Expert: David Silver - 1/15/2011

Question
I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A LEICA IIIF RED DIAL CAMERA FROM AROUND THE 1950'S.  ON THE TOP OF IT, IT SAYS LEICA D.R.P. ERNST LEITZ WETZLAR NR.600080.  I BELIEVE IT IS ONE OF THE RED DIALS IF THE RED DIALS ARE ON THE TOP OF THE CAMERA.  IT ALSO HAS A LEICA METER WITH IT AND IT ALL SEEMS TO BE IN USED BUT WELL TAKEN CARE OF CONDITION.  I WAS WONDERING ON HOW MUCH THIS CAMERA WOULD RETAL AT AND IF SO DO U KNOW ANYWHERE IN THE EASTERN COASTAL UNITED STATES AREA THAT WOULD BE INTRESTED IN IT.  

THANKS FOR ALL YOU HELP
JJ

Answer


Hello JJ,

Serial number 600080 is actually a Leica IIIf "black dial", a traditional 35mm coupled rangefinder camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1952.  Your example was part of the large last run of 30,000 "black dial" versions produced that year before Leitz introduced the first "red dial" model at serial number 611000.  The Leica IIIf is a common camera in general, with over 180,000 produced from 1950 to 1957, but usually regarded as a fine usable as well as collectible camera.  There is much confusion over the "black dial" and "red dial" designations.  What happened is that Leitz made a major improvement in the shutter mechanism in 1952, and to externally distinguish the difference between the old and the new, they changed the flash synchronization numbers under the shutter speed dial from black to red.  So the black or red has nothing to do with the dial at all, but refers to the numbers on top of the camera body UNDER the speed dial.  Okay, an excellent example of the Leica IIIf "black dial", complete with a proper matching Leitz 50mm normal lens (most likely an Elmar or Summitar), should sell for around $350 in today's collectible camera market.  As for buyers specifically on the east coast, I honestly can't recommend anybody, and besides, the major market for these more common Leica models today isn't in the United States at all.  The majority seem to be going to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and now mainland China.  If you're uncomfortable dealing with such an exotic market, feel free to contact me at the e-mail address below and I'd be happy to broker a sale for you.  Otherwise you'll have to be content either risking a sale on eBay or dangling the camera on Craigslist, and in either case your reasonable expectation would probably fall to about 50%-60% of fair market value.  I'm here is you need me...

Best wishes,

David F. Silver - President
International Photographic Historical Organization

silver@photographyhistory.com