valentin_manus

<p>Does anyone knows what the little knob under the filter selector in the left (A), does? I have no clue. It only goes up. It says LOS. Maybe is to lock the focus, so that the camera won't go in or out the lens... I have no idea. I played with it and... nothing!</p>

<p><img src="http://www.pentaconsix.com/C374_36an.jpg" alt="" width="774" height="1063" /></p>

<p>Improvising from my monopod, the only solution for the moment sturdy enough to take the weight. The FotoSniper seems a toy next to it. And the huge sunshade can fit right over my head :))</p>

<p><img src="http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/3330/20121105201357.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>This is the lense's monster front cap!<br /><img src="http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/7661/20121105201447.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p> </p>

Yes, all the filters work. Through the dark one, I can barely see a very powerfull light bulb. Maybe is an infrared filter

or something...

About the price, I have bought it only because I found it at a low price, comparing with the other two that are beeing

sold on ebay. But I really think that a real price for such a lens should be around 5000 dollars. The black one on ebay

costs around 9000 dollars, but nobody wants it. So this is not its real price. But 5000 I guess is closer to reality.

Especially if it really is Mint. The black ones it seems thar were only made a couple of hundreds.

And yes, it is a very beautiful and spectacular lens that should be exposed somewhere. Maybe more than used. I am

sure that is a beautiful glass to take pictures with, but extremely difficult to use in real life. I am getting these days an

EOS adapter and make some tests.

<p>Yes, the tripod thing is a real problem... I don't have a video tripod and I will not buy one, since they are expensive. Maybe I'll make one or get one from a telescope.<br>

<br />In order to start testing this lens or use it, I do have to get a real tripod that can sustain 16-17 kilos. </p>

<p>I will also try to use a 2x extender, but with a M42 mount (those EOS 2x are really expensive!!!) and get a 2000mm / f11 lens. Only to get some night pictures of the moon. And why not, of the sun in the day. It seems that the very dark red filter inside the lens is a sun lens, or at least is possible to photograph the sun with it. Thanks for the responses! I'll be back with some samples!</p>

<p>Maybe someone confused me with a pro photographer, that I'm not :) I like to collect interesting cameras and lenses, and use them, but only for hobby.<br>

Thank you, Ray Butler, I will do that test.<br>

Since it has a 21+ cm in diameter, I can easily see one of the mirrors, the big one. And it seems brand new. I'm sure this is why black ones seems to be more expensive than the white and grey ones: because they were made only a few and in those late year of fabrication of this lens, in '80 or '81. And in that time, I'm sure that Jena did their best not to sell lenses that will last only 3 or 4 decades :) I'm using lenses from 1930 or earlier from Carl Zeiss, and they perform great.<br>

Maybe I'll get the time to test it someday. Or find someone to really use it or enjoy it. I don't even have the proper tripod... So it sits in the wooden box. And here, in Romania, the winter is coming, so no evenings outside under the stars for me:)</p>

<p>JDM, in the back there is a mix of worldwide currency bills, also some funny ones from the Jugoslavia, back in the cold war, of 50.000.000.000 dinara. That's inflation! :)<br>

<br /> Yes, this lens has the P6 mount, so it can be used now days with any Canon EOS, Nikon, etc. <br /> Maybe was intended for moon / sun photography, since it also has a very dark filter (maybe a sun filter) or just for sports, as <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=1841065">JDM von Weinberg</a> says, Olympics and stuff.<br /> I have paid the equivalent of 400 dollars with box, caps and a single M42 adapter. The Exakta and the other adapter (that today are useless) are missing, but can be easily found anywhere. <br /> I've seen only two black ones for sale in the net, one for 7200 Euros and the other one for 6000 Euros. So, not a bad buy!<br /> <img src="http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/6930/20121031191506.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /></p>

<p>I just got one. <strong>What was the intended use for it?</strong> It has 14 kilos, so pretty heavy to carry around to take wildlife or sport photography.<br>

It comes with a huge wooden box, sunshade, caps and M42 adapter. It has 6 integrated filters.<br>

<br />Ohhh, and it is a monster lens! Take a look at this photo: my Eos 1N with booster in the back, barely visible :)</p>

<p><img src="http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9059/newimagez.jpg" alt="" width="525" height="700" /></p>

<p>Back again!<br>

The RF system doesn't look to be russian. I have opened a Fed 1 and it is veru different.<br>

It has a number stamped on the top plate: 9482.<br>

Again, <strong>to me</strong>, the RF housing looks to be Leica - <strong>just my opinion</strong>.</p>

<p><img src="http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7617/147cp.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3940/148ws.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9977/149g.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9650/150rt.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Hello again! Yes, I don't either think that the RF-housing comes from a russian camera. Maybe just the top plate.</p>

<p>I am pretty sure that the housing has the original engravings, weather those are Leitz or not. Those are the only ones ever been engraved on that cover - I have Leica fakes and you can see the erasing work that has been done on them.</p>

<p>About the early Fed that look like this one: this is not it. From the link Winfried gave, the russian Fed is very... "Spartan", finishings were not russian's strong point :D</p>

<p><em>ps: the camera was 100 Euros, along with an Elmar that seems fake</em></p>

<p>Thanks everybody for your opinions! Yes, it is an interesting camera - because I don't know what it is. Maybe is a copy - not russian for sure, maybe a hibrid.<br>

And the other hole - on the right side - lets you put the imagination to work.<br>

Here, in Romania, we had a very rich Secret Service with huge budgets, during the communist era, so they were using Robots and Leicas. And now, you can find these very cheap if you are lucky. I also have a Tochka - the russian Minox or the KGB Minox, a very rare espionage miniature camera, from a guy that also had like about 20 Robots and lenses, because he was a secret agent 25 years ago.<br>

Maybe this was used during that time, maybe that's why it doesn't have any serial number.<br>

Now it rests with other goodies behind the glass :)<br>

All the best!</p>

<p>Thanks Christopher again! But I don't think is Leotax - the top cover, around the shutter speed dial, is perfectly round, but in Leotax is slightly curved.</p>

<p>I have several Leicas and fakes, so I can make some diffrences between them. But this camera is really strange... <strong>And again: where the hack is the serial number, true one, or fake?</strong> :D</p>

<p>Another oddity, that at least, I know what it is: II C (serial number) factory transformed into a III F BD with Self Timer.</p>

<p><img src="http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/4878/77948593.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>And my very first Leica with a genuine Sonnar in LTM 2/50</p>

<p><img src="http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/9294/30367730.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Here's a II with the third screw that you're missing, so there are cameras... and cameras. I have seen some II D's with only half of the screw visible outside the ring:</p>

<p>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Leica_II_Canon_lens_14162384_6cd2a80124_o.jpg</p>

<p>I agree that the shutter speed dial and the winder look russian. As someone said before, there are II and even I with strap lugs. What about the other Leica elements?</p>

<p>Here's a crop. Sorry for my fingerprint! I would bet that no russian guy did that.</p>

<p><img src="http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/8879/142hx.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>I have noticed some things that are not Leica - the flash shoe and maybe the two round visors in the front.</p>

<p>I also have Zorki 1, Fed 1, Fed NKVD, and several Leicas, not only LTM. And this sounds like one and it feels like one. Maybe is fake, but not a russian fake for sure!</p>

<p><em>I am not pretending that this is a rare / uncommon camera, I just want to know what model it is, original or fake, etc. I have paid 100 Euros for it with an Elmar (it seem fake to me), so not that much.</em></p>

<p>Nice idea, Christopher! Thanks for the post and the pictures of the Leotax.<br /> But that camera does not explain the strap lugs and the holw for the slow-speed dial (Leotax is missing that).<br /> <strong>What do you think about the Leica engraving?</strong> Look at each letter how clean it is. It seems genuine to me. Why the serial number is missing - no idea!</p>

<p><strong>AND ONCE AGAIN - ANY FAKE HAS THE SERIAL NUMBER</strong>, as I personally know. That's why we call it fake :)!</p>

<p>Hey guys, I have put several pictures. It seems that nobody was looking at them.<br>

Like the roller cam follower from the rangefinder, the hole in the left for the low-speed dial, the shutter release, etc... No fake in there.<br>

The top cover I think is Leica, as you can see from the VF window.<br>

No Fed / Zorki had the strap lugs. And the writing is pretty clean and neat.<br>

<strong>And if the camera would have been a fake, trust me, it should had the serial number!</strong><br>

I have never seen a Leica copy without the serial number.</p>

<p>Hello everyone! I just bought this camera, that was in a very bad shape. I have restored it and put a snake skin that looks, I think, interesting... let's say.<br>

The camera is a genuine Leica. It seems to be a Leica II mod D, but with a strange top. No serial number, odd Leica markings. And a strange-looking hole in the right side, maybe for an adaptation (maybe flash syncro).<br>

<strong>What camera do you think it is?</strong><br>

Thank you very much!</p>

<p>Vali</p>

<p><img src="http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5092/124pd.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="578" /></p>

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