One decision the OP has definitely made is not to post since 2009. Sometimes on APUG we get to the point of still replying to a 1945 post which asks: Is it dangerous to have Joe Stalin in charge of the USSR?
I had a late model III, I got it used and it was well worn, I already had a Kodak Retina III C big so at some point I either sold it or gave it away. The lens was either a 5 or 6 element, 6 element comes to mind, tack sharp at F 2. The viewfinder was better than the Retina and is easy to use.
I checked on line to refresh my memory, the earlier IIIs were a 48mm F2, unmetered, the later IIIs were 50 1.8 and metered, had a cell that flipped up and when down acted as a cover for the rangefinder lens. I had the 48 F 2. Don't know how good the meter was or is on the later models.
I've been thinking of making lasting images with a camera obscura, but I can't decide whether to go for the vivid image of the daguerreotype, or just use the far simpler albumen paper.