Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
It’s been fully serviced and brought back to the factory specifications. The old leatherette covering has been removed and the new leather has been delivered. So why haven’t I finished with the restoration? The simple and short answer is I have no idea. This image was taken in the Summer of 2020 and the camera hasn’t been touched since – it’s not on display either. I guess it’s time to finish this project, load some film, and enjoy it. I can’t believe how quickly time is slipping by.
In color.
It looks so industrial without the leatherette. Thanks for stopping by! – Chris
Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by, and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Please respect that all content, including photos and text, is this blog’s property and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.
The Leica IIIg is the last Leica Screw Mount body – 1956.
Stripped of its skin.
I have the new leatherette for my IIIg but as of yet I haven’t found the quiet time needed to install it. The camera and the Leicavit received a complete CLA from Mr. Ye so it’s good to go. In this case I’m chasing time.
Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.
Many 35mm rangefinder camera makers offered a reloadable metal film cassette for use with their cameras. Maybe one of the first to do so was Leitz for their Leica cameras.
Pictured below is one of those cassettes with its original Bakelite canister (film can).I believe this set was released around 1953 and was originally intended to be used with the new Leica M3.
Here’s a comparison between a standard disposable film cartridge from 1959 next to the metal reloadable cassette from Leitz (Code IXMOO). Overall the cartridges are within 1 mm of each other but as can be seen, the top of the Leitz canister is slightly taller.
The reloadable film cartridge is shown being used with the Leica IIIg which was the last Leica screw mount lens body made by Leica. My instruction book is from 1957.The cartridges are about 50 mm tall to the top of the film spool.
The idea was simple. Since buying 35mm film in bulk was popular at the time, reloadable cassettes were a necessity to keep the cost of taking pictures low. As the disposable film cartridges became standardized the use of bulk film decreased as it was much simpler to use the premade film canisters.
While I was in college back in the early 1970s and taking some photography classes, I bulk loaded my own B&W films (mostly Kodak Plus X). It was a pain but it was far less expensive.
The earliest metal film cassettes made by Leitz were coded FILCA and were slightly taller than the newer IXMOO. I don’t have a FILCA cassette for comparison but I’d like to find one (I’ll gladly accept a donation of one if you have a spare).
From a Leica illustrated price list from 1939, the FILCA was Cat. No. 66,800 and was listed as a “Spare Roll Film Magazine” and sold for $3.00 USD. The catalog covers are pictured below.
Thanks for stopping by and if you’ve made it this far, congratulations for sticking with it! – Chris
Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.
Happy Friday all! Today’s featured camera the Leica IIIg with attached Leicavit winder. This camera was built in 1956 according to its serial number and typical for these Leica IIIg bodies, the leatherette (vulcanite) becomes brittle with age and extreme dryness. Although the dry air inhibits corrosion it does dry out internal lubrication so a complete CLA is in order.
I’ve deskinned (crude) the body of its failed covering reveling a rather industrial looking Leica in its place.
I could get used to this look.
Before the covering was removed. It looked good until you handled it and then bits of old leather just fell off in small crumbles.
It’s headed off for some much-needed service. I’ll keep you posted when I get it back and run a test roll of film through it. I’m still up in the air about what to recover it with.
Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.
Today’s spotlight camera is the Leica IIIg which was the last Leica rangefinder camera that used L39 (LTM) screw-in lenses. This lovely camera set is from 1956.
The camera’s serial number indicates that it was in production in the latter half of 1956 while the lens looks to be from 1955. The Leicavit winder is appropriate for the models IIIf and IIIg so I believe it’s original to this camera.
Typical to cameras that are over 60-years-old, this one will need a complete CLA (cleaning internally, lubricating, and adjustment) professionally. The shutter is way out of adjustment so the shutter curtains are not operating properly and the speeds are off. The winder will need internal cleaning (mostly removing old lubricants) and installing fresh lubricant. Hopefully, that will enable it to operate as designed at about two frames per second (a stretch).
The lens works as it should and appears to have escaped the dreaded fungus and mold. The front and rear optics are clean and scratch-free but internally it does suffer from haze on all the elements. This appears to be typical with Leitz lenses from this era.
This camera set has a wonderful history and it would be nice to be able to shoot with it again. Here’s hoping.
Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! Please feel free to visit my camera shop hosted by Etsy at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris
Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.
Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris 