Leica II D

[BelaMolnar]

<p>For all those Gentlemen's of Leica experts. I recently bought a Leica body, Leica II D, ser. No. 341213. The seller assured me, it is a real leica body. It has the ball-bearing lens distant connection for the range finder, or how do you call it in the lens mouth, and it had a very reasonable price. Not a privet sale it was some of the NY big camera store. Compared with all the available images of this era of Leica, it look like in the smallest detail, a Leica. Working, not tested in a bench, but what is disturb me, it has the D.R.P. on it, under the Leica logo. I haw all ready 2 Leica copy from the USSR, ($26.00) but they are visibly different. In the lens mouth, the lens coupling a solid something in the USSR copie, when this so called Leica has the ball bering type. I researched the serial number, and it exist, manufactured from 1939-1940 ( 341001---341300).<br>

The camera show the age, and acording of the seller, the lederet is new. The camera is movind working nicely, not like the Zorkij models and by ear, all the shuter sped sound good. Rangefinder clear and working good.<br>

Do I have a real Leica from this era? Or, a Russian copy.<br>

I all ready haw a lens for it, a Leitz Elmar f=5cm 1:3.5</p><div></div>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>A1</p><div></div>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>A2</p>

[User_1172872]

<p>I am not a leica expert. However the following link may help:<br>

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-213.html</p>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>Thank you, Professor K. Very useful information on Leicas. I believe, I haw a real Leica II D. And by choice of chance, I get the proper lens for this body, a Leitz Elmar f=5cm 1:3.5</p>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>It is confirmed, I get a real Leica, born in the same year as myself, 1938, according with Leica documentation and official history. And I get it for my birthday. I get it because of the nostalgic feeling, ( and luckily I get it for a very reasonable amount of money, U$250.00) started shooting 35mm film with a Zorkij "C", a Leica copy, at the age of 16. It worked on that time perfectly and I learned photography with this Leica copy camera, without all those convenience, what we have today. No light-meter, not even hand held, no aperture priority, no Program mode, and so on and so on. All this where in my head, after a couple roll of film. After the beginning, a couple of rolls, my average well exposed 36 frame film was 85-95 percent good, some time only a couple of critical lighting situation, 2 or 3 frame under or over exposed.</p><div></div>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>Open body.</p><div></div>

[nicolas_renon]

<p>Looks like a genuine Leica II, congratulations!</p>

<p>This is my favorite camera, not in terms of features as you noticed but it has everything you need to take pictures and nothing more. Set the Elmar lens to f/11 and you have a real streetshooter weapon. </p>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>Thank you Nicolas, it is all ready loaded with fress, 400 TMAX.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>A large camera store would not risk its reputation by selling a FED or Zorki as a Leica. All the best to you.</p>

[paul_wheatland]

<p>Arnie Duren of Brooklyn Camera is well known and respected by patrons and members of PHSNE here in New England. I have for 8 years owned and use 1932 black Leica II with Elmar and Konishiroku 50mm f1.9 Hexanon. Super camera enhanced with sport wire frame finder from Kodak Retina.</p>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>Dear Mukul Dube. You are right. That is the reason I was brave enough to make the deal. Leter on, becouse I'm not experienced in the Leica history, and copies, the mark, D.R.P. as somebody said, is the sine of a KIEV or Zorkij copy. They where wrong.<br>

I know now, it is a genuine Leica from the 1939-40s</p>

[Guest]

<p>Looking forward to some photos done with that camera.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>"D.R.P." means "Deutsches Reichspatent". A fake Leica must have on it everything that is on the genuine one. I understand that some fakers who did not know their history, have engraved "D.B.P.", which came into use only after WW2.</p>