Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 04:40 PM 8/30/04 -0400, Chandos Michael Brown wrote: >Damn, Marc, something with which we are in entire agreement: cold weather. > >But surely even Leitz recognized that all mechanical cameras don't operate >infallibly under extreme cold temps. Didn't they offer a cold-weather >variant of the Barnack series? Chandos After the German Army seized Norway, they found that their Leica cameras would not function effectively in the Northern part of that Kingdom during the winter of 1940/42. As a result, Leitz developed the IIIc(K), the last initial for "k?gellager" or ball-bearing. This version had the pin-bearings on the shutter replaced by ball-bearings. Later, Leitz found out that only one ball-bearing was necessary and this has remained the rule to this day. Zeiss Ikon was also asked to produce special cold-weather Contax cameras and did so by producing a run of Contax II and, perhpas, III cameras with almost no oil. These cameras are marked "K" -- though, in this case, for "Kaltfest" or "cold-conditioned" -- internally and are not well known though Bob Pins seems to be the expert on them. I have never tried to use a Leica I or II in cold weather. My Postwar IIIc, IIIf RD, and IIIg, as well as my M3 and M6, seem to be unaffected by ambient temperature. Marc msmall@infionline.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!