robertmarvin

Here's a tip based on what vintage fountain pen collectors use to restore the imprints on pen barrels: Get a grease pencil in the appropriate color. Rub it over the area that has the engraved numbers. Buff the excess off and the color will remain in the recessed engraving. I'm assuming you can find a green grease pencil; I've only used white and black on pens.

You can re-cock the shutter for double exposures on screw-mount Leicas [and similar Canons and, probably most Leica copies] by depressing the shutter release, turning the high speed dial counter-clockwise, and taking your finger off the shutter release.

Super Anscochrome Tungsten=type was the first color slide film I used, based on having read this article. I used it even though the Series VI filter holder, for the 85B filter, partially blocked the viewfinder of my new Olympus 35B.

Yes, I might have got the location of Spiratone's Manhattan store mixed up with Olden; the last time I was there was c. 1965. I AM pretty sure that Spiratone was a flight up, like Olden.

He doesn't wind the crank properly, turning it in a circle, like a Hasselblad, rather than a back and forth motion. Also the groundglass shown has a diagonal split image rangefinder. Rolleis didn't get a central RF until the eafrly '60s, and it was split horizontally, rather that diagonally. Also, the photographer uses some strange darkroom techniques. ThAt being said, the series is pretty good.

The collapsable Summicron I use on my Leica IIIf is VERY sharp; I've read that later six element versions are better than the original seven element one, but I find that hard to imagine. THe only lens I have that seems to equal it is the f1.5 Jupiter 3 (A Sonnar copy) I use on my Kiev 4a; I also have an f2 Jupiter 8 for that camera, but IMO its not quite as good.

ANY Leica cassette will fit a IIIf. There are special cassettes for 'M' models, which the older cassettes won't fit, but these too work in screw-mount Leicas.

Kodak cassettes were easily reloadable until they started crimping the ends in the early '60s

Perhaps the camera had aftermarket flash sync added. I'm not sure, but that looks to me like an "ASA bayonet" flash socket.

I use a Super Ikonta A, 531 as a supplement to my Rolleiflex when I want something really light weight and compact. Since I always crop my square 6 X 6 negatives to horizontal or vertical the 6 X 4.5 negative is functionally the same size. At the small apertures I use the Tessar on the SA appears as sharp as my Rollei's Xenotar in 16 X 20 inch prints. The "alabada" finder on mine is actually in good shape, but it's still very difficult to see the bright line when wearing glasses.

I was going to write that the new format seems OK, but I just noticed that I can't read all of my response as I type. Also, my membership vanished and I had to re-join.