Good Functional Use for a Leica Ic

After selling numerous cameras and lenses on behalf of a friend, I

ended up with a Leica Ic with no baseplate, no film advance spool,

and no lens or finder.

 

Of course, I sought help here, and one of our members supplied me

with a bunch of IIIa parts including the needed film spool. Another

member had a fine Voigtlander 25mm Skopar with an excellent current

bright line finder at a good price, and Don Goldberg (of DAG Parts

and Repair) supplied the baseplate. Thank you all.

 

This is a true "point and shoot Leica!" At F/11 I can zone focus from

infinity to 1.15m set at 3m.

 

I wasn't sure what to do with this camera body, but now I solved the

problem. At the present, this is my only Leica, but it seems to fit

my style. I am more into digital for fun photography right now, but I

will add this to my bag. I wonder how well this might be for

street/people photography.

 

I am adding another posting for a Leica thread mount case bottom to

protect the camera while in use.

 

Many of us don't know what to do with Leica If and Ic camera bodies.

This is one option.

Sorry...for some reason I had a problem posting an image.<div></div>

Todd here is a shot from the 1f I got from you with a 35mm f1.8 Canon using a Canon chrom viewfinder. A combo I'm quite happy with but it will end up with a 28mm on it as soon as I can find a nice Canon 28mm f3.5 I can afford. I already have a super nice Canon 28mm black and chrome viewfinder.<div></div>

glad it worked out for you, Todd!

Todd,

Thank you, and glad you like the lens. Wait `til you shoot with it, it's plenty sharp.

Focus optional with that DOF. Even wide open it has plenty of depth. It should be a

great street camera, just fill it with TriX, stop down 3 or 4 stops from sunny 16 for

shade, and point in the general direction, and shoot. What could be easier?

 

The Standard is working fine, and provides a home for a 3.5 Summaron. I found a

case for it, it says (shhh!) ``Canon'' but the top part is snap-attached and comes off

easily and without case mutilation. That came from another forum member who works

at a local camera store. We are everywhere ;-)<div></div>

Todd, very classy combo!

Oh yes, Carey...I know the place you took the photo. We need to get out with these dinosaurs and do some "cutting edge" photography. I'm so glad it's working for you. I plan to get the camera and the lens you provided in operation this week. The big problem is moving my bosy out the front door!!!

 

I will post images. This, for me, is much more fun than buying a totally new do everything system.

Mark...thank you for buying the If. Your ideas gave me the ideas of what to do with the Ic. Bless you.

Jeremy...thank you so much for the film spool. Without that I would be sinking in the swamp mud! This Leica Forum is great. Wonderful people here! I promise award winning photos posted here first!

Donald...I like the word "classy!" I do agree.

 

I have owned and/or used most all Leica cameras and I do think this is the most "classy" combo.

 

Leter this week I plan to take a very short trip to my camera practice site...the San Juan Bautista Mission area in California, and I will post some samples.

 

Thank you.

Todd,

 

I agree completely that this is a great use for the screw mount Leicas. I have a IIIa that's great with the CV 21mm lens. Granted, it's a little less austere than a Ic, but the 21mm lens is rangefinder coupled, so it's nice to have the rangefinder.

 

And even with the rangefinder assembly, the camera is shorter than an M, and a lot shorter than a Bessa R, R2, or T. So the finder is close to the lens, and the whole thing still seems compact.

 

Besides, it's fun.<div></div>

<center>

<img src="http://www.bayarea.net/~ramarren/photostuff/PAW3/large/42.jpg"><br>

<i>Moss Landing Power Station - Canon 10D + 100/2</i><br>

</center><br>

Beautiful camera, Todd. Reminds me of my first Leicas, a IIc and IIf that I got (with

lenses!) for $99 in 1969. That Voigtländer lens is probably far superior to my old

Elmar 3.5cm and 5.0cm.

<br><br>

Good luck with it, and enjoy picture taking. :-)

<br><br>

Godfrey

Todd, try out a Voigtlander 15 on that camera! I love mine. I'm jealous that you have that Ic and all I got is a Bessa L for my zone focus snapshot camera. On the other hand I don't worry about banging mine around a bit:-)

I'll second Al's thoughts on the CV 15mm. I have one and it's pretty amazing -

inexpensive for what you get, too. Todd, next time I see you I'll bring it and you can

try it, just don't get your fingers in the picture ;-).

 

I tried it out with a panoramic shot from the hill behind the steam trains in Tilden

Park. Mostly unnoticed at the time, there was an airplane in the photo. Scanned at

2900 dpi I could tell that it was an MD-80. Mind you, 15mm, and probably at 5-8000

feet altitude. Either that's good resolution or I fly too much... Sorry, but the photo's on

my other computer (how's that for a 21st Century excuse :) and it's too late to dig

through the negatives and re-scan.

 

21's good, too.

Nice camera! I would love to have a 1c or a 1f.

enjoy it! :)

This is my one unfulfilled dream: Having a finderless Leica. Why? For one thing its a great camera to take on a bicycle. It's light and you don't have to agonize about bumps knocking out your focusing mechanism or making your back open up. Also the finderless Leica forces you into a mental discipline.

 

I do have three Bessa Ls--one regular and two special edition greys. On one of the greys I use Pentax K lenses with a special adapter. (Pentax K lenses are great for scale focusing--best depth of field scales of any SLR I know.) A number of times I almost bought an MD-style Leica. Always the thought that it is only "half a Leica" held me back. Regrets. Yes.

Don't knock my $75.00 Black Bessa L: ttl meter; 1/250 synch.; tiny; great w/ my 21mm 1:4 Voigtlander Color Skopar -- just fun & easy & great shots.

Actually, I think the Bessa L is a great camera, especially for the price. I simply had the Ic without some parts, so it became a project camera. The idea of a super light, quality P&S leica or Leica style camera is interesting.

 

I second the idea of using it for cycling and such!

 

I know Moss Landing very well, but I enjoyed it much more before they modernized the old buildings. Now days I go there to explore the antique shops, which are still quaint. One nice thing about the modernization is that the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) built a portion of their building around Phil's Fish Market Restaurant (a cherished landmark), and incorporated it as a part of the institute...This comment is for those who know and love the area, of course.

 

Carey and Al...I have been thinking about the possibilites of using a 15mm lens. I'm sure I will eventually get one, but have some other pressing financial expenses coming up. For now I'm going to work with the 25mm.

 

I love the photos added to this question. Please share some more.

Todd,

 

Nice compact set-up you've got. My uncle gave me a IG a while back. I'm scared to use it with my 12, as it's really clean.

 

Steve

I use a VC 21/4 on my IIIc. Works like a charm, but the negative spacing is very tight to non-existant. Fun combo to shoot.

 

 

feli

It's a damn shame that Voigtlander does not make a chrome metal 25 viewfinder that would better match that I© body. The plastic one looks foreign on that camera.