1940 Leica IIIb with 1938 5cm Summar lens

[Lesley Jones]

Ooooh... I like this bit of the forum! I will admit to not knowing much about the vast majority of older equipment unless I used it while I was growing up. I think I went Kodak Instamatic, Olympus Trip, one of the Olympus rangefinders, OM1n and then OM2n (which has been my workhorse for over 30 years). I tinkered with a Lubitel, but after scanning the slides, I wouldn't use it again.

I do love my old Leica though. It's a joy to own and use and I love the quality of this 74 year old lens. Even scanned and zoomed in (yes... I'm a pixel peeper), the sharpness goes right up to the edges. This image needs to be rescanned as I wasn't good with PS in the early days and did everything on the background layer. It has been cleaned up and would possibly have had a minor amout of contrast (and obviously sharpening for the web).

An old hoarding in front of a derelict building in Hastings...

 

[Hamish Gill]

Now you know what would really make this thread??
I picture of the camera to go with the picture taken with it

I have a lovely 35mm 3.5 elmar ... Takes wonderful photos!

 

[Lesley Jones]

Of course Hamish and that would require an indoor lighting set up...

... which went to the tip the other week!

The camera also came with a 105mm lens (forget the make now) that has a wonderful little yellow attachment to help you frame.

 

[Paul Lange]

I thought you were done with forums Lesley! Glad to see that you found one you like. you are certainly blazing a trial witj some wonderful images.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Lesley - you and Brian and Pete are going to get on like a house on fire!

Leicas - film cameras - vintage lenses

Lovely image - probably looked a lot nicer than the old buildings behind!

 

[Pete Askew]

I certain we will! What a wonderfully confusing image this is. With the grain in the pavement and the artwork itself, it looks like a pencil drawing.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Nah ... You don't need anything fancy like that
Real Photographers Forum - Hamish Gill - Blogs

 

[Lesley Jones]

Photograph of Leica IIIb

For Hamish as requested

 

[Pete Askew]

A thing of beauty!!

 

[Lesley Jones]

It is, isn't it? And for a little camera, it is so HEAVY! Can anyone shed any light on the other lens please? I know the date of the Leica and the Summar lens because I found them via the manufacture dates list. The unknown lens is a 105mm Komura and it has that hood and little yellow attachment to counter the parallax error. Delightfully fiddly to use as well. I did a bit of research and I seem to remember I guessed at some time in the 1960s, but I may be way out

 

[Pete Askew]

It seems they used the parent company name during the 50's and Komura from about 1960. Looks like it might be mid 60's as the earlier ones look like they had black/ chrome focus rings. But there isn't much info out there is there?!

 

[Lesley Jones]

Thank you! It's a while since I looked, but I seem to recall 1965 to 1967

 

[Hamish Gill]

Ive merged these threads as it seemed to make sorta sense too ...?

 

[Hamish Gill]

lovely camera btw! what made you choose the iiib out of interest?

 

[Lesley Jones]

The IIIb chose me. I have never done e-bay in my life. Also, because I never read magazines, I don't hanker after new equipment either. However... one afternoon at work I was wondering about the sort of camera Henri Cartier-Bresson might have used. Later that evening I was reading about the old Leicas and wondering if any were still around. I honestly thought there would only be a handful and they would be in a museum. I have no idea how I ended up on e-bay, but as soon as I saw the camera it was love at first sight and I had to have it. My husband would vouch for me that this is totally out of character. Any money I have goes to the zoo and I spend nothing on myself.

 

[Pete Askew]

A wise choice Lesley and a sound investment. It will probably outlast you!!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Plentiful indeed ... Mainly because they were built to last!
Not sure if this is of any interest Leica Screw Mount Cameras
A bit about the history that you have probably already read?
I used to have a m6 myself, but sold it as I used my voigtlander r2a a lot more ...my r2a is still in production today, as of course are the m7 mp and digital m9 leicas and others... A testament to the early Oskar Barnak design. As I understand it designed these early incarnations as he had asthma and couldn't carry the more popular large cameras of the day ... Thus helping to popularise both 35mm film and the 2:3 ratio that are both so popular these days ... So yeah, a camera, but also a bit of camera history!

 

[Lesley Jones]

Thanks for the link - it is one I already have saved as a favourite. I've been working hard the past three or four years trying to get my head around digital, but you know? This place has made me want to cut the film leader, load up some Ilford and get out with the antique gear again

 

[Hamish Gill]

Yeah! Right on... That sounds like a great idea!!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

This place has made me buy more film and film cameras in the last year, than I'd used in the previous decade!