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Post by drako on Sept 8, 2009 15:31:29 GMT -5
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Sept 8, 2009 19:32:57 GMT -5
What a venerable Leica I, Johnny. Wonderful that it's still in the same family. Please don't try to restore it cosmetically. Let it wear its battle scars with honour.
"Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars
and say, 'These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.' "
BTW, the serial number dates your Leica as 1930.
PeterW
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Post by nikonbob on Sept 8, 2009 21:33:45 GMT -5
Have to agree with PeterW, leave it alone as is. What a great keep sake to remember your Grandfather by. Those old Elmars can be pretty sharp, have you used the camera?
Bob
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Post by Randy on Sept 8, 2009 22:05:43 GMT -5
Very nice. I'd leave it just as it is.
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casualcollector
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In Search of "R" Serial Soligors
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Post by casualcollector on Sept 9, 2009 12:53:22 GMT -5
A wonderful legacy, Johnny. I have several legacies in my collection and probably a few more that could have been an heirloom to someone else but for a family member not seeing some sentimental value in it.
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Sept 9, 2009 18:17:49 GMT -5
What a wonderful old camera.
Truly a collector's collectible.
Was that the first ever accessory shoe or were there others that preceded it?
Mickey
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Post by drako on Sept 10, 2009 0:44:15 GMT -5
I've never been clear if that was indeed the first show, Mickey. I know the 1930 was one of the more popular model years.
The shutter sounds accurate. What a joy to click off! It is very quiet, as we would expect from Leica. The aperture mechanism is extremely stiff / barely moves. Anyone know who I might have work on that?
I am told it also may have a light leak.
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Mark Vaughan
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I STILL have a pile of Nikons. Considering starting a collection of Ricoh SLRs and RFs.
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Post by Mark Vaughan on Sept 10, 2009 10:20:08 GMT -5
Johnny,
Despite Peter's suggestion to keep it in battle dress, I would - at least - be tempted to rub down the brass with Neverdull to see how well it could shine. It would still have it's "scars", but without the oxidation and dendrite build-up (as around the viewfinder). That is a thing of beauty!
Hey - is that coupling lug on the baseplate for a motor drive connection?
Regards,
Mark
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Post by nikonbob on Sept 10, 2009 10:42:05 GMT -5
Mark
If you are referring to the slotted piece on the left in the baseplate photo, I think it is a 3/8 to 1/4 thread adapter for the tripod socket.
Bob
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2009 12:07:00 GMT -5
If it has a light leak, could well be a crack or hole in the old shutter curtains. The curtains on those old Leicas are relativerly easy to replace--CLA at the same time. Then it should be good for another 80 years. The Elmar isn't a complicated lens and isn't terribly hard to clean.
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Post by nikonbob on Sept 10, 2009 15:13:48 GMT -5
Johnny If you want to do the old girl some justice and intend to use it a servicing would be the kind thing to do. You could sent the camera and lens in and have both CLA'd and new curtains put in at the same time. All this can add up but you will have a camera that works like new and for many years into the future. OTH there is nothing wrong with enjoying it as a keep sake. There are quite a few reputable camera repairers the work on Leicas. I have not used them but www.essexcamera.com/ seems to get good mention on another forum. You could email for an estimate if interested. Bob |
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Sept 10, 2009 17:01:18 GMT -5
Johnny,
Been doing a spot of digging in my books about your Leica. I'm far from being a Leica expert, and this isn't engraved in stone, but it's the best I can come up with.
I'm pretty certain it isn't a Model A. If the lens is fully interchangeable it certainly isn't. I think it's a Model I(C), the first Leica with fully interchangeable lenses - well, almost fully interchageable on the early 1930 models.
With the first production models the lens mount to film plane distance wasn't standardised to close limts, each lens had to be matched to the camera body and carried the last three digits of the camera body number. Matched lenses other than the standard 50mm Elmar are more rare than eggs of the Great Auk.
On later production models, and I think judging by the serial number yours is one of these, lenses of any focal length were fully interchangeable betwen different bodies, and the lens mount usually had a small letter 'o' engraved on it as an indication of this.
As Bob said, the screw threaded bush on the baseplate is to take a tripod, not a motor winder.
Leitz never made a motor winder for these models but they did later make a trigger-operated 'Rapid Winder' for screw-thread models. According to some people these rapid winders didn't have a wonderful reputation for long-term reliability, and on the early model cameras (with or without fully interchangeable lenses) the body had to be modified slightly to accept them. On top of this they're *Rare* and when they do surface for sale (working or not) they often fetch as much as the camera as a collector's piece, so I wouldn't hold your breath for one.
Mickey,
This wasn't the first Leica to have an accessory shoe. They were fitted to thge first commercially produced (not the first 100 prototypes) models, the Lecia I(A) starting in 1925. The most common accessory was a vertical rangefinder though it's possible that the horizontal rangefinder made for the later Leica Standard (E) - 1932 on - may fit.
Bob,
Built-in coupled rangefinders weren't introduced till the Leica Model II(D) in 1932.
PeterW
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Post by nikonbob on Sept 10, 2009 19:48:01 GMT -5
PeterW
Yes, I don't know why it did not register on me that this model Leica has no RF as a quick glance at the photos would show. I will modify my post to reflect that. That is also a good point you bring up about the inter changeability of lenses. I have a near identical nickel Elmar and it has a O stamped on the lens flange looking at the back of the unmounted lens. I believe that indicates that it is a lens for use on any Leica body that has a standardized lens mount to film plane distance. It works well on a post war IIIc especially after having it CLA'd.
Bob
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Post by olroy2044 on Sept 12, 2009 0:08:31 GMT -5
I know I'm kinda late to the party, but that is a wonderful piece of history! Your are indeed fortunate to have such a keepsake, Johnny. Enjoy it! Roy
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Post by drako on Sept 12, 2009 20:01:43 GMT -5
I have never removed the lens and am not positive how. Let me know if I'm wrong: 1) Unscrew and remove the screw on the lens mount at 11 o'clock; 2) Unscrew the lens counter-clockwise to remove.
As a kid, I once disassembled a camera and couldn't get Humpty back together again, so I've been gun-shy about this ever since.
The silver piece in the bottom is an adapter to allow the camera to fit today's tripod screws. The original, larger female receptacle on the bottom is non-standard for today. I assume this larger size was the standard back in the day.
Mark, thanks for the Neverdull tip. I'm tempted but, again, am not very inclined to start unscrewing things!
Can anyone refer me to someone reputable for a CLA?
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