Several years ago, an acquaintance of mine purchased a Leica [well,a sort of Leica] at a flea market. This camera looks like a IIIf sans viewfinder/rangefinder.There are two accessory shoes mounted side by side on the top plate. The top is engraved with the words "E. Leitz, Wetzler, Germany" and the serial number, 822040. The camera appears to be unused. I thought it might be possible to mount a viewfinder and an old 50mm Elmar and transform it into an unusual and rather elegant pocket camera [My little Rollie 35 has taught me that I can do quite well without a rangefinder]. I would like to find out more about this camera. Comments?

-- John Myers (mymacv@aol.com), August 31, 2001

Answers

The camera is a If from 1956. You can mount any LTM lens you want, and a appropriate viewfinder, as well as an uncoupled rangefinder and/or a meter in the shoes provided. One of the nicest uses for it IMO would be a 15mm Cosina/Voigtlander Heliar lens.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), August 31, 2001.

Someone will come up with the info, based on the serial number, but the general plan for LTM Leicas is RF, VF, and slow speed dial = III something (IIIa, IIIb, IIIc, etc.) RF, VF, and no slow speeds = II something no RF, VF, or slow speeds = I something.

Therefore, If your camera has the synch, etc. of a IIIf, but without slow speeds and finders, it's a If.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), August 31, 2001.

John,

I am at a bit of a loss, because while it is common for someone to ask to identify a camera by serial number, this time you also added some narrative description which totally makes the serial number not match the camera stated in my "Hove Pocket Book."

The serial number that you used, 822040 is identified as a Leica II from 1932... however, this camera has a built-in rangefinder,and only one accessory shoe. There are several photos in my guide that sort of conform to your description, but these fall well outside of the serial number range that you have stated. Both the Leica I and Leica standard (model E) have the side by side accessory shoes and lack of range finder, but they both fall well above and below the serial number range of 82xxxx.

I know that older cameras could have been cannibalized to make one working camera from several non-working models, but this would not really explain the discrepancy, because the cover plate with the serial numbers are not even close cosmetically or mechanically.

I'll defer this to the LTM experts.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), August 31, 2001.

John,

I am sorry... Jay is correct. I wrote your serial number down long hand to look it up and left one digit out. Ignore my previous post.

Coffee first, then computer!

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), August 31, 2001.