5 Tips on How to Tell Real Leica Cameras from Fake Ones

Leica Society International proudly presents our “How To” video series with Lars Netopil. In this series, we sit down with experts in Leica Camera buying, collecting, shooting, editing, and more! We ask them to share their best tips and tricks. Watch and learn how to elevate your photography and take it to the next level.
Lars Netopil is a Leica historian, collector, and dealer located in Wetzlar, Germany - you can find Leica Store Wetzlar just steps away from where Oskar Barnack shot. In this video, Lars shares his top five tips on how to tell a real Leica camera from a fake one.
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THE LEICA SOCIETY
Leica Society International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to all aspects of Leica Camera, including photography, research, history, documentation, and collecting.
Special thanks to Lars Netopil.
Interviewed & Produced by:
Helen Todd at Sociality Squared
Recorded by: Kyle Hamman
Edited by: Erik Hogan
Music by: Akashic Records

[@HectorLPuig]

It would be great to have a side by side comparison of fakes and originals, showing the differences in the engraving, the shine of the chrome, etc.

[@arlodamian4565]

I know I am kinda randomly asking but does anyone know of a good place to watch newly released tv shows online ?

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

Because they're not that common. lol, this is just leica marketing tbh.

[@Aleksander-vm3je]

I would have liked to see side-by-side pictures of real Leicas and fakes or forgeries.

[@dangerpowers123]

Lovely intro music, thanks for the Leica info

[@Cameraville]

I think the editor had a few understandable mistakes. Showing Leica m2 instead of Leica II and Leica M3 instead of Leica III

[@Cameraville]

By the way thanks for the tips

[@alanread6596]

Excellent video very informative.

[@LeicaSociety]

Glad you found it helpful, Alan!

[@mrcondorazo]

estoy esperando que me ilustre cuales son las diferencias....

[@codiecrieg2480]

Hello o/ I want to give You part of my story 2 Years ago i want try analog photography again and pick the best camera for me. Leica was one of 3 pick So my gol was own Leica M3, Barnack Leica or Nikon S2. I have start to buy broken camera, give them good service in to my favorite mechanic in Poland and then sell for good price. To make my story short. I have own a lot of camera since then and now i Have my 2 goal. Leica III a model G and Nikon SII. Now i want to get Leica M3 but for me Leica III a is really good camera. Nikon is good to but there is lag of lens. I have watch Your Video and I'm inspired again to get Leica M3 again or M2. Wish me luck sir and have a great day o/ PS: sorry if I made mistake while writing this. I'm not native english speaker but i disslike go short way and just put in in to the translator ;)

[@wsg4847]

Video starts at 1.35.

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

Ahh .. but yes! You didn't pick it? That was not the same person talking in each clip. Go back again and see if you can distinguish the real one from the imposter.

[@MB-or8js]

I am not a collector but know about some Leica cameras. Friend of mine sent me a photo of a Bronze/golden looking supposedly Leica IIIc in a store in Budapest. No serial number on the lens, weird aperture numbering in the same front position instead which makes no sense. Also the slow speed dial was missing on the camera. Camera serial number supposedly from 1933 which looks questionable in the nearly mint condition.

[@crispin8888]

Presumably grey Leica iiic's are more difficult to fake ?

[@acidsnow5915]

Your videos are really so helpful :) less risk i will by a russian copy now :)

[@GearZenChannel]

That scarf is distracting.

[@abigailsockeye1586]

That's no scarf, that is a curtain. It means he can look through a leica viewfinder "window" and into your soul.

[@Leon6D]

lol!

[@BoWasHere2]

It is a little disappointing and bit concerning that the person editing these videos for the Leica Society can't tell the difference between a screw mount and an M mount Leica... The information being given verbally is quite useful, though.

[@northstar1950]

My thoughts too!!

[@andrewhowarth4578]

@@northstar1950Exactly. Two M series models popping up in the first five minutes is not a credibility enhancer.

[@metocvideo]

Helpful, but did not show a side by side comparison with a Fed or Zorki next to a genuine IID, then the differences are obvious. A more serious problem for camera collectors is the duplication of serial numbers. A skilled metal worker can take a genuine Leica of the correct type, and re-engrave it with a serial number that matches a really valuable one, like a Luftwaffe model for example. These forgeries are very hard to detect, even for an expert collector, and sometimes the only way to reveal the fakery is by industrial x-ray to see if the serial number has been tampered with.

[@nocommentnoname1111]

Strongest tip: Your wallet is empty.

[@haymobachmaier]

But the Fed and Zorkis are not Leica fakes... they are original Cameras, built with original mechanery and staff in Russia;)

[@LeendertCordemans]

And they are very well made. I like them. They working great.

[@andrewcomerford9411]

They are direct copies, or derived from such. There's nothing wrong with buying a Fed or Zorki if that's what it says it is, but there's a flourishing market in such cameras being sold as genuine Leicas, which is a pretty rotten thing to do.

[@yetanotherbassdude]

A really interesting guy and I'd love to see something more in-depth with him showing and talking through some fakes and some genuine rarities to actually see the differences, instead of just telling us to bring a genuine Leica with us when buying to compare with. For those of us looking to buy our *first* Leica and worried about fakes, this advice is not exactly very helpful!

[@LeicaSociety]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@abigailsockeye1586]

The real ones say "Leica". The fake ones say "Fuji".

[@MrRom92DAW]

Abigail Sockeye got ‘em

[@tekoppentekoppen761]

You're funny!

Great the video, pity for the song . Which sound very very fake.. poor jingle for poor people. As a matter of fact the annoying jingle makes me run away from Leica

[@TheLemonadedrinker]

This is a very silly video. To be talking about Leica 111s and yet show an M series is not helpful. No-one ever fakes early Canon rangefinders, so why not buy a few of them instead; just as good mechanically and prettier as well!

[@jenserwig1707]

What a dry lad

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

I'd rather a "dry lad" genuine authority, than a wanker who knows squat about the subject. There are thousands of the latter, who make KZbin research so burdensome. I come to this to be informed, not entertained.