I finally got a Leica

[mhcfires]

After nearly fifty years in photography, I have a Leica! It is a wonderful little Screw mount Leica IIIa with Summitar 5 cm lens and Elmar 9cm f4 lens. Haven't yet used the Elmar, but have run a roll of tri-x with moderate success. Love the quiet shutter and the small size of this thing. It fits my hand so well, is like a feather compared to the old Topcon RE Super I carried for so many years. I have been shooting my 4x5 Speed quite a bit of late, this little camera is perfect for street shooting. I will be getting a 35mm lens as soon as I can come up with some more money. Glad I don't have to argue with a wife over more camera gear. :p

[fattyale]

Congratulations!! I'm jealous..

[LaGrassa]

Not too long ago, I acquired a IIIc with a 5cm f/2 Summitar and have added the same 9cm f/4 Elmar, and most recently a 3.5cm f/3.5 Summaron. I have run several rolls of film through it using combinations of all three lenses, mostly with B&W film. I am pleased with the results and I agree that it's a very nice "little" package. Enjoy! Remember to "trim" the leader of film when you load it. If you don't know what that means, let me know. It makes it much easier to load, although still not a very intuitive loading system. A Leica quirk I imagine.

[Ian Grant]

The IIIa is a great little camera, if you're lucky and have a good Summar then your lucky. My firts was poor, so I bought a far better Elmar, although I've a decent Summar too now. Mine needs use :D

Ian

[mhcfires]

I discovered early on ( with the first roll) that the leader must be trimmed. Having taken care of that problem, I have put one roll thru the camera, have another one in for the rest of this weekend. It has been raining (a rare event in Southern California) and I have to work tonight, so I probably won't get out today, but I'll have some time in the next few days to enjoy my new toy. I still like the Speed, but this is going to be fun, it is so spontaneous. :)

[vedmak]

the nice thing about leica ltm is that you can get tons of russian gear for cheap, try industar 61 LD, Industar 22, Jupiter 8 - all are cheap just make sure you pick those from man date 50-70 (best production years) they are newer and mostly better performers than old leica glass, that was probably mishandled and has scratches/fungus.

[Steve Roberts]

the nice thing about leica ltm is that you can get tons of russian gear for cheap, try industar 61 LD, Industar 22, Jupiter 8 - all are cheap just make sure you pick those from man date 50-70 (best production years) they are newer and mostly better performers than old leica glass, that was probably mishandled and has scratches/fungus.

Like the OP, I bought a Leica (1935 III) a few weeks back. Weekends have been wet and miserable since then, so I'm saving my first roll for the Christmas break. However, I did a bit of web research about using Russian lenses and one of the things that was thrown up was that the manufacturing tolerances of the Industar etc can cause the focussing to be considerably out when used on a Leica body. Apparently it's the luck of the draw. On the other hand, there are several references I've found to the Industar being actually better than the Elmar in terms of image contrast and no slouch in the other areas.

Steve

[Rhodes]

I have a IIIc and love it. After I adjusted the rangefinder, I liked her even much. You can load the film without triming the leader, but you have to put the shutter at T, with out the lens and with the shuter fired, adjust the film. Of course that triming the lead is possible better! Enjoy the camera and lens!

[Leighgion]

Yeah, you're a Leica owner alright. You're already referring to lenses by optical formula. :D

[df cardwell]

Have fun. Shoot, shoot, shoot.

[Sirius Glass]

Congratulations, but you are still not in the Hasselblad club. ;)

Steve

[mhcfires]

Congratulations, but you are still not in the Hasselblad club. ;)

Steve

I can barely afford the Leica, the 'Blad is too big. I have plenty of bigger cameras, if I want 2 1/4 I can use my old Rollei or one of my Mamiya TLR's, and I always have my Baby Speed with a 2 1/4 square back. The Leica is for travelling light. :p

[vedmak]

Like the OP, I bought a Leica (1935 III) a few weeks back. Weekends have been wet and miserable since then, so I'm saving my first roll for the Christmas break. However, I did a bit of web research about using Russian lenses and one of the things that was thrown up was that the manufacturing tolerances of the Industar etc can cause the focussing to be considerably out when used on a Leica body. Apparently it's the luck of the draw. On the other hand, there are several references I've found to the Industar being actually better than the Elmar in terms of image contrast and no slouch in the other areas.

Steve

I am glad you can use google, however Russian lenses from the fifties have the same same focal distance as LTM so your statement about the manufacturing tolerances is false.

[Steve Roberts]

I am glad you can use google, however Russian lenses from the fifties have the same same focal distance as LTM so your statement about the manufacturing tolerances is false.

A strange reaction to my post!

>>>I am glad you can use google
Yes - I've managed to master Google (after a bit of a struggle), though I didn't say I used it in this instance - it could have been any one of several search engines.

>>>so your statement about the manufacturing tolerances
It wasn't my statement. I only reported what was said elsewhere (and I believe made that clear to anyone who took the trouble to read the post carefully).

>>>Russian lenses from the fifties have the same same focal distance as LTM
They may be supposed to have the same same (to quote you exactly) focal distance, but the question is whether the Russian manufacturing processes were capable of working (or chose to work) to the necessary tolerances to achieve the desired result.

Steve

[Sirius Glass]

I can barely afford the Leica, the 'Blad is too big. I have plenty of bigger cameras, if I want 2 1/4 I can use my old Rollei or one of my Mamiya TLR's, and I always have my Baby Speed with a 2 1/4 square back. The Leica is for travelling light. :p

Just jerkin' you around because I can't afford to get a Leica now that I have two Hasselblads [503 CX and 903 SWC] and four lenses.

Steve

[mhcfires]

Just jerkin' you around because I can't afford to get a Leica now that I have two Hasselblads [503 CX and 903 SWC] and four lenses.

Steve

OOF! Makes my back cringe just thinking about lugging those two gems! (or is that two settings for four gems?) :D:D:D Sounds like a really cool setup.;)

[agfarapid]

Congrats on your purchase! I bought my first Leica lllc about 40 years ago and it still is as much fun to use now as when I first bought it. I've got the 3.5 Summaron and a 85 f2 Canon Seranar. The Summaron has given me some great shots and it is indeed much lighter than my own Topcons (which I purchased after the Leica). I've been successful at loading film with short leaders, just be careful and observe the first few frames as it moves through the camera. Have fun!

[mhcfires]

Congrats on your purchase! I bought my first Leica lllc about 40 years ago and it still is as much fun to use now as when I first bought it. I've got the 3.5 Summaron and a 85 f2 Canon Seranar. The Summaron has given me some great shots and it is indeed much lighter than my own Topcons (which I purchased after the Leica). I've been successful at loading film with short leaders, just be careful and observe the first few frames as it moves through the camera. Have fun!

I think my Leica with a lens is lighter than the Topcon 1.4 lens. :D

[Schlapp]

Congrats on your Leica. Why you would pay $$$ for such a thing when a Zorki and Industar 61 will do just the same thing :-)

[mhcfires]

Congrats on your Leica. Why you would pay $$$ for such a thing when a Zorki and Industar 61 will do just the same thing :-)

Cuz I can! :p:p:p

Merry Christmas to me! :)