Leica iiia - Loading, Shooting, and All the Quirks

Time to go over the strange shooting process with this Barnack-designed camera from 1935. We'll load it, shoot it, and go over all the goods and bads of the Barnack design
Contents
00:00 Intro
01:29 History
02:03 Loading Film
05:59 Unique Features
11:05 Shooting with the Leica
12:44 Impressions

[@jestintzi]

I am always a bit frustrated when people pick up these cameras and talk about how “slow” they are after these sort of first-impression kind of reviews-they are slow if you are unfamiliar with them, and there are definitely a few accommodations that must be made because we live in a very different world for film than we used to, but if you put some time into getting accustomed to it, it’s honestly not slower than many other manual film cameras. I honestly find that I probably am much faster using this camera than I am with my M3 simply because I’m familiar and comfortable with this camera. I hope you’ll keep giving it a chance and don’t get it in your head it’s doomed to be a “slow” camera-it’s a great camera (my favorite, even), and some of the “quirks” that are slowing you down are things you can probably either fix (your lens’ focus is too stiff, for example, as you shouldn’t have to push it so hard that you twist the lens off!) or just get used to. The slow speeds on these cameras are also quite simple to clean up and get working, since you can actually take the whole slow-speed escapement out of these iiia cameras without taking the camera apart nearly as much as with the later iiic+ models (there’s like one or two screws in the bottom that iirc you can just unscrew and the whole escapement will come out), and most of the time all you really gotta do is soak that escapement in some lighter fluid, maybe put a few tiny drops of oil on the pins in the gears, and pop it back in and the slow speeds will work just fine. Also you should count yourself “lucky” maybe because your iiia was definitely “upgraded” to have that rewind knob that pops up! That’s not something they did until the F models, so someone probably had that upgraded (it’s not necessary, but nice to have-I used to have a iiia that had that as well).

[@AlexGalt-ch3ei]

This. This camera requires practice to use it smoothly. If you look at the original manual, it actually has exercises for you to practice. At a certain point it becomes second nature.

[@cameraman655]

Back in the day when photography took some serious skills and patience…props to those who mastered these cameras.

[@ThisOldCamera]

I couldn't agree more

[@amilcardeoliveira1287]

I didn't actually see you wind the film, but most people get it wrong. You don't take the camera off your eye and then hold the film advance button with your finger tips and wind it. Instead, with the camera still to your eye, take your index finger off the shutter button and drag the side of it nearer to your thumb against the right side of the advance button twice until you come to the advance stop. It's much faster than taking the camera off your eye to advance film. I just remembered...up to about 1975 film manufacterers cut all film the proper way to fit Leicas. That sort of dates me...

[@garysong8163]

Noticed that you got the range finder and view finder eyepieces reversed. The range finder eyepiece has the diopter adjust lever which is used to correct focus for your eye. The other eyepiece is the viewfinder. In later Leica’s after the IIIa the rangefinder and viewfinder eyepieces were adjacent to each other.

[@ThisOldCamera]

Ah I keep getting them backward. Thanks! I gotta watch out for that

[@pangolin9024]

great video! got a leica iiif that was taken apart for repairs a long, long time ago and was never put back together (and is missing a few important parts, like the bottom plate and most of the self timer) and this will be very helpful lol

[@MegaSoundscapes]

Nice video about this vintage Leica camera, thankx ! i have a Canon IId which is basically a copy of the Leica with the same feel and vibe. You catched all the main points pretty good. I love the pure mechanical operation, it's like a clock with all the gears and parts and I find it amazing that they still work great after so many years if they are CLA'd . If maintained right, that camera will still take great images in 50 years. Can't imagine that my digital cameras will last that long.

[@ThisOldCamera]

That's awesome to hear because I wanted to look more into Canon's designs back then. I've seen how they have similar vibes to a Leica, but my bread and butter is made from Canon cameras. So I'm super curious about what they were doing that far back. and no way people are CLA'ing our used 5D's 50 years from now

[@fretlessfender]

Calling the camera "crazy" "quirky" and "slow, is because we are watching with modern eyes... Back in the day it was new, well lubricated and optically very bright. Compared to old plate camera's it was quick, stealthy and swift... but that was 90(!) years ago... Have the old girl serviced, and only than she will reveal what Oscar Barnack ment with this piece of hightech from back in the day... Tip: with rangefinders alway put the lens back to infinity after you took the shot. When focussing for the next shot there is only 1 direction to go, ypu will find your focus quicker that way... Tip 2: Use hyperfocus... on bright days with f11 you will be in focus between 2,5 meters and infinity, no need to focus at all, and you'll be as quick as can be!

[@ThisOldCamera]

Tip 2 blew me away. Such good insight And so right on the modern view of older systems. It's so hard to shake off the digital mind set. But you won't be able to service recent cameras a century from now

[@fretlessfender]

@ThisOldCamera very true, somehow a lot of we find important today will be lost in a 100 years... because of continuous changing digital standards and the old ones becomming obsolete. That is why film photography is still relevant! It might be that in a century the negatives we make today, be the only source material available about our time... This is why channels as your own are pretty important! Just think of it... can you still open a floppy drive, or a cd or dvd on a modern computer?

[@Carlos_Rosales_Gross]

Hi, you don't need to cut the film. just use a visit card when loading the film

[@Bethos1247-Arne]

the camera looks very good. But yes, the use is quite complex. Mechanical 35 mm cameras advanced a lot in the following decades. With the range- and viewfinder being separated, I think this Leica is more for landscape even if the advertisement focused on the new fast shutter speed. It also shows how much R&D had to be done to get 35 mm mechanical cameras to where they evolved, which could be easily overlooked if you only know later versions, like the Nikon FM2.

[@stratocactus]

I use a Zorki 1E (Leica soviet copy from 1955) for street photography. f/8 or f/11 and zone focus. Just need the viewfinder. I also used it for portraits a few times. It's not as fast as more modern cameras but when you get used to it, it's not so bad. So not only for landscape :)

[@jorgegomez-pi6fg]

Wee

[@TheChosenOne_]

I’m not sure about your inflation calculation and maybe it was very different in the US but if we take a price of 220 RM (Reichsmark) and convert it to Euro today it would roughly be 1100€ so also roughly $1100 today. All in all a very enjoyable video about the Leica III. Also you missed your 1/1000 advertisement moment at 12:21 :P

[@ae364]

Do you have to have an attachable viewfinder in order to frame up with your 35mm lens?

[@robbiemer8178]

Glad you had fun with your Leica. It is slower to make a photo with than a phone but it can be fast enough for almost any photography once you've used it enough to get some muscle memory for it. It will reward use by becoming second nature fairly quickly. A couple of things that may help you: First thing I will suggest is that if you want to use the camera is to get it--and the lens--serviced. That will make it as easy to use as it can be. The advance knob will, for example, spin very smoothly and require much less force, the viewfinder and rangefinder windows will be much clearer and nicer to look through, etc. And the shutter speeds will be as close to the marked speeds as possible. Youxin Ye is one service guy I can recommend. I like lenses that have the focus button like that Canon lens does because after a short while you will have a good idea of what focus distance the lens is at by the feel of where that button is. You can certainly use the 35mm lens as you have done in this video but your framing will be much better if you either get a 50mm lens--the focal length the viewfinder was made for--or get a 35mm auxiliary viewfinder. These fit into the cold shoe on the camera and give you a much better approximation of what the lens is seeing. Lastly, a little time spent learning "sunny 16" will go a long way to making this camera quick and fun to use.

[@ThisOldCamera]

Wow thank you for that! I hadn't considered the lens size (35mm) to viewfinder (50mm). Such a good point to consider

[@garysong8163]

Nice review of the Leica IIIa. There are film cutter templates available which makes the cutting process much easier and they are far cheaper than the original Leica film cutter template. Using a template is far better than the alternatives. You want to prevent film bits jamming or damaging the shutter. I’ve seen suggestions of using a card inserted from the bottom of the camera and then inserting the uncut film or taking off the lens and setting the shutter to t then while shutter is open positioning the film in. I would recommend not doing either but to invest in getting the film cutting template which ranges in cost less than $50. To get your shutter replaced or repaired will cost over $300. Just not worth it. Enjoy your IIIa I’ve been using one that I got about 10 years ago and had it CLA’d recently. Different experience that shooting an M.

[@ThisOldCamera]

Oh yeah I noticed those cutters in the manual. That definitely seems the way to go after trying it. Anything to avoid all those small pieces getting inside

[@CzejenAndCodaj]

T- Time not bulb ;3 Bulb is on top and it work different ;3 Time close shuter when you change speed. And 1st window is rangefinder, second is frame 50mm.

[@northstar1950]

These cameras aren't slow, look at the master of Leica photography Henri Carter Bresson. He didn't mess about because he must have set the camera up before he hit the road. Probably used quite a wide aperture for a decent DOF preset a highidh shutter speed and pre focused. Got his shot then moved on.

[@markusgroeber5309]

35mm lens with a 50mm viewfinder?

[@codiecrieg2480]

Actually i shoot my IIIa as fast i shoot my m4. I use only rangefinder and i know where should be my frame. Anyway about film crank You can use it by using one finger and You can reload even faster than m4 ;) Only think IIIa didnt have is rapid loading.

[@notloki3140]

Price is the same. Most used "cheap" Leica cameras are around 3000...

[@ThisOldCamera]

I hadn’t thought about it that way. Wow now that’s appreciation

[@vuongchibach8994]

You should use the nikon f2

[@ThisOldCamera]

So I had never used a Nikon before. Blown away but that system. The fact they didn't change their lens mount, crazy to todays standards. The changeable parts in the view finder and glass, what?

[@vuongchibach8994]

@@ThisOldCamera yeah you can change the focus screen on that nikon, lenses for the nikon is really good and not as expensive as leica lenses

[@johnyoung1606]

Maybe You could look at some KZbin Videos about Early Leica Cameras,,,, My fault for not re-watching ( BUT it is said by many who are veterans of shooting Leica Cameras of that Vintage !!!!!!!! Many if not all say that "The camera must be wound before changing the shutter speed, The Mechanism may be Damaged" :( :( :( It may be an "Old Wives Tale" That Damage Could Occur....But : If the shutter is not cocked it will not be the shutter speed that is wanted...

[@TheChosenOne_]

I think you are thinking about soviet rangefinders where that will damage the camera

[@johnyoung1606]

@@northstar1950If the shutter is not cocked it will not be the shutter speed that is wanted... It may be an "Old Wives Tale" That Damage Could Occur.... :( :(

[@northstar1950]

​@@johnyoung1606I have removed my original comment and apologies because my original comment was not meant for you. I have always been of the belief that the shutter should be cocked first as mentioned it's the only way to know what speed has been selected. I have always thought and told others that damage can occur if this sequence isn't followed. However I did some research and some are of the opinion it doesent matter. However zI will continue to cock then alter the speed after.

[@koby1960]

These Leica's are actually the cheapest way into the Leica film camera club...try a M leica for price

[@ThisOldCamera]

I never thought of it that way. I'll definitely check out the M