Leica II D value

[randy6]

A co worker yesterday, Brings to work a ikoflex tlr and a Black leica IId serial 73828. He tell me he believe's there worth a forture because these cameras appear worn and were kept by family for many years. So he kept them on a shelve for all to see at his home. The lens is frozen and the optics are covered with haize. The shutter still works, very sluggish. The covering is coming off the body. Only a couple of small scratches on the metal. I would like to talk him out of it If I knew how. What do you think would be a good offer on somthing like this. This camera has a plug in the back of the body and , an 0 engraved on the lens mount. I don't the the haize canbe cleaned.
This lens is uncoated f3.5 to f18. I don't have books on value, what would be a good offer.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Don't know what country you're in, but e-bay reveals this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Leica-II-D-Ra...ryZ15234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

You say the Leica lens is "frozen" - if it has what looks like ice inside, this is mold which will have eaten away part of the glass surface and cannot be cleaned away - if the lens is just foggy inside, this can often be cleaned at a cost. In view of this, you would probably have to value the lens at zero (may not be fixable, will cost more than it's worth even if it can be fixed).

The Leica camera, if it has a sluggish shutter and the body covering coming off, is fixable (but if the dampness that caused the lens mold also made the shutter curtains moldy, the repair will cost U$200 or more). The plug in the back - is this a flash socket on the back of the top plate? If so this would detract slightly from the value to a collector. Any non-standard modification to the body would also detract from value. I would not pay more than around £100 (US$200), as beyond this price you can find other examples that are 100% working and with a usable lens.

 

[Roger Hicks]

There is no such thing as a IId: this is a II (European nomenclature) or D (US nomenclature). It's disputable whether there was even a IIId (more normally referred to as a IIIc DA, for delayed action). What's the serial number? This could be a conversion from an A.

Offer? From your description, gven that the lens is probably a write-off, I'd not be inclined to give more than $200 or so, and that's mostly because I'd like a black II again.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[randy6]

I seen this model reffered too as a D on ebay. I'm sure its a II serial number 73828 . The body has a plug in the back. This was removed to register the lens. The lens flange has a 0 on it. I believe this shows that this is one of the first standard mounts. I think the body is a leftover from older models. I live in Florida USA (sub tropical climate , bad for camera's ) When I say frozen the grease on the threads are so dried the lens won't adjust. The fog is so bad you cannot see through. Thanks for your help , Randy

 

[randy6]

I looked at the link David, Thanks , Except that one does not have this body plug in the back of the camera. Although the glass may be shot on this one . There are no scratches or missing chrome on the lens barrel. Thanks Randy

 

[randy6]

This looks like the model Ebay:

Dead Link Removed

270184872986

 

[Roger Hicks]

I seen this model reffered too as a D on ebay. I'm sure its a II serial number 73828 . The body has a plug in the back. This was removed to register the lens. The lens flange has a 0 on it. I believe this shows that this is one of the first standard mounts. I think the body is a leftover from older models. I live in Florida USA (sub tropical climate , bad for camera's ) When I say frozen the grease on the threads are so dried the lens won't adjust. The fog is so bad you cannot see through. Thanks for your help , Randy

From memory, yes, that 's a II number, not a conversion. The first II I ever used was #23010: plug in the back, small pin on the baseplate. Both the plug and the 0 show it's pretty early, though the O survived for several years. You might be surprised at how much a good repairer could recover in the way of functionality -- but then again, maybe he couldn't...

As I say, II is one name (Europe), D is another (USA). A IID would be another matter entirely!

From what you say, I'd stick with my earlier offer, which has to reflect the cost of a strip, clean and overhaul.

Cheers,

R.

 

[John Koehrer]

At ~$2800 You have to be very aware that a lot of the value is in the additional lenses, 73/1.9 with hood adds much of the value to that package. Sometimes the accessories are more difficult to find than lense.

 

[randy6]

I relize the quality difference. Just in reference of model. Thanks

 

[David H. Bebbington]

I seen this model reffered too as a D on ebay. I'm sure its a II serial number 73828 . The body has a plug in the back. This was removed to register the lens. The lens flange has a 0 on it. I believe this shows that this is one of the first standard mounts. I think the body is a leftover from older models. I live in Florida USA (sub tropical climate , bad for camera's ) When I say frozen the grease on the threads are so dried the lens won't adjust. The fog is so bad you cannot see through. Thanks for your help , Randy

Just for the record - the non-turning focusing mount will almost certainly be due to hard grease, totally fixable by a CLA (cleaning. lubrication and adjustment). As I said earlier, haze will usually clean off without leaving damage, mold won't. The cost in any case would be more than finding a good lens. Have you established whether the shutter is clean or has mold on it? If it is sluggish, it may also be tapering, i.e. not opening fully (uncapping) until part-way through its travel. This is fixable, moldy shutter blinds can be cleaned and re-rubberized to a certain extent, otherwise new blinds will be required.

Think the verdict remains - worth a punt for $200, otherwise too much trouble. As others have said, the model was Leica II in Europe, Leica D in US.

Regards,

David