The Leica III was originally introduced in 1933, a year after the Leica II launch. The Leica III added the benefit of slow speeds, using the dial fitted to the front. It's a curious arrangement introducing a clockwork mechanical brake, it requires the top shutter setting wheel to be set to the 20-1 setting, then the delay is set on the front dial. The fastest shutter speed was brought to 1000th in the Leica IIIA. The other obvious change was the introduction of strap lugs. Apart from those detail changes, construction was similar to the Leica II, consisting of folded steel internal chassis wrapped in a single piece aluminium tube. This in turn was decorated with a leather effect vulcanite coating, pliable when new, but brittle and prone to cracking near on a century later.

Leitz offered a service whereby an owner could return their camera to be rebuilt to an upgraded model. As originally built, this camera was a standard model E in black enamel with neither rangefinder or slow speeds and was built in mid 1939 as one of 300 examples made that year, the image at left shows how it would have looked. At some point thereafter it was returned to be upgraded to the Leica IIIA form you see it in here, at a guess before 1950. Given the changes to the top housing, shutter assembly and wrap around shell, it seems unlikely that there is much of the original camera remaining, maybe just the serial number.

The Leica III was continually developed, culminating with the model IIIG in 1957.

This camera was generously donated by Mr. S. Saunders in September 2013. He had bought it in partially working order to acquire the Elmar lens. As received the slow speeds were non functioning. Sadly Stephen passed away in November 2024, but much of his collection came to me and the original Elmar was returned to this Leica III body. As a result the camera was rebuilt in June 2025 and is now fully working once again.

It was interesting to compare the internals with our FED 1, often cited as being a Leica copy. Appearances are deceptive, it was obvious that the FED is no where near as well made and KMZ cut many corners to produce their version. Many Russian FEDs and Zorki's get rebuilt as fake Leicas, some openly for display, others to catch the unwary. A Leica wind on action is silky smooth, as the gears are finely machined. FEDs and Zorkis gears are ground quickly and feel a bit "gritty". See here for other ways to tell them apart.

Click on "this camera's gallery" button, below, to see sample images.

Body No. 312683 (1939)
Shutter, cloth blind - focal plane, B, 20, 30, 40, 60, 100, 200, 500 & 1000th sec.
Lens, Leitz Elmar 5cm 1:3.5, serial 139455 - this is a little odd, as this serial dates to 1931-32 and ought to be in a nickel mount, so clearly some swapping about has gone on at some point. Possibly the the Leitz rebuild service extended to changing the original Nickel plated barrel for a chome one to match the chrome plated top housing.

View other rangefinder cameras in this collection.