fishandfowl
New member
Leica IIIG
Description and brief history
http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/leica/sm/iiig.htm
The most unusual thing about this is that this camera, which was the most advanced of the Leica thread mount or screw mount cameras, actually wasn’t introduced until after the first M camera came out, the M3. Less than 40,000 cameras were produced from 1957 to 1960, and a few later. They were all silver chrome except less than 1000 that were made for the Swedish military, which were black.
The IIIg is extremely compact compared to an M3 or any other M camera, takes a leicavit, and is capable of producing excellent images. It is smaller in every dimension and lighter, but incredibly dense and heavy for its size . . . as though it were made of spent uranium or something.
The three SM lenses that have modern optics – 35/2 summicron asph, 50/2 summicron, and 50 summilux/2 were purchased new by me at Samy’s in LA about ten years ago. They were made for the Japanese collector market, which wanted the advancements, such as ASPH elements for their beloved little Leica III cameras. These lenses are as new in their original boses and still have all of the new camera documentation in the boxes, none of it filled out.
Optically the 35/2 asph is identical to the 35/2 asph current lens, except that it is a screw mount. With the SM-M adapter (leica versionos which are available used on ebay and cameraquest also makes them) the lenses can do double duty on vintage SM leicas as well as the M8 or M9, etc. Milich also makes a beautiful brass milled SM to M adapter with machined 6-bit indents that can be filled in with white and black paint to correspond to the various M lenses, or, for that matter, for all of the SM lenses, if one picks a code that corresponds to a lens sufficiently similar to the SM version.
Leica III’s were used by all of the great post war photojournalists and photographers, including HCB, and others.
It will be nearly impossible to find a better condition IIIG and lenses.
The set is offered for $9500 including CONUS shipping. Paypal please add 3%. Wire transfers and cashier's checks are accepted. You can check my feedback on ebay under the same username.
Description and brief history
http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/leica/sm/iiig.htm
The most unusual thing about this is that this camera, which was the most advanced of the Leica thread mount or screw mount cameras, actually wasn’t introduced until after the first M camera came out, the M3. Less than 40,000 cameras were produced from 1957 to 1960, and a few later. They were all silver chrome except less than 1000 that were made for the Swedish military, which were black.
The IIIg is extremely compact compared to an M3 or any other M camera, takes a leicavit, and is capable of producing excellent images. It is smaller in every dimension and lighter, but incredibly dense and heavy for its size . . . as though it were made of spent uranium or something.
The three SM lenses that have modern optics – 35/2 summicron asph, 50/2 summicron, and 50 summilux/2 were purchased new by me at Samy’s in LA about ten years ago. They were made for the Japanese collector market, which wanted the advancements, such as ASPH elements for their beloved little Leica III cameras. These lenses are as new in their original boses and still have all of the new camera documentation in the boxes, none of it filled out.
Optically the 35/2 asph is identical to the 35/2 asph current lens, except that it is a screw mount. With the SM-M adapter (leica versionos which are available used on ebay and cameraquest also makes them) the lenses can do double duty on vintage SM leicas as well as the M8 or M9, etc. Milich also makes a beautiful brass milled SM to M adapter with machined 6-bit indents that can be filled in with white and black paint to correspond to the various M lenses, or, for that matter, for all of the SM lenses, if one picks a code that corresponds to a lens sufficiently similar to the SM version.
Leica III’s were used by all of the great post war photojournalists and photographers, including HCB, and others.
It will be nearly impossible to find a better condition IIIG and lenses.
The set is offered for $9500 including CONUS shipping. Paypal please add 3%. Wire transfers and cashier's checks are accepted. You can check my feedback on ebay under the same username.