Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/12/19
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In a message dated 97-12-18 22:28:26 EST, you write:
> Is it worth to buy a IIIf + a sumitar 50 f2? They are in an incredible mint
> condition due to no use at all. They are selling it to me for 533 $.
>
Sounds like a terrific price for true mint condition, and
it's a great picture-taker although not optically up to the latest lenses of
course. But if you're going to want to use it rather than just display it,
you need to check 3 things that could be bad (in fact, worse, due to "no
use"): 1) shutter curtains for signs of the rubber peeling/cracking (wind-on
and look thru lensmount); 2)rangefinder brightness and contrast (look from
front thru 2 windows...should be = brightness although one window will be
rather blue in tint); 3) lens for signs of internal haze/clouding (shine
penlight from one end while looking from the other). Any of these can most
often be rectified but it's very expensive. On the other hand, a CLA is not
too bad. Good luck!
Doc