Hard to find a man so experienced in film photography. Keeping it simple. Love it

There are genuine Elmar lenses with no serial number. When a Leica I (Model A), which had a fixed (non-interchangeable) lens with no serial number, was factory converted to a Leica II, III, or IIIa, the lens was converted to LTM for use on the camera, and no serial number was assigned to the lens.

Wow - thanks so much for this - I was looking through Ebay and it looks like every Leica 2 in the $800 to $1,000 price range is fake - I'm so glad I've found your video. Thanks again.

As a kid, I knowingly bought a couple of Canon rangefinder bodies at Toronto pawnshops and equipped them with a variety of German lenses. My favourite lens was a Leica Summicron F2 (collapsable brass) .. sharp as a tack!

Superb, expert, professional suggestion of what to do during lockdown! Read about a feature, then practice it, then go on to another feature. Mr. McCordall, you are the best!

Well... Short but to the point ! Well done ! Keep them coming !

Looking at a used Leica IIIf online - seems to have the right rangefinder actuator in the lens mount area, shutter button looks like your example IIIf but has a hole in it (looked at a bunch of alternatives and they all had the same looking shutter button). Top plate looks legit as well as the engraving and serial number. The viewfinder is square though (but has a ledge). Again, I looked at a bunch of others and they all had square viewfinder housings on the front of the camera. I'm guessing that there's a tonne of fakes on the market...

I bought a Leica IIIa but it has the same edge as the black Leica viewfinders. Its shutter button is also taller and has a neck. I don’t know if it’s a real or Frankenstein’s Leica 3a

I have a couple of fakes. You don't even need to look at specifics. Just the general quality is a dead giveaway - quality of chrome plating, knurling, lettering etc - is all you need to make a very rapid assessment. I honestly believe i could determine a fake, with a blindfold on - the difference is so obvious. The Reid is a different matter. It feels very high quality but looking at it immediately shows what it is.

Great video . .my son collects and even restores old cameras, so I've sent him the link . .Thanks for sharing! #30

Great video! Do you have a similar video for Leica lens?

Glad to see you are alive and kicking phil

Nice video.....I almost picked up a gold Leica at a flea market for $100.00 Alarm bells went off in my head so I walked away from it.

There were 11 o clock versions of the elmar lenses. Also I personally wouldn’t call zorki’s and fed’s really fakes after the first models

Very very good. Thank you. Canada

I just came across your video and boy oh boy do I feel stupid! I won a bid on what I thought was a Leica. I restored it and even made it work. I don’t even know what to do now because I wanted a genuine Leica. What do you suggest if someone gets a fake and are fakes worth anything?

你好 ！你会维修吗？我的佳能仿徕卡，我更换完帘布快门出了问题？B和慢速快门会卡住，两块帘布好像一起过去。 Hello! Can you repair it? My Canon imitates Leica, but after replacing the fabric, did the shutter have any issues? B and the slow shutter will get stuck, and the two curtains seem to pass together.😀

Could you do the same video with the Leica 3 (3a or IIIa especially) , or is it basically the same tipps and things to have closer look?

Hello, I enjoyed your video. My Leica lllc complies with all your genuine Leica points except the rounded corner on the upper right corner of the viewfinder. I may have misunderstood you on that point. Perhaps you were referring to a Leica ll. Anyway, I've done a bit of simple research and looked at a couple dozen or so Leica lllc images, and they all look like mine, square.

Very entertaining video, It is quite puzzling that if they can make counterfeit, but realistic looking normal leicas, why all 'special models', Luftwaffe/Olympics are so garish, and obviously fake.

Great presentation.Thank you for sharing.

Feds and Zorkis aren’t fakes... they’re feds and zorkis

Great information, very useful.

Really missed this amazing man

Hello sir, i have found a leica camera that used to be from my grandfather. I dont know much about photography or cameras but would like to learn how to use this one for i have fallen in love with it at first sight. However i dont know how to know which model it is to do research on how to use it, would you be able to help me with it? I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much for the well informed video.

Is a Fed really a fake when it's not marketed as a Leica? I have a Fed 2. I knew it was a Fed when I bought it, it was sold to me as a Fed, it's got Fed on the body... nothing fake there.

It should be five centimeters or 50mm (around 8:10 mins)

Fascinating video! I have an interesting "Leica clone" with Fed-1 DNA but it doesn't try to pass as a Leica! No, that would be too straight forward and perhaps overly obvious! No, it instead poses as a famous Japanese Leica clone! It tries to pass as a Leotax with the Showa Optical Works Ltd. nomenclature and such! The lens is a collapsible 5cm f/3.5 marked Lantana Anastigmat with metal Leotax cap. But it has the Fed-1 four slotted screws on its front and the three around the tripod socket on the bottom and of course a lever in the lens cavity instead of the Leica roller! It works well (after a fashion) and is interesting as a "clone of a clone" but it's NOT a Leica OR a Leotax!

Thank you for your usefull tips. Since my favourite photographic local store has closed, i have to buy things online to find a good price, but it's full of traps. I found very usefull the tip on the lenses

I've got a Zorki in abominable condition. I've used the lens a bunch though. It's got character!

Those fakes looks quite nice actually. Would buy them over Laica in a heartbeat.

Thanks for sharing info..

thank you.

you omitted japanese copies.. CANON; Nikon were involved in making bodies, lrnses. Leotax also? servicemen, eat photographers found some of them wprthehile.

I do have a replica (fake) leica This video is a really good information video that you sir :)

Hello sir, good video, is a IIIf having a 821*** serial number normal, please?

yeee my is oryginal :3 ^^ Leica IIIa :3 Ty for this video. It help me a lot b4 i bought my :3

Thank you, sir.

I found an old "Leica ll" my dad had given me before I moved, was trying to figure out how it worked so I could do some photography with it and the forum I posted to told me it was a fake Zorki lc Leica kinda funny I didn't plan on selling it regardless

hey I have a leica II and would like to have it authenticated but don't know where to go to do so could you please point me in the right direction. From the vidoe, it might be fake but I want to make sure before selling it. Thank you very much :)

pretty much if its not a Leica Rangefinder it's " Fake " Right ?

There are fakes, and then there are clones

Leica info interesting and the lockdown idea is good.

Thank you

hi! very nice video i like the vide, but i still have a doubts abaout one leica that i wanna buy, if i show you that one can you say me if it is a real one? thanks

corona look where have u bought me...

Do the Leica fakes actually take good photos? I can't find a single video on KZfaq comparing photos taken with a real Leica and a fake one. Are there any actual photographers buying these fakes interested enough to actually try them out?

What a great video, thanks for sharing

FED and Zorki bashing. There's nothing you've said that I haven't already heard before.