Fake Military Leica Cameras

I need some information on a few Leica cameras from a collection of

my father's. While these cameras are marked German military, I am

fairly sure these are fakes as they were purchased in Poland and

Russia at street markets. Nonetheless, I would like any further

information anyone has on these cameras.

 

There are two cameras, marked: Leica D.R.P. Ernst Leitz Wetzlar with

serial numbers: 279348 & 279319. They also have the eagle and M

insigna. The 279348 camera has an additional serial number on the

back (in the same place as the Fed-2 cameras I have). This number

is 533983. Very suspicious, I think.

 

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!<div></div>

They look like fakes to me. The center window (VF?) is wrong, as is the vulcanite and trim detail around the lens on the second camera. IIRC, military Leicas all have slow shutter speeds, which these cameras lack.

If they work, why not use them, and there are collectors of Leica fakes. They look very clean.

No. 1 appears to be a Fed and no. 2 a Zorkii. The key is the interrrupted line of the top edge of the RF cover. In a genuine Leica the line goes straight across a fraction of an inch above the middle window. In the Feds and Zorkiis the frame of the middle window is flush with the top of the RF cover and the line across the top edge juts out to go around the window frame. Remove the lens of a questioned camera and if the RF cam follower is round and rotates,it is a Leica or one of the Japanese copies. If the follower is fixed and more or less triangular, it is one of the FSU copies. The FSU copies are good cameras in their own right, though cheap as dirt, and deserve better than to be turned into Fake Leicas. Use them, they will make good images, but realize what they really are.

These are 100% fake Leica(s)and about $50 street price. You can tell from the viewfinder window, shell covering and many other details. Their shutter, advancing and governing mechanism is close to Leica and, in most case, within design accuracy. The lenses are elmar copies and reputated for their better performance against elmar LTM 50s. It would be good for fun-shooting or paper weight.

The nice thing is........Dad liked them.

Definitely fake Leicas, but real cameras. If there are valuable treasures among your father's collection, it isn't either of these. If you could present a list of the entire collection perhaps one of us collectors could help you.

Thank you all for your responses. I have posted a list of the entire collection, some of which are much more interesting, under Classic Cameras Pre-1970. Thanks in advance for any information.

All your have to do is unscrew the lens. Leica had a round cam, Russians had a trapizoid shape. Its simple to tell.

All your have to do is unscrew the lens. Leica had a round cam, Russians had a trapizoid shape. Its simple to tell.

The OP hasn't been around since 2006 - interesting info, you might want to post again "fresh" with photos.