[Leica] Did I really see a Luftwaffe M2 today?

[Mike Dembinski <mdembin@it.com.pl>]

Sunday in Warsaw for snappers is Gielda Fotograficzna day - especially on a
miserable wet autumn morn. Several score stands at which your every
photographic need can be met (total of 30,000 sq ft of space in Warsaw's
Stodola Student Union hall).

I saw it before two weeks ago at one dealer's stand - and came back to
check. It was an M2, a half a shade lighter than the black of my M6. The
number -  10057xx corresponded with the "20 grey M2's for the Luftwaffe"
mentioned in the Hove pocket book. The camera was as near-as-dammit mint.
No sign of tampering...

However, the Hove book says that the Luftwaffe M2's had a 135mm bright line
frames and 'appeared to lack self timers'. This example had no 135mm frames
and possessed a self timer.

Its seller - who had by far the largest range of Leica/Leitz stuff on sale
today - explained that he had seen "fifteen" of these Luftwaffe M2's and
that each one was different. He descibed the color as "graphite" - a better
description than "grey" - yet different to the black-painted M2's.

It looked and felt genuine enough. Shutter made the right sounds; very
*very* nice. And - if genuine - at a extremely tempting price when compared
to McKeown's Guide 97/98.

Any advice anyone?

Also spotted at the same dealer: TVVSS "Generals' FED" - post-war "quality"
Soviet Leica copy, fitted with Contax bayonet mount to accept war-booty
Contax lenses. Generally superior to FEDs and Zorkis, but at $1350 *not* a
bargain - evn to die-hard Leica copy collectors.

But as for bargain hunting - I secured a 1979 Kiev 4 (no meter) - Contax II
copy, complete with 53mm f2 Jupiter 8M lens,  35mm f2.8 Jupiter 12 lens
(serial no. 6000002, in its original container) and a 53mm f1.8 Helios-103
lens. Body mint minus, lenses mint minus, exc ++ and exc respectively. And
usual smelly leather (n)ever ready case.

And the price, guys? 110 zloties, at current exchange rate (weak dollar) -
around $30!! (McKeown's tots this lot up at $160-$245)

Incidentally the Jupiter 12 lens came with its factory "Passport" dated 20
VIII 1960, giving its tested focal length as 38.6mm - reminscent of the
engraved focal lengths on the back of pre-war LTM lenses.

So a week's fun testing this glassware against the Summicrons :-)

Mike