1936 Leica III Model F and ‘James Allen Ray Berlin 1945’
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- čas přidán 11. 11. 2022
- ‘Photograph what Grabs You!’
In this presentation, I will talk a little about the characteristics of my 1936 Leica III Model F, with 1936 Summar f=5cm 1:2 ltm lens, I purchased back in April of 2019. Share some photographs I had snapped during the 2022 Veterans Day Parade in Prescott, Arizona. And share some history, opinions, speculations because I found a flaw on the rear of the top plate of the camera I did not see in the photographs when considering purchasing this camera. Upon closer examination of the scribe, I was floored!
I hope you enjoy; and please, do not forget to subscribe to my channel.
What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing!
Appreciate it, thank you.
Oh my! That's an amazing treasure that you have found. Thanks for this wonderful video honoring our veterans in WW II. I was on the edge of my seat as you were telling the possible history of this camera.
Appreciate your comment, thank you so much.
What a great history of this camera! Thanks for sharing and keep it in good health!!!
My Grandpa was on the other side... taking pictures with a Leica IIIb....
Thank you for the comment and sharing as well. Appreciate it. It is a great little camera.
Thank you for putting the time and effort into finding out more about the (potential) owner of this camera and sharing it with us. It's amazing to think what stories all of these WW2 era have they we'll almost certainly never know about. These cameras may have been carried by a soldier as they fought on the frontlines, or perhaps captured an important moment in history.
Appreciate the comment, thank you. This camera is a keeper for me.
Your camera is a Leica iiic not a iiif. The main difference is that the iiif (made 1950-1957) has flash synchronization, with a flash port on the rear and a flash synchronization dial beneath the shutter speed dial.
Also, on the iiic, the viewfinder and rangefinder windows are separated, while on the iiif, they are next to each other with a single collar. Leica also “upgraded “ earlier models by adding flash synchronization, slow speeds and self timers, so don’t rely on these features for model designation. Other than the difference that I have pointed out, they are virtually identical.
Thank you for the comment, Mark. However, I would beg to differ with your assessment. I am fairly certain my assessment is accurate and what I have is indeed a 'Leica III Model F' 1933-1939. Mind you, my main reference source for this is the 'Leica Collector's Guide', 2nd Edition, January 2005 by Dennis Laney. In addition to a serial number search online just to see what I had. Let's see what the book has to say. The Leica IIIc was manufactured between 1940 and 1951. The serial # range was 360175 - 525000 (pg 77) for a total of 133626 Leica IIIc manufactured. My camera's serial number does not fall into this range. Naturally, having said that, the Leica IIIc did go through many different variations and this primarily due to the war in Europe between 1940 and 1945, and the post war variations until 1951 when the Leica IIIc finally came onto its own. So, again thank you for your comment, I went back into the book to verify, as well as, reading a little more history and learning.
@@ChuckAbles I stand corrected. I am not a Leica expert. I am a Leica user and fan. After many years, I still find Leica terminology and classifications confusing at best. I’m not trying to be critical. Any Leica is a joy to use, even the Barnack cameras. Thanks for your input.
@@markmueller5508 For sure. The older models throw me for a loop. Appreciate it.
Think there’s a lot of confusion on the designation of the earlier Barnack Leica’s especially if they were modified by Leica.
There is the Leica IIIf which was from the 50’s and the much older Leica III model f from the 1930’s. I have been enjoying my Leica IIIa 1936 which the view finder and range finder windows are separated and was the first Leica with a shutter speed of 1/1000th. With the Leica IIIb which was the next model the windows were next to each other.
@@markmueller5508 The confusion with the early Leica screwmount cameras was that the German designation for this particular model was Leica III but in the United States it was marketed as Leica Model F. See Ghester Sartorious book "Identifying Leica Cameras" AmPhoto Books 1997.
Chuck - my wife and I love watching your presentations. This might be our new favorite. Great research on your part and fun to imagine a young Mr. Ray!
Appreciate it and thank you so much.
I just found your presentation which I very much enjoyed. My Leica lll type F is a 1939 model with the Elmar lens, I also have a M3 and a Leicaflex SL. There’s something magical about Leicas. I met my wife in Prescott, but not yours, but one near Liverpool here in the UK!
Patrick thank you. There is something for sure magical about photographing with a Leica film camera. A joy of simplistic creation of the moment you can grab. Never been in your neck of the woods and it's cool there's a Prescott in the UK. I'll have to ask my wife if she's been when she visited few years back.
Excellent, sir. Thanks for sharing the story of your lovely Leica and of the man who brought it stateside. Some beautiful country down in central Arizona. Take care
Thank you very much. It is pretty down here.
I just got a 1934 Mod.F and found this video, amazing!
Thank you so much. I hope you have the same pleasures photographing with yours as I did with mine. It is a beautiful camera that keeps you grounded in the world of photography.
@@ChuckAbles Is the voigtlander VC you have a good light meter for it? I’ve been trying to find a suitable one.
@@TheReenactorsGuide It is. I've used it on several of my rangefinders. TTArtisans makes them as well and they are a bit cheaper on price point.
My iiif is a 1954 camera with a 3.5 Elmer. It was my first Leica and after using it I understood the mythology of Leica. This led my purchase of a M3 and a leitz Planar for it. I stated shooting film in Yashica A in 1970. Canon SLR’s have been my cameras of choice over the years. I transitioned from film to digital in about 2005. I am now shooting film again.
I retired in the fall of 2020 from the hospital in Flagstaff. I un-retired a little over 6 months ago and took a job at a hospital that serves the Window Rock area.
I have been shooting color negative and B&W up here on the reservation. I have gone back to medium format square and 35 mm.
I have an interesting little German Robot camera that was my uncles. He was a veteran of the Pacific theater during WW2. He was a Navy Warrant officer and served from the late 1930’s until 1967. I am unsure of how he got it. But it appears to be WW2 era. It has a clockwork motor drive. And they were used by German pilots to record their flights.
Thanks for your video.
You're welcome and thank you. I bet you take some phenomenal photographs up and around the Window Rock area. I can only imagine just based on my short visits there in the past.
@@ChuckAbles I am having fun out here. I spent the morning a couple miles north of Fort Defiance shooting an area just South of Navajo, NM burning taking pictures of part of a formation that is locally referred to as the pink elephants.
Thank you for this interesting presentation!
Appreciate it, thank you.
Hi Chuck, I enjoyed your presentation ! Very intresting relation between your camera, James Allen Ray and WW2 History ! Thanks alot for sharing your thoughts and those beautiful images with us all ! Back in 2022 I bought a Leica IIc, with a classical f=5cm 3.5 lens + TT Artisan light meter. Take care, Greatings from Antwerp, little Belgium, Roger.
Roger, appreciate it very much, thank you. I hope you're getting as good photographs with your Leica IIC as I have with my Leica. Chuck.
Great piece of research and presentation, Chuck! Greetings from Hamburg.
Guido, appreciate your comment so much, thank you.
Really great review of the camera and its history. I believe your Model F just preceded my IIIa which was the next model also known as Model G.
Seen a lot of Leica reviews wherein the comments ppl are critical of Leica’s either because of their cost or “status symbol”.
You don’t have to have the most recent models to appreciate the experience.
Been a M2/M3 shooter since the 70’s and really enjoy the experience.
Recently sent my Leica IIIa for a cla and been using it more. Smaller than an M so an easy daily carry. But still love my M’s and shoot with them when I can.
I think the build if the older Barnack Leicas are better than the later M’s. The older model Leicas remind me if the older US pocket rail road watches. They were just overbuilt high quality chronometers that kept our rail roads on time. Just love the precision mechanical build quality. There’s telling time and the experience of seeing what time it is.
For your viewers who use the Barnack Leicas there are a plethora of old used lenses available online but buy with caution as there are issues with older lenses. Fortunately there are some manufacturers who have made LTM Leica Thread Mount 39mm lenses. Voitlander and Lens Light Lab are two who have some available.
I have recently found a source for a Leica like film leader template cutter @
www.freestylephoto.com/783512-Arista-35mm-Film-Cutting-Guide-Large
Although I have the original Leica template I am going to get the long one to try out.
Gary, thank you so much. I am a recent convert to the Leica in a manner of speaking; the last 5 or 6 years say and a serious photographer in the last couple of decades. The kids were all growing up and leaving and I had a fascination for the digital's cameras coming out then. Having said that I am by no means a Leica expert; however, I have a fondness for the mechanics and simplicity, either film or digital, photographing with them. It is, I tell people, a lifestyle when shooting a Leica. You have to know what you're doing without all the bells and whistled.
And thank you for the link as well. I'll be sure to visit it. I had purchased a generic one from E-Bay to trim the leader on the film.
Lest not forget...🌺
Greetings from Belgium
Thank you.
I have a number of screw thread Leicas including the Leica III. It was the first of the III series and the only one to retain the top speed of 1/500th of a second top shutter speed, all of the other III types had a top speed of 1/1000th of a second. Mine which I think is a 1934 model is finished in a high chrome finish which was the norm for the earlier ones of this type. The Leitz Summar is one of my favourites.
Thanks for sharing. They are remarkable old cameras.
Great video. Your camera is a IIIa not IIIf. The focus lever on the back is a diopter adjustment. It is not meant to be used every time you focus. The intent is for the owner to adjust it to their eye and leave in place.
Thank you for the comment, appreciate it. Pulled my Leica Collectors Guide and reread it. I have to say I made a mistake. Thank you for pointing that out. However, The Leica III, Model F ('33-39) had the diopter as well. The Leica IIIa, Model G ('35-'48) had the same thing; however, it is the first Leica with 1/1000 shutter speed. Mine is @ 1/500 max shutter speed. Having said that with the exception of the diopter mistake in misreading the book, I would kindly disagree and say I have the Leica III, Model F giving the shutter speed.
Right you are! I learn something every day. I have a IIIC that was my father’s and love it. I love the transoceanic and console radio you have in the background. Amazingly I have the same one (I believe). Mine is a GE but I think they also sold as a Grebe. I also have have two tube transoceanics; a G500 and H500 and a number of other radios that I have restored. Great video radios too!
V/r
Tom
@@tomm7096 for sure. I do have a fondness for old radios as well.
Great video. Thank you
Appreciate it, thank you.
I have a model G (or a IIIa), also with a summar. I bought it from a guy around 70, who had never used it. He got it from his aunt who, shortly after buying it, had put it in a drawer. No history, but the camera was basically new. I have a Sekonic L-208 meter which is extremely small and the battery in it lasts almost forever. It's a great camera.
Excellent. Thank you for sharing.
Well done.
Appreciate it, thank you.
Did you ever try to contact Ray's family?
I did not. Very little to go on and pull from the internet. So, in this presentation I was speculating, based on an obituary notice dated February 15th, 2004.
wow to bad i didnt find this video year ago. I have Leica IIIa model g witch summar ;3 The difference is - my have flash port
Still, I bet you're enjoying photographing with it.
Not Leica 3F.
Thank you. You're right. The presentation is about the Leica III Model F. I do have a Leica IIIf as well and it was manufactured between 1950 and 1957.