Do You Like My New Leica, Wait What!

Hi all,

I found this on ebay this weekend and I'm pretty shocked.

it's a cool Leica copy made by Yashica Nicca. I found a few things

and youtube about it but it's really nice plus I could get lot's of screw

mount lenses for it. If anybody has more info about it let me know.

 

Nice find. What can you tell about it?

As a recent member of the leica screw mount club, I should warn you that the price of those lenses are going the wrong way. Even those mostly iffy (but sometimes great) Russian lenses are not as cheap as they used to be.

Nice find. What can you tell about it?

As a recent member of the leica screw mount club, I should warn you that the price of those lenses are going the wrong way. Even those mostly iffy (but sometimes great) Russian lenses are not as cheap as they used to be.

 

Still not as bad as M mount lenses, what happen to those prices, someone or some group like Dr. Evil

said we're going to raise prices on all the Leica stuff He,He,!

Niccas, some of them anyway, are well made Leica screwmount cameras, muchly based on Leica designs. Some models have features which predated Leica incorporating them. Here's a historical link: Nicca Cameras 1942-1961. I was lucky a few years ago in getting a Nicca Type 5, sold under the Tower 45 label by Sears in 1956, which incorporated the lift up back of the Leica M3, a film advance lever in place of a knob, and 1/1000 sec shutter speed.

My Nicca

I would like it a lot better if you posted some photos from it.

I would like it a lot better if you posted some photos from it.

I have to get a screw mount lenses, so many choices Leica (expensive), Canon and Voigtlander there many others.

Niccas, some of them anyway, are well made Leica screwmount cameras, muchly based on Leica designs. Some models have features which predated Leica incorporating them. Here's a historical link: Nicca Cameras 1942-1961. I was lucky a few years ago in getting a Nicca Type 5, sold under the Tower 45 label by Sears in 1956, which incorporated the lift up back of the Leica M3, a film advance lever in place of a knob, and 1/1000 sec shutter speed.

My Nicca

[ATTACH]1406753[/ATTACH]

They put an advance lever on there, why didn't Leica do that.

I think I found a lens, an Leica 35mm f3.5 Summaron, it's a later model come with caps and a real Leica hood.

Less than $700.00 U.S..

The Summaron is a good lens. The 2.8 is considerably better than the 3.5 wide open, but less easy to find in an LTM mount than the 3.5. Both of these lenses are old so consider the possibility of a CLA in the pricing. Look for haze, element separation, cleaning marks, and smoothness of focusing, and if you find any of these, negotiate the price. If they are very light, they will have minimal effect on the photos, but you may need a hood to minimize their influence. Another alternative, less expensive, is the 35mm/2.5 MC Voigtlander color-skopar, Version 1 (the LTM version), which IMHO produces very similar rendering to the Leica Summarons...perhaps a little sharper with greater contrast stopped down. Its only drawback is if using it also on a digital body in the color mode produces purple edge vignetting wide open (correctable in post processing), but perfectly acceptable in B&W. FWIW I've owned both the Leica Summaron 35/2.8, which was my primary lens for almost 20 years, and currently own the color-skopar. Whatever you choose, enjoy your shooting.

They put an advance lever on there, why didn't Leica do that.

They did, on the M3 in 1954. The Barnack versions are based on the revolutionary design of the 1920’s.

from when the Nicca III model was new from one of the annual lists:

It was, as you can see, not a "cheap" knock-off.

The Summaron is a good lens. The 2.8 is considerably better than the 3.5 wide open, but less easy to find in an LTM mount than the 3.5. Both of these lenses are old so consider the possibility of a CLA in the pricing. Look for haze, element separation, cleaning marks, and smoothness of focusing, and if you find any of these, negotiate the price. If they are very light, they will have minimal effect on the photos, but you may need a hood to minimize their influence. Another alternative, less expensive, is the 35mm/2.5 MC Voigtlander color-skopar, Version 1 (the LTM version), which IMHO produces very similar rendering to the Leica Summarons...perhaps a little sharper with greater contrast stopped down. Its only drawback is if using it also on a digital body in the color mode produces purple edge vignetting wide open (correctable in post processing), but perfectly acceptable in B&W. FWIW I've owned both the Leica Summaron 35/2.8, which was my primary lens for almost 20 years, and currently own the color-skopar. Whatever you choose, enjoy your shooting.

 

 

Thank you for the info, it has a hood and I did get him down more because if the seller said light haze in which could be cleaned out if need be,

I've been looking for the 2.8F but the prices the lowest is $1399.00 or so and it's just so crazy prices now it's so bad for us.

If I remember correctly, many Nicca cameras were fitted with Nikon ltm lenses. Later sold as Tower cameras by Sears. As with so many ltm cameras and clones, few survived the arrival of the Leica M3. However, I still enjoy slipping a ltm camera into one pocket and a 35mm or 85-90mm in another pocket. Nothing beats a ltm camera with collapsible lens for portability.

Attrition plus increased demand is raising prices. This is a good sign, although increasing purchase price for user.

Canon made some great LTM lenses. Canon lenses in general seem to be a bit cheaper than Leica or Nikon LTM glass. Russian lenses are a variation of Russian Roulette- you need to purchase several to get lucky. Then pay for a CLA. Good news is that total cost of several lenses and a CLA will be cheaper than a name brand lens. So go have fun with your new body !