Your favorite Leica and lens to fondle

<p>Well, we've had a week of "what's your favorite Leica to make pictures with," (35 answers so far), now let's look at the other side of personal enjoyment of the Leica experience.<br>

My favorite to fondle is a beautiful near-mint black 1932 Leica ii, given to me by my best friend after I finished medical school.<br>

His late father, a noted Memphis architect, had "liberated" it in WW2 with a 35mm Elmar and very-tattered leather case. For years I had tried to buy it from him, but could never get him to seriously consider it. Then, about a year after I had started private practice in Florida, it came unannounced as a gift. Cosmetically it was near-perfect except for a few light scratches around the tripod socket, and the accessory shoe where some of the black enamel had flaked off. Mechanically the shutter was stuck and the rangefinder quite dim.<br>

Off it went to DAG, and came back as perfect as a user Leica ii is ever going to be. Even the Vulcanite is still perfect.<br>

The 35mm Elmar is cloudy, and was recently replaced by a pristine nickel 1932 50mm Elmar.<br>

It gives me great pleasure to "pretend to myself" that I'm someday going to take it on an extended photo-safari to Paris, and Berlin other places where it might have been used when it was new. I know that this will never happen, but just fondling, winding the imaginary film, focusing the clear rangefinder and clicking the really quiet, shake-free shutter gives me an absurd feeling that I could do great things, someday, photographically speaking!<br>

Your turn.</p>

 

<p>Bill,</p>

<p>Now that you've introduced us to her, how about posting a picture?</p>

<p>Carl, I"d be pleased to show her, but I don't know how to post pictures on the forum.</p>

<p>Same as with shooting - my M3 with 50mm rigid Summicron. Beautiful lines and perfect feel to all

controls.</p>

 

<p><a href=" title="M3 by Jean-Yves, on

Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3243/2953942757_db5c3afb31_z.jpg?zz=1" width="640"

height="640" alt="M3"></a></p>

My M 240 + Summaron 50/2 lately.

<p>My favorite for pure tactile appeal was the same as Jean Yves' - my late M3 with rigid chrome Summicron 50mm or chrome, "fat" 90mm Elmarit. Beautiful.</p>

<p>For almost 40 years it was my M4 wearing a 35 Summaron 2.8. My diminishing eyesight convinced me to sell it and hang with SLRs. But after a year or so I picked up a nice M2 with a red scale 50 Elmar. Not only does it fondle fine, but it shoots great and feels like I was born with it in my hand.</p><div></div>

<p>My beloved M3. It feels like an extension of my fingers.</p>

<p> A Leica IIIg. Leicavit with nice f3.5 Elmar. My dad bought it from 1950's Road & Track photographer Alex Lafontant, a personal friend. It is worn, with a couple of small dents, vulcanite chipped, strap marks but the memories and racing pictures behind the camera and lens make me smile every time I pick it up. I also have the box of Leica casettes that came with it as Alex loaded and developed his own film. </p>

<p>So far, this is a close as I've got to 'fondling' a LTM camera recently, although I used a real Leica III model in the field many ages ago.<br>

I've got big plans, though. ;)</p><div></div>

<p>My 1959 Leica M-3 with 1966 DR Summicron and my 1946 Leica IIIc with 1955? Konishiroku 50mm f1.9 Hexanon. I bought this camera with what the seller said was working with some Japanese lens. The camera shutter was unglued, the some lens is as described above and gives my DR Summicron a run for it's money!</p>

<p>1932 Leica II and 5 cm Elmar</p><div></div>

<p>1932 Leica II and 5 cm Elmar, top view</p><div></div>

<p>The only Leica body I get to fondle is a beater class 1950 IIIc paired up with a 1937 Summar 50mm f2.0. I'm still trying to remember exactly where it came from, I only know somebody else gave up on it many years ago. I have been exercising the shutter, and have the higher speeds sounding consistent, but from 1/60 down, it seems to stall most of the time. The rangefinder doesn't seem to be connected, and almost impossible to see through. I'm just not ready to give up on it myself. When the budget allows, I'll send it out to see if a CLA might do something.</p><div></div>

<p>Without a doubt my IIIc with Summitar has the finest ergonomics of any camera I've handled. Its form factor is unparalleled. It works as though it just left the factory.</p>

<p><a title="Leica IIIc by Baisao Loves Film, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3817/9130946111_950e2251f1_z.jpg" alt="Leica IIIc" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>

<center><strong>Leica IIIc, © 2014 Jim Trahan</strong></center>

<p><img src=" alt="" />I liked very much my M3 DS with Elmar 50 mm f/2.8, but after having 7 M-Leicas during 40 years my vote still goes to original M4 with Summicron 2/35 mm (IV) or asph.<br /><br /><br /></p><div></div>

Leica III with 50mm F2 Summar. Comes to hand simply and easily and the controls are all in right place.<div></div>

<p>Hope you don't mind only half is Leica. The rest is pure British. So i guess they're cousins.</p><div></div>

<p><a title="The Queen - V by Srebreni Halid, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/10699571416_329a66b984_z.jpg" alt="The Queen - V" width="640" height="385" /></a><br>

I really like to use the MP and 50 mm Summicron combo above. Somehow this has become my primary camera from film b&w photography. But the one I really like to "fondle" is the M6 and 35 mm Summilux combo below. It's my color film camera. <br>

<a title="Queen Mother by Srebreni Halid, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2835/11790768014_955f1b8a8c_z.jpg" alt="Queen Mother" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>

<p>The only one I have...</p><div></div>

<p>My Leica I Standard (Model E) from 1935, although pictured here with the 35/3.5 Summaron and VIOOH finder, it normally has a 50/2 Elmar and a FOKOS rangefinder attached. The shutter is so incredibly smooth!</p>

<p><img id="yui_3_11_0_3_1418435639834_417" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/14177432608_6c551db244_c.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Still my IIIc body, but this time with Leicavit rapid winder, 35mm coated Elmar and VIOOH finder.<br>

Pure fondleable goodness!</p>

<p>Fondle? Well ... it would have to be my M4-P!</p>

<p>Even though it's made in Canada, my model seemed to like to fondle it as well!</p><div></div>

<p>My Goodness -- so many of these are so beautiful!</p>

<p>I think I have posted this before - (1952/53) IIIf RD: (1949) coated Summitar w/SBOOI viewfinder (Luigi half-case & strap)</p>

<p><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2384/5712722396_2cb6f38991_z.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4019/4406144360_7b6a3576c4_z.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p> </p>