and then over to the end. The idea is to make a long tongue with a smooth curve where the tongue transitions. (If I'm not being clear, point your index and middle finger and curl your ring and little finger up. The tongue will look something like your index and middle finger; you'll cut away the space underneath them.) Just don't cut through a sprocket hole. The film sprockets will chew up little bits of film if you do.

pingflood · 04-11-2010, 07:22 PM

Yeah, what Mike said.

Make sure to make smooth, rounded "corners" so there's nothing to snag on...

The magical Leica film trimming guide was sold as the ABLON and I've seen knockoffs sold on ebay now and then but they really aren't needed as has been pointed out.

Ben_Edict · 04-12-2010, 04:06 AM

Originally posted by SMPhoto

Hey guys. I have a quick question.. Today I was at an estate sale, and lo and behold I find a box with a beautiful Leica IIIf in it! It comes with two rangefinder eyepieces, both in excellent shape, and a Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon S 80mm f/2, Canon S 35mm f/3.2, and Canon S 135mm f/4; all in what I would rate as Excellent++ condition. There is also a nice lightmeter, but I forget what brand it is. They are asking $200 dollars firm for the whole set. Is it worth the price? What is a set like this generally selling for these days? They set it aside for me until tomorrow, so I need answers ASAP please. TIA to everyone.

If it works, it's a bargain. Buy it.

Ben

04-09-2010, 12:52 PM	#1
SMPhoto Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Photos: Gallery Posts: 185	Leica IIIf + lenses.. Worth it? Hey guys. I have a quick question.. Today I was at an estate sale, and lo and behold I find a box with a beautiful Leica IIIf in it! It comes with two rangefinder eyepieces, both in excellent shape, and a Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon S 80mm f/2, Canon S 35mm f/3.2, and Canon S 135mm f/4; all in what I would rate as Excellent++ condition. There is also a nice lightmeter, but I forget what brand it is. They are asking $200 dollars firm for the whole set. Is it worth the price? What is a set like this generally selling for these days? They set it aside for me until tomorrow, so I need answers ASAP please. TIA to everyone.

04-09-2010, 01:31 PM	#3
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	YES!!! even a quick peek at ebay or KEH will tell you... this could be the bargain of the year, the Leica by itself is worth 2-3x the price... Last edited by Nesster; 04-09-2010 at 02:23 PM.

04-11-2010, 12:11 PM	#5
SMPhoto Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Photos: Gallery Posts: 185 Original Poster	Got it! Thanks for the advice, guys, helped a lot. I scooped it up yesterday It turns out the Leica is the original 1934 model III, not the IIIf, but that's fine. Doesn't detract much from the value. I played around with it all day yesterday, brought it in to my favorite (read: only) local camera shop to see if they could help me figure out how to load the film. While I was there I took out some of the minty, chrome Canon Serenar lenses and attracted a small gathering all wanting to hold them I felt like I was carrying the holy grail or something. They ARE beautiful though! Anyway, the guys, great as they are, couldn't figure out how the hell to get the film in. I swear it's like tinkering with an old BMW! So I brought it back home, found an online manual for one of the later models, which helped a lot. I finally got the film in (QUITE a process ) advanced it, and now it's snapping fine. Can't wait to get that Kodak BW400CN I put in developed and see what this baby (and it's assortment of $300+ lenses) can do! I'll get some pics up of it as soon as I can. Again, thanks for all the help!

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04-09-2010, 01:01 PM	#2
wildman Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Flyover America Posts: 4,469	Yes............

04-10-2010, 01:04 PM	#4
pingflood Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Borås, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,169	Hope you bought it. I'd send it off to Youxin Ye for a CLA; he does an excellent job at a lower price than most.

04-11-2010, 05:07 PM	#6
pingflood Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Borås, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,169	Make sure to cut the leader of the film rather than mess with leaving the shutter open and trying to wrestle things in place (which some people recommend but IMO is a bad idea). Did you get any hoods with the lenses? I had a 1935 III and it was a great camera. Still have my IIf and M4-2.

04-11-2010, 06:59 PM	#7
MikeW Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 437	You made out like a bandit. I have a IIIf and have had it for many years. Check out Rangefinder Forum. They have an entire section devoted to screw mount Leicas. The cameras are a lot of fun to use and are, of course, capable of excellent work. My only complaint is the viewfinder. Or at least my only complaint now that I have older eyes and progressive lenses. I have added external finders (SBOOI 50mm; SGVOO 90mm) to be exact and it has made all the difference. Here is a good link. Leica FAQ - Accessory "bright-line" viewfinders (Loading the thing will become a snap once you do it a couple of times.)

04-11-2010, 07:09 PM	#8
MikeW Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 437	Pingflood makes a good point. Be sure to trim the leader. Leitz made a trimmer but they are very hard to find and you really don't need them. Instead, count 24 sprocket holes from the end and using scissors just cut half way into the roll and then over to the end. The idea is to make a long tongue with a smooth curve where the tongue transitions. (If I'm not being clear, point your index and middle finger and curl your ring and little finger up. The tongue will look something like your index and middle finger; you'll cut away the space underneath them.) Just don't cut through a sprocket hole. The film sprockets will chew up little bits of film if you do.

04-11-2010, 07:22 PM	#9
pingflood Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Borås, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,169	Yeah, what Mike said. Make sure to make smooth, rounded "corners" so there's nothing to snag on... The magical Leica film trimming guide was sold as the ABLON and I've seen knockoffs sold on ebay now and then but they really aren't needed as has been pointed out.

04-12-2010, 04:06 AM	#10
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by SMPhoto Hey guys. I have a quick question.. Today I was at an estate sale, and lo and behold I find a box with a beautiful Leica IIIf in it! It comes with two rangefinder eyepieces, both in excellent shape, and a Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon S 80mm f/2, Canon S 35mm f/3.2, and Canon S 135mm f/4; all in what I would rate as Excellent++ condition. There is also a nice lightmeter, but I forget what brand it is. They are asking $200 dollars firm for the whole set. Is it worth the price? What is a set like this generally selling for these days? They set it aside for me until tomorrow, so I need answers ASAP please. TIA to everyone. If it works, it's a bargain. Buy it. Ben

Leica IIIf + lenses.. Worth it?

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