david_werbeloff1

Kathy, I urge you not to sell your granfather's equipment. You may come to regret having done so for the rest of your days. I own and use two Leicas which I inherited from my father and they are among my most cherished posessions. I was young when he died and did not immediately appreciate their sentimental value.

Best wishes,

David

Really beautiful photograph!!

What a fine portrait John! I really like the photo from both an aesthetic and technical point of view. Makes me want to try and find an old 200mm! For this focal length though, you and the PLOOT must have had to stand somewhere out in the front yard for a head and shoulders.

Hi John: I trust you're being scientific about your postings and at a certain point you'll include some of Cleo with the spot. Thanks for posting!

Thanks for posting those photo's John. Your results are much better than the recollection I have of my lens (furthering my aggravation at having sold it...!).

In conjunction with current film technology, any inadequacies in terms of contrast are minimized and the lens has plenty of resolving power (noted in the hair details of the second cat photo.) I also note a very different signature from the Thambar pics. you posted earlier.

Hi All: The images which have been posted in the last few days taken

with the 90mm Thambar reminded me of images taken with the 73mm

Hektor. I used to own a 1933 example inherited from my father, and in

a myopic moment sold it. My memory of the images it yielded is high

resolution with low contrast and an ethereal, misty quality, even

stopped down. I'm curious, do any of you have photo's taken with this

lens you could post?

Hi Andrew: The article about the Freedom Train was on the forum a year or two back. It's a great story, and I don't disbelieve it but why did it take so long to hit the press? You'd think they'd have grabbed it with both hands in the 50's.

Hi All: First, a thank you to Buttons de Ridder for posting his

photographs of Dachau.

 

I have followed with much interest the discussion that has ensued

about the Holocaust, and the earlier thread on the same subject some

years back. For myself, I believe that, despite the fact that sites

like Dachau and Auschwitz have been preserved as reminders of what we

humans are capable, given the right combination of circumstances it

will happen all over in the blink of an eye.

 

This is a discussion forum dedicated to the products of Ernst Leitz,

so I�d like to try and draw the two entities of Leitz GMBH and Dachau

together. As I looked at Buttons� pictures, the one that struck me

was the wrought ironwork of the sign on the front gate. �ARBEIT MACHT

FREI�, it shouts in a beautiful Art Deco style. Loosely translated,

�LABOR SETS ONE FREE�.

 

I bought a Barnack IIIa a couple of years ago. It arrived from the

dealer, a beautifully preserved 1936 example. The engraving of the

Leica logo and the serial number is a little uneven, (not quite as

perfect as the postwar Leica engraving), and uses an Art Deco font.

As soon as I saw the gate sign, my mind connected the font. The Art

Deco period lasted from about 1920 until about 1935 and was very much

part of the Weimar Republic period of pre-WWII Germany. It�s not at

all surprising that Leitz chose to use this font on their cameras.

 

I was so curious about this camera that I contacted Leica NJ, asking

if they could tell where, when and to whom this camera was originally

sold. Eventually a reply came back saying that the camera with this

serial number was originally sold through a dealer, Wunsch, in

Frankfurt on June 10, 1936. There was no indication as to whom it was

sold.

If you will recall, the IIIa was the first Leica to have the top speed

of 1/1000 of a second, something which would be useful for

photographing sporting events. You may also recall that the Olympics

were held in Berlin that year. It was a very big deal; Herr Hilter

and his nice friends and Leni Riefenstahl were all there to proclaim

the wonders of the 1000 year Reich to the world. I wondered who

bought my Leica. Was he some privileged Party official off to the

Olympic Games? Remember, this was not a cheap camera in 1936. The

IIIa was top of the line. And while Herr X was buying his Leica in

Frankfurt, Dachau had been open for business for three years already

in Munich.

 

Then of course the war came and E. Leitz, Wetzlar became what we now

call a defence contractor, supplying the military with superb optical

goods, better to accomplish their dastardly purpose. How many of

those Leica owned by SS thugs and ordinary Wermacht conscripts went to

war and faithfully recorded the humiliation and ultimate murder of

prisoners of all creeds in the camps, or the rounding up of Jews in

Theseloniki or�?

 

My point is that I feel acutely aware of this history when I use my

camera. I�d be interested to hear your thoughts on where you think

your much-cherished Leica has been in its previous lives.

 

As a footnote I�ll add that I also wonder how the IIIa found it�s way

from Frankfurt to the U.S. Was it lucky enough to leave Europe with

its owner before 1939?

Thank you Gentlemen. What an amazing collective font of knowledge!

 

So to get this straight: OUAGO (16467) is the correct helical short focusing mount for the Elmar f4 90mm. This should allow focus from Infinity down to about 2ft.?

The subject of my original question, OTQNO is in fact an extension tube for the above ensemble to enable close-up work.

Best, David

Hi All:

 

Can someone confirm my guess? Is OTQNO the extension tube (short

mount) needed to screw the lens head of an Elmar 90mm f4 to focusing

mount 16464 for use on a VisoflexII/III? Input appreciated!!

Hi Soeren et al: Funny you should ask this question. A few months ago I loaded up some Delta 3200 in my 1939 Barnack II and was surprised that almost all of the frames seemed to be slightly fogged. I routinely use this camera loaded with XP2 (400 ISO) and there is no evidence of a light leak. I also use my IIIa routinely loaded with NPZ 800 and that shows no sign of light leakage. I figured that the Delta 3200 is so light sensitive that any slight leakage in the shutter curtains or elsewhere is going to show up. The curtains in the II were last replaced in 1976 so maybe it's time for a new set...

Best, David

Hi All: Thanks for your responses. I'm a little nervous of venturing into the CV camp, because I find that I don't much care for the "poppy", super contrasty, "larger-than-life" images yielded by current optics. The look of old Leitz glass seems to yield longer grey scale(or the equivalent in color terms) which when coupled with modern color films (which are themselves super contrasty) and an image which corresponds with the image I remember as I press the shutter. I do like Al Kaplan's suggestion of the Canon 85mm. Have to start looking at those. I wouldn't have expected that the 90mm Elmarit was such a collector's item.

Hi All:

 

I have wanted to buy a 90mm Elmarit f2.8 lens for years but somehow

I've continued using my 1937 Elmar f4 and not gotten around to it.

Of recent years I have started using a Barnack IIIa as my

"go-everywhere" point&shoot and am interested to find an Elmarit in

thread mount.

I should mention that I have a 135mm f4 Elmar (1960) which is a

fantastic lens and since it is a thread mount I can use it on the IIIa

(with a SCHOOC BL finder), on my M3 with the bayonet adaptor AND just

the lens head with my VisoflexIII. I would like to have the same

options with the Elmarit.

As I look at prices, I find that an Elmarit in thread mount typically

goes for more than $1000, where-as the same lens in bayonet mount

usually sells for about $500-$700. I understand that there were only

a little over 2000 of the Elmarits made in thread mount so I can see

paying a premium.

The part that surprises me is that thread mount versions of the 135mm

Elmar, a superb lens and almost as rare as the Elmarit (3200 in thread

mount) seem to go for about $300.

I also find myself wondering if it is actually worth paying this crazy

amount of money when I could forsake the versatility of the Elmarit

and just go and buy a faster 75mm AND 90mm for less money from

Voigtlander. I'd be interested to have your collective input.

Best, David

Hi All; Harvey T. said it all. BTW how many candles do you need for a Summitar...?

Hi All:

 

I'm noticing that the framelines for 90mm on my M2 are somewhat

reluctant to appear either on frame preview or using the LTM/bayonet

adaptor for 90mm lenses. The righthand vertical line appears some of

the time but never completely. Am I seeing a visit to Sherry in the

camera's future? It's true that the last time it had a CLA was in

1989 so it wouldn't hurt, but I'm curious to know what's going on.

 

Best, David

Hi Rene: I really like your photo! When did you sneak into Harvard Square? Will you share some technical details?

Best, David

Roger, Thanks for the info. Perhaps we'll run into each other at the show. You'll be the one with the red carnation in your buttonhole, right?!

 

David

Hi All: Last year around this time I went to a photo fair at the

Waltham High School. Does anyone know if/when/where this event will

be happening this year?

Thanks, David

Oh dear...

The images of that poor IIIa have to be the saddest thing I've seen in this forum to date.

And over here too for Huw Finney!

 

I've been "lurking" for the last few months but always keep an eye out for what wonderful technical insights Huw has imparted to the rest of us.

 

The nature of my work as a harpsichord maker has given me a fair degree of skill working to very close tolerances and a deep familiarity with both machine and hand tools, but I wouldn't dream of taking my Leicas apart and attempting his feats of machining.

 

Best, David

Umm, over here too please...

 

Perhaps someone could just post the article to the list

 

Thanks, David

Hi Michael: I've taken to using the Fuji NPZ800 (rated @ 650) and have found that I have the latitude to cover everything from broad daylight @ 1/1000 sec with my IIIa at f11-16 right down to night time streetlight at 1/4 sec at Summitar full aperture of f2. So for interior shots in Rome's many beautiful buildings you'll have no problems. Don't forget to marvel at the interior of the Pantheon! Admittedly at the end of October it will be getting cooler at night but I have seen musical events taking place earlier in the year on the Spanish Steps late at night and the 800, and even 1600 (rated at 1200) would serve you well in that situation. Best, David

Hi All:

 

I had no idea there was going to be such an amazing response to my

last posting. I'm sure to be breaking the forum rules by starting

another thread on the same topic. Moderators please bear with me...

 

First to Harry Geron. What a wonderful story about your II and thanks

for sharing it with us.

Second to Anthony Brookes. I think your photo on Lac Lemin is just

beautiful. As for the one taken in Langa township, am I to understand

that you're from South Africa, or were you just visiting?

Third to Richard Small. Yes I saw your thread about Leica's future

and the possibility of recreating the LTM cameras. I was tempted to

concur with you on the thread. Perhaps a IIIf with an M6-style built-

in light meter.

 

For myself, I have gone from using an M2 and M3 exclusively and

appreciating how easy they are to use with the rangefinder patch

right there in the middle of the viewfinder, to "rediscovering" my

dad's old II for candids. I recently bought a IIIa and a Summitar 50

to go with the II and hardly use the M's except for telephoto stuff.

I bought the Summitar based on opinions expressed here on the forum.

I have found it to be a truly remarkable lens, perhaps IMHO the lens

most like to produce that fabled "Leica Glow" After using the

Barnacks for a while the M's now feel like bricks by comparison.

I find that once one is used to jumping from rangefinder to viewfinder

it's a no-brainer. All that having been said I'd never part with any

of these cameras.

 

Thanks again all for your great responses.

David

Hi All:

 

What happened to all the folks who were running around with Barnacks

in their jacket pockets who were talking about their experiences and

the LTM lenses they found best for the job? Purists show yourselves!

 

Best, David

Hi Stephen:

You might try this link:

http://www.camerabooks.com/acb/showprod.cfm?&DID=15&User_ID=835497&st=1440&st2=-52881844&st3=83536253&CATID=1&ObjectGroup_ID=69

Best, David