Can someone help me identify this camera? Its a mint black leica ser#30xxx, not a typo, 30 thousand.Top speed on it is 500 in the old increments ie 30,40,60,100. It came with an f2 summitar again old increments2,2.2,3.2,4.5 etc does have seperate range finder and view window. Thanks in advance

-- Andy Wagner (awagner@midwest-express.com), May 21, 2002

Answers

30 Thousand, not a typo? By the serial number, it would be a model I. The problem comes in when you say it say separate range- and viewfinder windows. Andy, the model I has no rangefinder. The viewfinder resembles an accessory finder, clipped on top, not built in. Even if it were # 300,000, it would be a "standard," and the same comments apply. Question: does this camera have a full top housing, with built-in range/viewfinder? If it does, something's wrong with the serial number! A copy, perhaps? Can you post a picture of it?

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), May 21, 2002.

Possibly a I factory converted to a II or III?

-- Willhelmn (wmitch3400@hotmail.com), May 21, 2002.

The view and range are integral as you would find on a 3c or somthing. When I first saw this camera I misread the ser # and thought it was 300thou making it a 3c. I picked it up for 50 bucks. Upon closer insection and checking my resources I came up with a model 1 also, but the range/view setup threw me for a loop too. Unfortunatly I can't post right now, seems my scanner and computer don't like each other.

-- Andy Wagner (awagner@midwest-express.com), May 21, 2002.

Andy, Posting the FULL serial number would help positive identification.

-- David Seaman (david@leicam.freeserve.co.uk), May 22, 2002.

as above, it is likely just a factory conversion. these are very very common (as these things go).

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), May 22, 2002.

A Russian copy?

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), May 22, 2002.

Hi Andy, I have a very similar camera: Mine is S/N 73XXX. It is chrome. The shutter speeds are Z (Ziet for Time), 20, 30, 40 to 500 on the top dial and T Time), 1, 2, 4, 8 & 20on the slow-speed dial; notice that the top dial has a "Z" and the front dial has a "T" for "TIME". This eliminates it as "Factory Original". It has the Infinity adjustment on the ViewFinder Window. The Bottom Plate has both English and Deutsch; auf-open and zu-close. I have been told that it is a Gertman model II, originally black, that was converted to chrome and the slow speeds added at Wetzlar. Mine is in almost Mint condition. Does this agree with the evaluations that you have received on your camera? Regards, Bill

-- Bill Carson (KE7GMx@cs.com), May 22, 2002.

the whole ser # is 30789. It's definatly not a copy. Top plate is engraved Leica D.P.R. Ernst Leitz Wetzlar. Anyways thank you for all the help. I'm going to push a roll through it and see what I get.

-- andy wagner (yxandy@hotmail.com), May 22, 2002.

Bill yes it does. Looks like we're getting closer to solving this. Thank you for the info.

-- Andy Wagner (awagner@midwest-express.com), May 23, 2002.

The retired craftsman in the Ukraine live on little money. To make extra money they produce leica clones.. There are thousands of variations of these around; with different markings; serial numbers; logos etc.....Do not be so sure that the camera is really a Leica...These craftsman may create 1 camera per week and double their meager retirement..send the photo to the leica copy experts that hang out on the russian camera boards at www.beststuff.com ; they live and breathe Zorki and FED cameras...Kelly

-- Kelly Flanigan (zorki3c@netscape.net), May 23, 2002.