Leitz Leica IIIa

I never intended to get a Leica. At the typically high prices they command, I was content knowing I could buy and enjoy many less expensive cameras for the same amount of money. During a late-night perusal of Ebay listings I came across a really inexpensive IIIa and lowball bid… surprise, I got it.

After sourcing an Elmar lens from the UK, the camera is ready to use. The build quality, feel, and sound of using this camera are very different from what I expected after using a FED and Zorki. Now I get it.

Make	Leitz
Model	Leica IIIa
Year	1936
Format	35mm
Shutter	Cloth Curtain
Speed	Z(B), T, 1 to 1/1000
Lens	Leitz Elmar
	f3.5 50mm
Focus	1.25m to ∞
Aperture	f3.5 to 18
Light Meter	No
Rangefinder	Yes

Here are some shots I took. Sorry for the horizontal lines, R5 Monobath issues…