Did I buy a III F or C

drgoose · Jun 23, 2014

As you can see in my previous post I just bought this camera in E Bay. It was advertised as a III F, I searched the serial number and it falls between 495001 and 520000 which is listed as a III C manufactured in 1950. What did I just buy?

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Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jun 23, 2014

1950

IIIc

495001

520000

25000

drgoose · Jun 23, 2014

That is what I understood. it was advertised as a III F. Is it a big deal?

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Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jun 23, 2014

I used two IIIF and two IIIC and latest one was IIIC from 1946 and such a wonderful camera , you spent your dollar to good until the last dime.
But if rangefinder is not precise or holes or whitening at the curtain , it would cause lots of money. Buy your Leica after you hold it with your hand , and what about the optics ? Fog , separation , organism... Very good of luck .

drgoose · Jun 23, 2014

Thank you Mustafa

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Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jun 23, 2014

There must be a drawing how to cut and load the film at the bottom of the cameras inside.

Prepare your films and be ready to not to load correctly for your first 3 rolls , it happens for everyone , visual inspect your lenses and curtains and shot couple of rolls and rush to photo lab. After seeing everything is correct , you can think its the right camera.

Did you buy Summitar , such a wonderful lens , it can be not coated and dont listen horror stories , I bought mine first because it is uncoated.

Dont forget to not close the lens caps or florida sun drills holes in to your curtain.

If you can not load the film , open the camera , remove the lens and press with your two thumbs againts the films back support plate , it can have come out from its place with time .

snapguy · Jun 23, 2014

rooked

Sounds like you got rooked.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jun 23, 2014

You might focus very fast , mechanism must sound very smooth , winding must be very smooth , no forcing , no vibration. Look in to your prints with a eye for Da Vinci painting . You might see some extraordinary colors , degrades , very long degrades and some details must be extreme.

Dont use it as you use a japanese junk. Force it , load 200 ASA film and under classical hot bulb lights , shoot some portraits , hands , muscles and skin details and 3D relief will knock you off. Go dark places and shoot people. Produce bw very thin negatives , you will be suprised with film noir pictures.

Buy 1950s photo almanacs and see what they did with these lenses.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jun 23, 2014

Dont get opinions from people lives in deserts , big city guys are better.

Two23 · Jun 23, 2014

I think this probably was a IIIc that was factory converted to IIIf. Note that it has the PC socket on the rear, and the sync selector added under the shutter dial.

Kent in SD

Paul Goutiere · Jun 23, 2014

Rejoice, you have a Barnack. A slightly older Barnack than you thought you had, but a Barnack never the less.

The condition of the camera is far more important.

frank · Jun 23, 2014

Two23 said:
I think this probably was a IIIc that was factory converted to IIIf. Note that it has the PC socket on the rear, and the sync selector added under the shutter dial.
Kent in SD

I think you're right.

Xmas · Jun 23, 2014

A large % of LTM Leicas were factory updated you need to buy on serial and photos if you are a collector.
The only functional thing was have you got a baseplate finger near to the latch. This keeps the film in the rails.

Spicy · Jun 25, 2014

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the one I have was originally a IIc, but was factory updated to IIIc specs. I heard it's quite common, and a lot of folks did it for a variety of reasons (to avoid high import taxes, update the mechanicals, etc). Nothing to get worked up about.

Jerevan · Jun 26, 2014

It is a IIIc that was factory converted into a IIIf. The dead giveaway in the photo is for example the two screws top and bottom, just inside of the shutter speed dial.

Did I buy a III F or C

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