Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/12/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 05:36 PM 12/17/2006, Leonard Taupier wrote: >I'm looking for a little advise on a replacement LTM body. I >currently have a "user" IIIc body with a yellowing rangefinder. I >know the shutter needs cleaning but I don't think the body is nice >enough to invest in a CLA. I have 4 very nice Leica LTM lenses which >I use with a clear VIOOH viewfinder. I was thinking about investing >in a nice IIIg. Since I don't expect to use flash with this rig and I >like my VIOOH, is a IIIG overkill? I have a very complete M system >plus a bunch of Nikon bodies and lenses including digital. But when I >just want to go out and have some fun I grab the IIIc. There are very few LTM bodies which are not worth a CLA, and shame on you for suggesting this! Bring that baby back to life or, if you don't want it, give it to some deserving soul who WILL invest in the CLA! LTM bodies are true works of art which have not been produced for the past four decades, so treating one as so much junk is, well, not really a sound position, is it? I own a IIIc, a IIIf RDST, and a IIIg and have owned several other LTM bodies (III, IIIb, IIIf BD, IIIf RDST) over the years. Of these, the IIIc remains my favorite, though the other two also have their place and are quite capable of producing excellent photographs. As Jeffery noted, the IIIg has a certain collector cachet which keeps the price up, though eBay has chiseled this down quite a bit. If I were going to restrict myself to a single LTM body, I'd go for a IIIc and pick up an APDOO self-timer and a Geiss Kontakt for those rare occasions when flash is in order (I shot a wedding professionally once with a IIIc and Kontakt and Vivitar 283 when my M3 broke -- the pictures were great). The IIIf RDST provides an inbuilt self-timer and flash synch, and the price of a good IIIf RDST is often not much higher than that of a clean IIIc. The IIIg only adds the VF marks for the 90mm lens but, again, it is a wonderful tool to use. If I were in your shoes, I'd just have the IIIc overhauled and the RF cleaned. Marc msmall@aya.yale.edu Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!