Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mike Johnston wrote: > > I really need to throw this out, from a purely personal need for > perspective and help: > > I've had a hankering in recent months to try using a Leica thread mount > camera (or Barnack camera, as the Japanese and Stephen prefer). I'm > reasonably good at guessing exposures and don't mind carrying a small > meter as a backup, and I do enjoy challenges. I mainly use Tri-X and I > do "personal diarist" sort of work, i.e., looking around the world and > seeing what there is to see. > > Is this a practical option for actual photography? I'd love to hear (in > public or privately) from any former or current screwmount users who > have an opinion. Favorite cameras? Favorite lenses? (I'm leaning to a > IIIc with a 3.5 Elmar of 600000 SN or higher.) Anyone (Marc?) willing to > offer an opinion of the Russian Elmar copies? > > Thanks in advance, > > --Mike Well Mike, my experience is limited. I had a IIIc & 50mm Summitar from 63 through about 68. When I got my M2 I traded the IIIc and have never looked back. The IIIc marked the advent of an internal casting which made it and all subsequent models much more rugged and long lived. Possibly easier to repair and adjust. If it was me I would get a IIIc, IIIf, or IIIg for this reason. From all I can see you should ~plan~ on having a complete CLA done as few of these that are up to snuff seem to be on the market. Winding with just a knob will take a certain mindset (did I mention I had a Leicavit on mine? proof once again ~never~ sell anything) If Tom A were to make a winder for these models I think sales might be very high. The most negative thing is the built in finder, magnification, I should say de-magnification, is terrible. Buy the Leitz 50mm brightline finder and put it on the accessory shoe. It's not hard to get used to shifting from the RF (a resilver on the RF will make it come to life) to the accessory finder 1:1 viewing, it's a pleasure! The IIIg deserves mention as having a much better finder (less de-magnification) but they get pricy fast due to the low numbers and corresponding demand from both collectors and users. Loading, rewinding, etc, etc, not really bad when you get used to it. Granted we are talking a user-shooter, not a pro out to return with the bread and butter. Lens? I prefer an f/2 capable but the old collapsed f3.5 Elmar sure makes a compact package. Yes, the Summitar and Summicron collapse but not nearly so flush as the Elmar. Just do it Mike ;) and tell all about it. Bests, Dennis