Leica III C User manual

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While this instruction
booklet is written primorily for usewith the Model lllc
Leico
comero,informotion
in it is opplicoble to oll other Leicocomeros.
Every
Leico,
from the very firstModel A to the lotest
Model lllc Leicocomero
hosthe
somebosic
genqrol
design.
The moin
differencesbefween
thevorious
models
ore
theodditionol,
unusuol
Leicofeoturesoddedto eochsucceeding
model.
A brief
description
of eochmodelof the Leicocomero
isgivenon poges
44 lo 47.fhis
will enoble
you to identify the model designotion
of your comero,so thot you
con eosilyopply the informotion
in thisbooklet
to it.
2
www.orphancameras.com

10.
DEPTH
oF FIELD
scALE
symmerricolly
engroved
onboth
sides
of
the distonce
scole
index
I
I. TWIN-EYEPIECE FOR
VIEWFINDER
ANDRANGEFINDER
12.
WINDOW
OF
THE
BUILT-IN
VIEWFINDER :
13.
wlNDows oF THERANGEFINDER,
rhe outomoric
focusing
o
b mechonism
which
is
coupled
with
the
rens
focusing
mount
14.
RANGEFINDER
EYEPIECE
ADJUSTMENT
LEVER
15.
RE-WINDING
KNoBrowind
rhe
exposed
film
bock
into
the
film
cortridge
or mogozine
16.
REVERSING
LEVER
set to R before rewinding
film. set to
A (Advonce)
before
looding
thecomero
ogoin
lZ. ACCESSORY
CLIP
ro hold Universol
Viewfinder,
erc.
j
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rl
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poge
l4
poge
17
poge
17
poge
'18
poge
19
poge27
poge
33
poge
l7
44oit4r?
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FERIUNT POINTEN
f] *,
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hg9*'
4
'ri t//tN.tYEPtECE
FOR
VtEW.
.. IINDERANDRANGFFINTTFa
11
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V.
h,
I.
5
I
t.
2.
3.
4.
5.
WINDING
KNOB,odvonces
the
filmond
winds
theshutter,
otthe
some
time
AUTOMATIC
EXPOSURE
COUNTER
SHUTTER
RELEASE
BUTTON
MAIN (TOP)
SHUTTER-SPEED
DIAL
for high
speeds,
1/30-1/1000
sec.
(tobe setofter
winding
shutter)
ADDITIONAL
{SLOW-SPEED)
SHUTTER-SPEED
DIAL for slow
speeds,
'l full second-1/30
sec.
6. APERTURE
POINTER
forsetting
thelensdiophrogm
7. APERTURE
SCALE
(lens
diophrogm
scole)
8. LENS
FOCUSING
LEVER
(with
infinity
cotch)
9. DISTANCE
SCALE
.
poge 6
poge 6
poge 6
poge 7
poge 8
poge
12
poge
12
poge
13
poge
14

Set
reversinglever
to A.
Turn
countirrgdiscio O position
ofter
inserti.rg
o newfllm.lt wili
ouiomoticolly
recordthe
number
of exposures.
l. TurnWINDING KNOB
(os
indicoted
by orrow)
os
for
os it goes up to o stop. Thissimultoneously
winds
the
shutter
ond
odvoncesthefilmforthe
next
exposure.
Double
exposuresore not possible.
2. AUTOMATIC
EXPOSURE
COUNTER.The
counting
disc
isturned
counter-clockwise
by meonsof two lugs.
(i.e.
inthe
oppositedirection
of theorrowon thewinding
knob).
The Leico
film mogozines
or doylight looding cortridges
con hold o strip
of film, 51/a
leet long,which is suffjcient
for 36 pictures
(24x36
mm in size).
3. SHUTTER
RELEASEBUTTON.
Theexposure
is
modeby
gentlypressingthe releose
button.
The
next
picture
conbe token
onlyofterogoin
turning
the
Winding Knob (1)
os for os it goes.
Accidentol
double
exposures
ore impossible.
A speciol
coble
releose
con be
screwed
over the releosebutton,
between
the button
ond
theoutercollor.
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4. The MAIN (TOP)
SHUTTER-SPEED
DtALshows
exposure
figures
from 30 to .|000
which represents
froctions
of o second (for instonce
40 : 1/40 sec.;
60: 1/60 sec.
etc.)
Intermediote
speeds
connot
be
set.
Setto B (Z),
theshutter
remoins
open
while
the
releose
button
is
pressed
down.
When setto the
red
figure
30-1,
the Additionol(Slow
Speed)
Diol (5)
is
put
in
oction
(next
poge).
The
Moin Shutter-Speed
Diol con be odjusted
only
ofter
the
shutter
hos
beenwound,
ositrevolves
when
the lotter
is releosed.
Re-winding
theshutter
brings
the
speed
diol
bock
to its
originolposition.
FIRST
turn
the
Winding
Knob
upuntil
it stops.
THEN
set Shutter-Speed
Diol to the
exposure
timedesired.
Lift
ond setDiolsothot
the index
orrow
points
to the
desired
speed.
Ee&i'ri9$ltfiB':rj :tr

5. ADDTTONAL
(SLOW
SPEED)
SHUT-
TER-SPEED
DIAL
for theslowinstontone-
ousspeeds
1/30
- I sec.
To operote
this Diol set Moin Shutter
Speed Diol - ofter shutter
hos been
wound
-- to thered
figure30
- l.
lt provides exposuretimesof t/so,'lro,
t/to, t/to, t/n,7/2, ond I second.
The
figurescon conveniently
be reod from
obove.Intermediotespeeds
conolsobe
set
(e.g.
3
/ asec.beingholf
woy between
L/2 ond 1sec.)
When setto T, theshutteropens
on beingreleosed,ond remoins
open.Toclose
it, do not press
the releosebuttonogoin,but merelyturnthe SlowSpeed
Diol
bocko little
(toI or forther)
ond theshutter
will closeimmediotely.*
Theshutterolso closes
when the fllm is odvonced.
This
is importontfor photo-microgrophy ond
otherspeciol
purposes.
www.orphancameras.com

When chonging
from
the
slow
speeds
of the
Front
Moin Diol,the Front
Diol must
be set
to the red
diols
oreseito 30 when
1/36
sec.
is
required.
Diol
to the
high
speeds
of the
figure
30. Consequently
both
The Front Diol con be
turned
eitherwoy between
stops. A sofety spring
holds
theFront
Diol
ot 30
ond must
be pushed
bock
with the finger when
chonging
to slow
speeds.
This con be done con-
veniently
by
pressing
down
the spring
with the right
hond
thumb-noil.

Themounts
of theLeico
SUMMITAR
|
/2 oreof o
For
photogrophing
1.
pull
out
lens.
2. lockitby
turning
stondord50 mm lenses
collopsible
type. ELMAR+
/3.5,
SUMMAR
f
/2 ond
itclockwise
tothestop.
Topush
lens
bock
intothecomerobody,unlock
it counter-clockwise.
When locking
the SUMMITAR
or SUM-
MAR lens,toke core
thot only the front
ring is grippednot touching
the other
milledring whichserves
for odlusting
the operture.
The
lens-chonging
flongeollowsoneosy
ond ropid interchonge
of Iensesof vori-
t0
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ous focol
,lengths.
The specior
screw-flonge
of the Leico
insures
losting
occurocy.
Lenses
ore simpry-screwed
firmry
into
,the ch.o.nging
flonge.
The helicol
iotusing mountof
the lens
will outomoticoily
coupre
with the [ongufindu,.
nrechonism.
W.h"l ch.onging
lenses,
hold
the
comero
withthe
left
hond,
gripthelens
withthe_
right
hond
close
to the
comero
body,
ond loosen
it inthe
flonge
witho sright
ierk.
Then
unr.r"*
the lens,
with the comero held floi in yor,. left hond, the
lens.turned
upwords.to
ovoid
dropping
it.
In
the
some'woy
the lens
is screwed
into the chonging-
flonge,
first
feeling
the entronce
of the precision
threoJ by iuining srightr|
counte_r-clockwise,
ond then screwing
it (by turni-ng
.t.[-
wise)
firmly into th,e
chonging
flongeiLenses
in .otiofribr"
To.rntj
must
be
pulled
out
ond rocked
in
the
boyonet
cotch,
their focusing
lever in
.the-infinity
position,
beforebeing
screwed
into
thechonging
flonge.
The
opening
inthe.comero
body shourd
notbeexposed
to
strong
light,
onditis
best
tohold
the
opening
ofthe
comero
ogoinsi
the
body
while
the
other
lens
is
token
from
its
cose.
Toke speciol
core of this
precision
coupling
mount.
Use
screw
cop
when coffy-
ing lens
seporotely.
t1

6. APERTURE
DIAPHRAGM
ADJUSTMENT'
The light
tronsmitting
copocityof o photogrophic
lens is con-
trolled
by itsdiophrogm.
This
hos
thesome
function
os
the irisof the humon
eyewhich
widens
or norrows
the
diometer
of the pupiloccording
to the intensity
of the
light reoching
the eye.
Thediophrogm
of the ELMAR
50 mm (ond
olso
of the
wide ongle lenses
ELMAR
35 mm ond HEKTOR
28 mm
isodiusted
by
osmoll
lug
with
index
line.
Thediophrogm
of oll other
lenses
is
operoted
by o milled
ring.
7. APERTURE SCALE. The
figures
indicote
the relotive
operture
of the lens.
Therelotion
between
lensoperture
ond relotive
time
of exposure
isos
follows'
Lens
operture
(scole
figures*)
Relotiveexposure
time
1.4
't.s
2 z.z
2.8
3.2
3.5
4 t.s 5.6
e.g I 9 Il lz.S
16
l8 22
0.5
9.6,
| 1.2 2 z.s 3 4 S 8 10 16
20
32 40 64 go 128
The toble shows
thot smoll diophrogmopenings,
which noturolly
necessitote
longer
times
of exposure,
ore indicoted
by higher
scole
figures,
ond vice
verso.
* The red figures
represent
the internoiionol
(ASA)
scole of operture
volues,which hos been
odopted
for oll Leico
lenses
of recent
production'
12
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When stopping
down to the next
higher
scole
figure,thetime
of exposurehos
to
bedoubled.
lf, for exomple,the exposure
meler indicotes
on exposuretime 1/60 sec.
for o diophrogm
setting
of 5.6, the
time
of exposure
mustbe doubled
with the
diophrogm
stopped
down to 8 i.e. I
/30 ter.
Or, if ihe correct
exposureis 1/60 sec.
ot 6.3, the speed
shouldbe chongedto j
/'30 when the
diophrogrnis stoppeddown to 9. (When usinglenses
engrovedwith the formerEuropeon
Sysiem.)
The diophrogm seiting2 on the other hond would require
on exposuretime of 1/4BO
sec. In
proctice
you sei ihe shufter
to 1/500 sec.os you would set
ii to 1/20 when
your exposuremeter
reods I
/25 such
little difierences
being of no importonce
owing to ihe greot lotitude in the
sensitivity
of modern films.
B. LENSFOCUSING.
When notin use,the
helicolmount
of thelens
islocked
ot the infinityposition(.o).By pressing
the
knob
on the
end
of the focusing
leverthe cotch
is releosed,
ond the lens
con
then be rototed
for focusing
up to 3.5ft. (1 m).
The locking
device
isfound
only on lenses
of 50 mm focol length
or less.
When
usingthe
ELMAR,
SUMMAR
orSUMMITAR
50mmlenses.
do notforget
to pull
outthetubulor
lens
borrel,
ondlockit in
its
boyonet
cotch.
Long-focus
lenses
qre focused
by meons
of o knurled
ring.
r3

9. DISTANCE
SCALE.
The
distonce
moy be reod off the figure
of thedistonce
scole
which liesneorest
the indexmork.
In oddition
to the moin index,
Leico
lenseshove
o second
indexdenoted
by R
which
serves
for focusing
when
toking
INFRA-RED
photogrophs
(with
the
excep-
tionof the
28mmond35
mmwideongle
lenseswithwhich
moximum
shorpness
in the cose
of infro-red
exposures
olwoys
lieswithin
thedepthof field).
Thelens
isfirst
focused
inthe usuol
monner,
then
thehelicol
mount
moveduntil
theindex
R points
to thot position
on the distonce
scole
whichwos firstindicoted
by the
moinindex.
10. DEPTHOF FIELDSCALE. Themoximum
shorpness
obtoinoble
by o photo-
grophiclenslies
in o plone
ot thedistonce
to whichthe lenshosbeen
set.
From
this plone decreosing
shorpness
extends
to the foreground
os well os to the
bockground.
This
ronge
of shorpness
isccrlled
the "depth
of field" or lessoccu-
;
tl
fleld.
Theneorerthedistonce,
thesmoller
thedepth
of fleld
for
o givenoperture.
14
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To enoble
one to reod the depth of field ronge
ot
ony lensoperoture
ond distonce,
direct from the
Leico
Comero,
o speciol
scoleis provided on the
bose
of the lens
mount.
lt beors
theoperture
figures
on either
side
of the index
mork,
ond shows
the
dis-
tonces
in front of ond behindthe octuol focusinq
distonce
ot which
sufficiently
shorp
focus
is
obtoinedl
In thecose
of o lens
operture
of 3.5ond o distonce
of 7 m the
scole
shows
o depth
of field
ronging
from
obout
5.5m to l0 m,
ond when
thelens
is
st-pped
down to II this
depth of field extends
from obout
3.5
mfo co
(infinity)
without
ony
olterotion
tothe
lens
focusing
being necessory.
Thislotter odiustment
is
porticulorly
useful
when os lorge o foreground
os
possible
isto
beincluded
in
o londscope
photogroph.
l.lOTEr The cxcrmple rrivcrr <rbove
dtslcrrcc
sccrlc.
Orte melcr tt f
or o icns with o
l: op[)rcrxrnrctely 39ri2
t5 16
11
I
I11
as
3# 5.6
3.5
3.5
5.6

However,
it should
olwoys
be borne
in mind
thot
the
moximum
shorpness
liesot
the distonce
to which the focusing
scolehos been set.
Therefore,
for distonce
ui"*t, with o foreground which ion be neglected,
the focusing
scoleshould
olwoys
be
set
ot oo
(infinitY).
The reoding of the depth of field scoleis sufticiently
occurote
for oll procticol
purposes.li desired,
furtherdoto moy be obtoinedfrom our speciol
DEPTH
OF
FIELD
TABLES.
The beginner
will find it odvisoble
not to worry obout the depth of field scole'
His
first-oim
will be
to obtoin
hisresults
with
the
following
settings
of the
focusing
scole,
Forlondscopes
ond similor
obiects
ot longdisto.nces
stop
down to 5.6
or 8,
(6.3
or 9) ond setlens
to infinity.
Forsnopshots
stopdown to 5.6
(6.3),
ond focus
io the most importont port of the subiect.
For portroits,
use
full lens
operture,
ond focus
occurotely
on theeyes
of the person.
,fie" ,s&nrlgli4fiE ieu'
16
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12. TheBUILT-lN
VIEWFINDERis o direcl-vision
finder,
ond shows thefleldcovered
by the lenses
of
ihe 50 mm stondordfocol length.
lt is to be held
centrollyto theeye.
Lenses
of other focol lengths
require
the use
VIEWFINDER,
which
slip5i61e
the
occessories
Ine comero.
VIEWFINDER
Bringyour
eye
tothetwin-
eyepieces
os
close
ospos-
sible.
A slight
movement
of the eye is sufficient
to
chonge
from
Viewfinder
to
Rongefinder.
of the UNIVERSAL
clip 17 on top of
17
RANGEFINDER

J3 o
-
b. WINDOWS OF THE
RANGEFINDER.
The Rongefinder
iscoupled
with thehelicol
focus-
ingmount
ofthe
lens
so
thotwhen
lhe lensisturnedtherongefinder
is outomoticolly
put into opercr-
tion. Correct focus is obtoined
when the two imogesoppeoring
in the rongefinder
ore fusedinto
oneby turning
the
focusingmount
of thelens
(coincidenceprinciple).
subiect
-'tf
Lens
our
offocus
Correct
focus
Theoutomoticcoupling
of the Leicocomero
embodies
o
micrometer-movement
mechonismwith two compensoiing
devicesof o degree
of precision
such
os isfoundonly in
very
high priced microscopes.
It should be especiolly
noted thot oll interchongeoble
Leicolensesore suitoble
for useon ony Leicocomero
with built-inRongefinder.
t8
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l4' RANGEFINDER
EYEPIECE
ADJUSTMENT.
ln
order
toincreose
the
occurocy
ondeose
of focusing,
the
viewing
operfure
of theRongefinde,
i, hti"J witho
telescope.
hoving
o mognificotion
oi t.s times.
TheR-ongennau'
"yupiu.u i,
odiusted-
by turning
thesmoll
lever
fitted
under
the Bock"-winJing
-ftn|f
. 1ri,
permits
focusing
on neor
or distont
oblects
to thegreotest
possible
shorpness,
compensoting
forslight
deficiencies
of the
eye.
For beginners
we recommend
the foilowing procticing
method:
sight o djsfinct
obiect obout l2 to l5 ft. owoy, ond cover the left Rongefinder
window l3 q with
the middle finger. Only o smoll circulor field with the obl"ct-ot whi-chyou or" iiring will be
visible' Seeto it thot your eye is centered
behind thu nongufiider eyepiece
so thot you con ger o
completely
circulorfield of the imoge_.
Adiust the lever li to obtoin the greotest
possible
shorp-
ness'
Keep the obiect in lhe center
of the field, ond uncover
the left windlw of the Rongefinder.
Now vou will see o double imoge of the obiect in o lorger.ir."to' n"ia.-lr*"yr'iu"i"ror'. "r"
in o centrolposition
so thot lhe smoller
field is in the midile of the lorger field. iurn the'focusing
mount
of the lens
until the iwo imoges
fuseinlo one, ond thus
obtoin correct
focus.
After procticing this method severol times, you will hove no difficulty in focusing ony obiect
correctly
withoui covering
the left window of
'the Rongefinder.
I
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19
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