Cameras/leitz wetzlar camera
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Question
Dear David, I have a Leitz Wetzlar camera no 224620 with a Summar 5cm f2 lens, no 4685135. Can you give me any idea on value and date. thankyou.
Hello,
Without seeing a picture of it to verify (these were often returned to the factory after the war for an upgrade to later models, a cheaper alternative to buying a completely new camera), serial number 224620 is most likely a Leica Standard (also marketed as the Leica Model E), a simple 35mm rangefinder camera, made by Leitz of Germany around 1936. It's not one of their more common models, with only about 26,000 produced from 1932 to 1940, but it was their most basic and least expensive camera during that time, so rarity is not that much of a factor when measured against novelty of technological advancement. Besides, a surprising number of them seemed to have survived. A truly excellent example of the Leica Standard, with a nicely matched Leitz 5cm normal lens (such as that Summar), might sell for up to $350 in today's collectible camera market.
Best wishes,
David F. Silver - President
International Photographic Historical Organization
silver@photographyhistory.com
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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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