[Leica] Should I buy a Barnack camera?

[Jeff S <4season@boulder.net>]

I've located a nice Leica IIIf ST with collapseable 50 Summicron lens
for $650: Is this a deal? I believe it's a red dial model (has red and
black flash synch scales, shutter speeds of 1/200, 1/500, 1/1000). It
looks Ex++ save for a fair amount of brassing on the accessory shoe and
a small dent by the serial number. The rangefinder image is bright but
RF alignment seems a bit off, and I think it badly needs a relube before
I can really use it. Curiously enough, the slow shutter speeds mostly
work, but everything else runs like someone's stripped out the lube and
left it dry. The lens has lovely chrome, maybe a fairly negligible haze
and a moderately scuffed front element. As the same seller has a
sub-$400 (IIIa?) with fresh-looking black paint on it, I expect this
IIIf has been polished up some, though I didn't see any signs of silver
paint or botched repairs. I didn't take a good look at the shutter
curtains.

Opinions? I have no good reason for wanting this camera, but darned if
it isn't pretty, and I I can (weakly) justify it by using it as a
"Heliar Camera". Pure collecting isn't my cup of tea, but a *useable*
collectable sounds like it could be fun. At the moment, my intent is not
to go for a vintage look in my photos but rather, to have fun and get
perfectly modern results with multicoated Cosnia glass.

And by the way, can the 50 Summicron be fitted with a lens hood? It
seems to me that if I buy the lens as part of the package, I ought to at
least try it.
- -- 

Jeff Segawa
Somewhere in Boulder, Colorado