Leica III - genuine or extremely good fake?

<p>One for the experts . .</p>

<p>An acquaintance has a Leica III which I am thinking of buying. He has some vague suspicion that it is a high quality Russian fake (he is pretty familiar with Barnacks and Feds, etc). I haven't had my hands on the camera and therefore haven't looked inside for any abnormalities: I just have a (cropped) photo <a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4432872584_96b1e6e6b7_o.jpg">here </a> .</p>

<p>However, to me it ticks all the right boxes: the engraving is right for the age & serial number; the serial number itself looks right; the viewfinder window is correct; the shutter button and collar are correct, the mount has a stamped "O"; the r/f cam is circular. Generally, there appears to be no "funny business" - and the price is pretty fair, whether it is genuine or not.</p>

<p>So, can any eagle-eyed experts see any tell-tale signs of it being a fake, or suggest any other diagnostic test.please?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Supplementary thought . . . . could it be a FrankenLeica - e.g. a Fed body and Leica top-plate (and fittings) from a wrecked camera? (I know nothing about Russian r/f cameras).</p>

<p>From what I can see of it from your cropped picture, it looks to be genuine.</p>

<p>Why not ask your acquaintance what makes him think it's a high quality Russian fake, and also see if you can get some better pictures to post here?<br>

John</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If I was prone to betting, my sense it that it's the real deal. It meets genuine requirements visually by the slow speed dial, the "L" shaped window on the front of the viewfinder, the round rfdr cam, the "o" on the lens mount, etc.</p>

 

<p>As far as I recall, almost no Soviet cameras had the slow speed shutter dial on the front - I'd say genuine as well...<br /><br />Soeren</p>

<p>Thanks for your comments. I have been busy comparing some photos of early Barnack-style Fed, Zorki and Leica models. Of these, <em>apparently </em> only the Fed B had a slow speed dial, but seemingly very few were made (reputedly just 40). So that's another "OK" tick. Also, most Feds and Zorkis <em>appear </em> to have a slight bevel on the rewind knob (often the winder too); which is not seen on Leicas. So far, this camera passes 10 detailed visual checks - the remaining 2 are internal checks I cannot yet do . . . <br /> <br /> Consequently, it does seem to look like it's genuine. Communications with my acquaintance are <em>very </em> slow at present , so this extra homework <em>and supporting opinion</em> is very helpful to me, and hopefully others too, thanks</p>

<p>From the one photo, I see nothing that raises any red flags. </p>

<p>It passes the two key tests: the edge above the RF window is continuous; and it has a circular RF cam follower. I don't know of any fakes that have both those features.</p>

<p>Leica OK, but it looks like the glass in the RF window at the right is missing...</p>

<p>Yes, the rf glass appears to be missing . . . but I have a junk drawer with a few Leica treasures . More critically, I'm just waiting, and hoping, that the camera hasn't found a new owner already: at just £80-odd I guess folks have been hammering on the door, wanting it.</p>

<p>It looks genuine! Could you show a bit more of it?</p>

<p>Alex, I'd love to, but I very narrowly missed this one. Due to a few days' time lag in communicating it was sold before I could put my money "on the nail". 'Disappointed' just <em>isn't</em> the right word!</p>

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<p>I'm almost certain that is a genuineIII. The fakes had poor finsh and rounded edges. That one looks crisp and genuine.</p>

<p>I think the seller made a blunder letting it go for £89. My blunder was bigger - I didn't grab it. Still, I learned a lot about fakes in the process . . . . and do I really <em>need </em> another Leica?</p>