Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/01/14

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Subject: [Leica] RE: FS: Leica IIIf BD ST
From: neal at nairobisafari.com (Neal Friedenthal)
Date: Fri Jan 14 20:49:37 2005
 
Gil,

According to the serial number your camera should be a Ic, but it obviously 
is not.  Most likely it started life as a Ic, but was later factory 
upgraded to a IIIf BD with self timer. This is an unusual upgrade but not 
unheard of, through the 50's leitz would do any upgrade that a 
customer was willing to pay for.  I have a IIIc that has been upgraded to a 
IIIf BD. I have seen IIIc's upgraded to IIIf BD selftimer, I've also 
seen IIIa that had a sync dial and PC outlet added.  In addition I've seen a 
IIIa with a 4 digit serial number, originally a model A upgraded 
with the addition of a coupled range finder and slow speed dial. The new top 
(chrome btw) had the original serial number engraved on it. I 
suspect that this is what happened with your camera, a PO sent it into Leitz 
to be upgraded with a rangefinder and sync and DA as a new 
top was needed to accomodate the rangefinder the IIIf top was used and the 
original serial number was engraved on it. 

Neal F