Is that a real WW2 Leica?

[corentin_franck]

<p>Hello there !<br>

<br />My sister recently gave me this old rangefinder as a birthday gift. <br>

<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img33/2162/w4b7.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img855/566/r75e.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img547/1838/qcj7.jpg" alt="" /><br>

(sorry for the crappy cellphone pics, I'm not much of a digital guy...)<br>

She's bought it in Italy from an unknown (to me) seller.<br>

<br />I don't really care about how much it might be worth, I just want to have your opinion on its authenticity and maybe get some details about its history. </p>

<p>Thanks a lot for reading !! <br>

;)</p>

<p> </p>

[jerry_lehrer1]

<p>Ms. Franck,</p>

<p>It is completely a phoney in every way. Made from a Ukranian POS.</p>

<p>Jerry Lehrer</p>

 

[SCL]

<p>It is a fine example of the phony "Leica"s sold mostly in Europe by guys in trenchcoats, which they open to reveal 25-30 "Rolex" watches to unsuspecting tourists at only $100 each. It will make an interesting conversation piece, paperweight, and may even take pictures...but it isn't a Leica.</p>

[corentin_franck]

<p>Thank you guys. <br /> <br />That's what I feared, sadly. Then again it was a gift, it would have been rude to ask more about about it.<br /> <br />It seems to work pretty well though. I'll load a roll in to see if I get some decent pictures out of it. <br /> I still have my K1000...</p>

[paul_wheatland]

<p>Former Soviet Union cameras often exhibit flaws in operation, I used several when processing was cheaper than today. However I must confess the lenses generally produce quite good images sometimes even excellent results using a lens shade. The decorated phony leica copies such as in this thread could be used but also are decorative.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Some of the "converted"/transmogrified/redressed, call it what you will can work very well. It just depends on the shape the original Zorki or whatever was in.<br>

There is a valuable file on how to ID these at our very own Rick Oleson's site ( http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-213.html )</p>

<p>There are many collectors of these wonderful and oddball conversions. Very few of the reworked cameras will fool anybody who knows Leicas at all, and indeed the original market was to people who also buy Rollex watches for a few bucks in places like Cairo. Such bargains!</p>

[Two23]

<p>when I saw the photo that showed "Luftwaffe," I immediately started laughing.......</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[yann1]

<p>Hi'<br>

It's a Zorki 2c. They don't look like Leica copies like the Fed and Zorki 1, and I have not seen some original non Leica copies in black, they are silver. It looks very nice in black, like a submarine. I had one before, they are strong and funny to use. It's a great gift. Shoot and show us some photos.</p>

[winfried_buechsenschuetz1]

<p>It's nice to have a sister who gives one a birthday present worth several thousand dollars....<br>

Actually, this isn't even a pre-war or wartime Leica copy, it was made in the 1950s. <br>

Also, there ARE a few Luftwaffe Leicas (worth several thousand bucks as mentioned) but if I am not mistaken they were all painted in "Luftwaffe grey", a slightly blueish grey color. Maybe some came in chrome. But I have never heard of any black Luftwaffe Leicas. </p>

 

[corentin_franck]

<p>Thanks everybody ! </p>

<p>It definitely looks like a fake to me, but I'll use it anyway. My only hope is that my sister didn't pay too much for it...<br>

<br />It's gorgeous (apart from the swastika, obviously.).</p>

<p> </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>The swastikas <em>are</em> a bit of a bummer. That's why when I bought my rare 'Leica' I opted for the more subtle approach.<br>

Mine is a very, very rare Swedish Army Leica (the Three Crowns) in gold with a rosewood covering.<br>

So this post shouldn't be a total loss, below the picture of my camera is one showing the way you need to cut the film leader for it to load properly in a "Leica".</p><div></div>

[corentin_franck]

<p>It's stunning JDM. </p>

<p>Thanks for the tip too !</p>

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>The Zorki C and 2C are quite capable cameras in their own right. The Industar-22 lens is a tried-and-tested Tessar design, which will not disappoint. <br />The only problem I've had with these leica-fied cameras is that they're usually poorly re-assembled after the faking process. And the shutter curtains are probably due for replacement.</p>

<p> </p>

[baisao]

<p>If Liberace was a Nazi photographer that would be his camera!</p>

[corentin_franck]

<p>@ Jim :<br>

<br />Indeed ! It's less flashy that in the pictures though. </p>

<p>@ everyone else :</p>

<p>Damn, this thing is a royal PITA to load.</p>

<p>I've read every how to in the interweb... I've cut the film, it engages properly and everything's fine until I close it and wind. Then, the film breaks...</p>

<p>ARRRRGGGGGHHHH</p>

[baisao]

<p>If it is like a Leica IIIc it gets easier with practice. My first three rolls were a PITA, after that it was very easy. I get clean cuts on the leader by using a curved manicure scissor, specifically on that curved cut nearest the cassette. Having a clean cut helps prevent tearing. HTH</p>

[corentin_franck]

<p>The thing is that the spool doesn't hold the film tightly enough, so it "escapes" and it wraps itself around the sprocket next to it...</p>

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>Sticking the film on the spool with some tape might help.</p>

 

[charles_trentelman]

<p>the earlier russian "leica" cameras, even those tricked out like this one, are perfectly capable of good results, especially if you put a real leica lens on it, but even the Russian lenses are not bad. Build quality is usually not all that bad.</p>

<p>Take pics, enjoy. It's a great conversation piece. Tell folks your grandfather found it in Hitler's bunker, or something.<br>

Be sure to send your sister a thank-you note.</p>