david_werbeloff1

Hello:

 

Whatever you do, don't sell that camera! As another member said above, it is part of your family history.

 

I stupidly sold my dad's If RD and still deeply regret my action.

Fortunately I had the sense to keep his II.

 

Best, David

Hi Evan:

 

Just looking at the original Leitz information brochure from 7/63 for the Visoflex III.

 

First you'll need a Visoflex II or III to mount to your M4P.

The adaptor for the 200mm f/4 Telyt is 16466M. This will allow the lens to focus from Infinity to 10'.

I have no info. and no experience with Leica reflex cameras.

 

Best, David

Dear All:

 

I'm one of the new kids on the block, and want to add my thanks for not only making this forum possible, but providing much useful information and entertainment in the last year. Best wishes for Christmas and '05.

David

Thanks Stephen, I think that'll do the trick nicely.

Best, David

Hi All:

 

I'm entering a photo (taken with IIIa and Summitar) in a competition.

Since the subject's face is partially visible and recognizable the

competition's rules require a release.

 

Can anyone suggest a place to download a "boilerplate" release form?

 

If I actually win anything or even get a mention you'll hear the

screams!

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Best, David

Hi Ben:

 

I don't know if all early M cases were like this, but the one that came with my father's M2 in 1962 has enough room for the MR meter on top. The front snout is kinda triangular but I don't think goggles would fit under it. The cover does not detach.

 

Best, David

Hi Rene:

There's definitely a rhythm that one has to develop to use a Barnack.

I use my II and IIIa with a bright line 1:1 finder in the accessory shoe, and never the built in (right hand eyepiece). The bright line has a dotted line which alerts one to compensate for parallax on close-up subjects. The built-in finder does not compensate like the M's and it's very easy to chop the top off your subject.

I find the way to deal with the view and range finder eye pieces being in different places is to take a quick peep through the view finder to frame roughly, jump to the range finder, focus and then back to the view finder for final framing. It sounds cumbersome but it really works and one has to remember that some of the most famous photographs of the 20th C were taken with just such a set-up. The upside is as other folks have mentioned, that the Barnack Leicas are really quite small (not light though) and thus make ideal cameras for candid shots.

I would recommend you spend some time with your friend's gear.

 

Best, David

Hi All:

 

I'll add to the chorus of praise for KEH. I bought my IIIa from them earlier this year for what I thought was a fair price. When I took it out of the box I couldn't believe what beautiful condition it was in. Still trying to figure out how something made in 1936 could pop up in 2004 looking all but unused.

 

Best, David

Hi Gents:

 

Thank you for your informative replies. I can put my hands on a SOOGZ fairly easily.

 

Best, David

Hi All:

 

Are those threads for mounting a 34mm(?) filter I see on the front of

my 1937 90mm Elmar f4?

 

Best, David

Hi Skinny:

 

If this thread is still alive...

 

I have no experience of the chain strap. Seems like it could be quite uncomfortable though. For what it's worth I use a Lowepro olive green cotton webbing strap with my IIIa. It has nice robust plastic sprung hooks for attaching to the lugs and comes with little black leather protector pads so as not to scratch up the chrome. These hooks make it possible to remove the strap very easily from the camera if you want to be really discreet.

 

Very recently somebody here on the forum mentioned a site, www.mclassics.com which offers really nice classic-looking leather straps in different colors for not much money.

 

Best, David

Fuji NPZ 800 is fantastic film. I rate it at 650 and still have plenty of wiggle room with low light conditions. I've also had very good luck with Fuji 1600 rated at 1250.

Hi All:

 

I was looking at today's posting about the "original MP" up for

auction. Bill Blackwell had posted a couple of images showing the "L"

seal on the lens mount.

 

Curious, I pulled out my M2 and M3 to examine their seals. The M3 has

no recess on the lens mount for the wax. It's a very early DS from

1954. The M2 from 1960 has the remains of what looks like an "A".

I know of this camera having been opened at least 3 times in its life

so it isn't surprising that the original Leitz seal is gone.

 

The question is when did Leitz introduce the practice of placing their

seal on the lens mount? Do Barnacks also have it secreted somewhere?

 

Interested in your responses.

 

Best, David

Hi Ollie:

 

I just measured my Leica II. Dimensions are 5.25x2.63x1.25" without a lens. A collapsible 50mm Elmar will project about .5" when collapsed with lens cover. A 50mm brightline finder in the shoe adds about 1" to the height. BTW Leica's from IIIc onwards are about 1/8" longer.

 

I use the II and a IIIa (with Elmar 50 or Summitar) as my "everyday" cameras and I find that they fit quite comfortably in jacket or coat pockets. I'm sure you would be very happy with a IIIf for this purpose.

 

Best, David

Thanks for your responses.

 

I'm certainly not a collector or a "mint condition" kinda guy, more the "user-with-patina" type. The question was prompted by seing this camera in such lovely condition but for these two "gashes" right down to the brass. Almost looked like a previous owner had inflicted the damage intentionally as identifying marks or something.

 

Best, David

Hi All:

 

I saw a IIIf today which was in fine cosmetic condition except for two

gashes in the chrome finish on the top plate.

 

It set me thinking if there's a process out there by which to

completely restore scratched and dinged chrome to the pristine

condition it once enjoyed. Any ideas?

 

Best, David

Climbed the tower in Mt. Auburn Cemetery did we?

Hi Folks:

 

What do we know about Dr. Erich Salomon and his candid photography

from the '30's? Surely he must have made use of Herr. Barnack's new

camera. Have any books of his work been republished in recent years?

 

Best,

David

Hi Norm:

 

You certainly got a good response to your question. I have an identical camera to yours (inherited from my father). I had thought that pre-war Leicas were not fitted with flash sync. sockets, and that the one on mine was installed post-war. Based on the fact that yours also has flash sync. albeit in a slightly different location, I'm wondering if Leica II's and other models in production just before WWII were routinely fitted with sync. My 1936 IIIa has no sync. Anyone have a definitive answer?

 

As for keeping or selling the camera. Based on my experience with my II and IIIa I think that these are the ultimate cameras for candid people pics. They're small, light and with a collapsing Elmar or Summitar 50mm lens fit nicely in a jacket pocket. I join others who responded by suggesting that you run a film through your camera. I bet you'll fall in love too!

 

Best,

David

Hi Norm:

 

Looks like a Leica II. Serial # number confirms the model and indicates it was made in 1937.

 

Just curious. Does it have a flash sync. socket between the two eye pieces?

 

Price depends on condition.

 

Best,

David

Thanks for the alert about the show. Saw some fascinating equipment, nearly succumbed to a minty IIIf but managed to pull back from the cliff edge, met the famous Sherry, and made it out the door with an intact bank balance!

Hi Olivier:

 

I trod this path of enquiry when the CM first came out. After much thought I concluded that the price was too outrageous and bought a user 1936 Barnack (LTM) model IIIa. I use this with an uncoated '30's vintage 50mm Elmar as my "carry everyday,everywhere camera". The only drawback is that one has to learn to judge exposure.

 

Best,

David

I'm seeing this opaque ring that has formed in the glass of my 13 352

polarizing filter. It looks like the glass is delaminating as the

ring is not just on the surface.

 

Has anyone seen this phenomenon before?

 

Can one order a new polarizing filter from say Hoya or B&W and simply

replace the glass? Looks like 46.5mm (?) I'm sure there's no

difference between their optical glass and the original Leitz stuff.

 

Best,

David

In response to Richard Williams:

 

There is no sync dial under the shutter speed dial on my II. Just the socket placed between the 2 eyepieces. It has the flat flange that locks the right angled Leitz flash plug. When the camera came in for an upgrade the factory took the original serial number and engraved the new top with that number. The engraving looks like that of post-war Leicas; more even and uniform than that on my 1936 IIIa.

In response to Anthony Brookes. I have a Leica II which my father bought new out of the box from Ernst Leitz London in June 1939.

By its serial number it started out life as a Leica Standard. At some point in its life it was converted to a II, i.e. with built in range finder and 50mm viewfinder. The only difference from a "real" II is a flash sync (PC) socket between range and viewfinder eye pieces. It syncs with regular electronic flash at 1/20 sec. I have no knowledge of when the conversion was done but I suspect that my dad wanted it done right and sent the camera back to Wetzlar for the upgrade.