Cameras/Leica camera
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Question
I have a Ernst Leitz wetzlar camera No:301792, any info on value & where to sell is much appreciated. Im in the UK
Hello David,
From that serial number, you have a Leica III (also known as the Leica Model F), a traditional 35mm coupled rangefinder camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1938. It's significant as their first camera to offer an integral coupled rangefinder mechanism to aid focusing, but is also quite common, and it seems like the majority of them have survived to today. Factory records indicate over 75,000 were sold from 1933 to 1939. Still, a truly excellent example, with an an appropriate matching Leitz 5cm lens (like an Elmar or Summar) can sell for $300 (in satin chrome finish) to $400 (in black finish) in today's collectible camera market. Since it is much more of a collectible than a usable item today, value depends more on cosmetic than mechanical condition. These aren't the easiest cameras to sell, since there are so many available, especially in the UK, but if you'd like to forward this message along with a couple of small JPEG digital images of the camera to me at <silver@well.com> I'll take a look at it and see if I can recommend some good honest collectors you can contact directly for a quick and stress-free transaction.
Best wishes,
David Silver
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David Silver
Expertise
I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.
Experience
I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:
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