jorn ake

I should correct myself - not 1 millionth made but rather cameras with serial numbers above and below 1 million have different values. The later cameras with serial numbers above 1 million get the higher value. There are "only" a couple hundred thousand M3's out there.

Value of Leica equipment is meticulously calculated based on when it was manufactured (deciphered by looking at the serial numbers) where (Germany or Canada) and how (chrome finished, black anodized, black painted) as well as standard things like model, cosmetics and mechanical condition. On the M3, cameras before and after the 1 millionth made have different values, as do cameras with either single stroke advance or double stroke advance (how many times you have to move the film advance lever to advance the film one frame.) You can find a lot of information about the various models, serial numbers and attractiveness to collectors on Stephen Gandy's site, http://www.cameraquest.com .

 

Once you have established the value of what you have, you could sell it through the Leica forum on this website. That is the only forum that allows "for sale" postings. Or you could sell it through Eb@y. If you choose to sell it through a dealer, expect to pay 20-30% of the selling price to the dealer for his/her services. Several reputable dealers are sponsors of Photo.net, but other dealers I can think of would be Rich Pinto at PhotoVillage in NYC & Sandy Ritz at Ritz Collectibles in Phoenix, Arizona. There are others, but these are two people I have dealt with and found them honest and agreeable. You can find their sites pretty easily on the web by searching, and you can also use their sites as a tool for establishing the value of what you have if you are interested in selling it yourself.

 

Many people consider the Leica M3 to be THE Leica, so I am sure you will have no problem finding a buyer. Agreeing to a price is another matter. Of course, you won't find a better camera anywhere, so unless you MUST sell it, always consider keeping it at least long enough to take a few photographs and think about it.

That's Michael's photo above btw with the html clicked in.

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3607433-lg.jpg">

<p>

Michael, I agree.

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3642951-md.jpg">

<p>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3642959-md.jpg">

<p>

Black & white flowers are my favorite. Some older shots - the white a bit overdriven in the scan but not the negative or print. My more recent flower shots are done with a Pentacon 6.<p>

Jochen! Why get a Leica if you aren't going to hand hold it at less than 1/30th of a second? I'd rather waste film than waste a $3000 camera. Shooting hand held at slow speeds is exactly what a Leica is for - I shoot my Leica hand held way down to 1/4 or 1/2 a second. I can show you plenty of great negatives where I did exactly that. Maybe you shouldn't drink so much coffee? ;-)

 

Of course, we weren't talking about Leicas anyway. We were talking about Clicks and Clacks, which are not exactly precision photographic instruments. But they are FUN and easily hand held at whatever speed they shoot. Adding a tripod would be like wearing boots over sandals for protection - yeah sure, you aren't going to stub your toe, but why did you put on the sandals in the first place?

 

Lili - thanks!

I think if you want maximum sharpness, you won't be selecting a Clack or Click in the first place. The difference a tripod is going to make probably isn't going to be enough to overcome the softness of the lenses (which doesn't make the lens bad - in toy camera land, these lenses are actually too good) on these cameras. At quite a bit less than the weight of a small paperback book, these are cameras made to be thrown into a knapsack and shot hand-held. A 6x9 negative which you can easily contact print (my sister-in-law makes cyanotypes with hers) in the sun if you want is the big low-tech reward.

Nothing better for shooting your caddy,<div></div>

I basically figure that on a day I can shoot 50 on the cloudy day setting, then I can also easily shoot 100 on the sunny day setting. And I can shoot 200 (or even 400) on days that are darker than that - evenings, alleyways, interiors, 3PM in Eastern Europe during the winter months, etc. And Diafine is really a great developer for these cameras as you can bump the speed up - TriX becomes 1200ISO without loss of shadow detail or blown out highlights, HP5 becomes 800ISO, and so forth.

 

Basically with this camera, you just point shoot and crank. Later you develop accordingly. Then you look at what you got. That's the fun. Endless fun.<div></div>

Oh and no tripod.<div></div>

I have a Click & a Clack. The Click is 6x6 and the Clack is 6x9. I shoot anything from 50 to 200 ISO in the camera, depending on the weather. One combination I have found works very well is Ilford PanF developed in Diafine which helps compensate a bit of speed (to about 80 ISO) while preserving shadow detail and not blowing out highlights. You should have two apertures plus a yellow filter on the Click. That gives you basically sunny, cloudy and heightened contrast/really sunny. The Clack I have has the same two apertures, plus a close up lens. Some versions have a yellow-green filter instead.<div></div>

Muscovy ducks! Not sure what they call them in Brazil, but the anglo-name is Muscovy. Frequently a domesticated farm-yard duck up north, but in Central and Southern America they are regular old ducks, like mallards.

Nice use of an indefinite possessive in the last section - editor asleep on that one. Which "their"?

 

Bravo to the guy for fighting this thing.

Lester:

 

Mangle away. My name is made of flubber. It springs automatically back into shape.

 

:-)

Rollei 35 cameras are a lot of things packed into a very small space. Sounds like perhaps something to do with the rewind prevention lock that is disengaged by raising the small lever to the right of the viewfinder is amiss. Nicolas Douez seems quite expert in these cameras, so you might contact him if he does not respond immediately to this thread.

 

http://www.photo.net/shared/community-member?user_id=1485640

Nice shots. What is your camera set up? You get a nice sense of informality in some of those shots.

Alan:

 

You are right! The summer atmosphere is entirely in my head it seems. A week of super hot & humid temperatures in NYC + 3 nieces & 1 sister along with two zoos, several trips to Central Park playgrounds & carousel, dim sum & Chinatown, a boat trip around NY harbour & infinite hours in FAO Schwarz, Toys R Us & American Girl (there is a hell!) and I am cooked. Dead uncle.

There is a painter who makes images like this, though in slightly more "accelerated" hues. Wolf Kahn is his name I think.

 

Very nice. Nothing like the mountains of North Carolina for a bit of summer times atmosphere.

You will also want to read this page:

 

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/travel_tip/travel_tip_0038.xml

 

And this page:

 

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1028.xml

 

For others, airline carrier liability is limited to $2500/ticketed passenger, but they have no liability for photographic equipment damaged.

 

Thus your best (and only) recourse is TSA. GOOD LUCK!

You should file with TSA. You will need form #SF95. Here is the link:

 

http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=183&content=0900051980028963

 

I'll concur with the above advice - no checked photography equipment. A Pelican case is a good idea but in the overhead compartment, not the luggage compartment.

P.S. The lens cap doubles as the lens hood when you remove the "cap" on the end of the cap.

 

Also search the Classic Camera Repair forum - there are several Werra articles there. http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/forum/

Can anyone explain the popularity of 135mm lenses on cameras of this era? Is it related to the range of lenses that were available for rangefinder cameras that SLR cameras were replacing - i.e. did lens designers just switch over the designs to SLR mounts? Eb$y shows plenty of these lenses as part of kits from this era, so I was just wondering.

 

And if you pay $50 and get a body and 2 lenses and you put film in it and it takes nice photos then you are doing alright. Shoot some more.

I think the Werra actually has a strange set up with a two bladed (i.e. two sets of blades) shutter (?) which keeps the shutter light tight. One opens when you wind on and the other remains closed to keep the film from being exposed to light. I think. I hope someone else can chime in here. I have only played with these cameras several times at a shop and never felt smart enough to judge their function level. A really very cool little camera though, with its lens ring film advance!

Gandy's $399 silver or $425 black seems like a right good deal for a shooter with a built in meter.

No I meant that if this was a product advert, you would want the film rewind release up rather than in the empty camera position. Not accusing you of inactivity.