Camera ID help please

My wife gave me this for my B-day on the 1st, then I left for a trip on the 2nd so I haven't had time to investigate exactly what it is I am now the proud owner of. Other than knowings it's a Leica screw mount, I have know idea what this is. I did find a place to look up the serial # but it was in German and I have no clue what it said. It gave me 2 options to search and one came back with a date of 1935, the other 1937. Anyone have a good resource where I can find more info on this camera?

Try the following link. This is by no means detailed but may provide some info. http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-174.html

Nice camera by the way.

Regards

I looked at google images for Leica m1s, 2s, and 3s and it matches the m3 thought the images vary somewhat.

Thanks Cameron and Frog. From what I have been able to track down, this is a Leica III from 1937. Haven't had the time to dig any deeper yet.

Yep a IIIa, I sold mine a few months ago and really regret it. I am currently looking for a replacement. You have to trim the leader on the roll of film before you load it or it can damage the camera. You can google how almost anywhere. You need a Leica LTM lens to use on it but you can get a Jupiter, Russian lens, much cheaper.
You focus in the left finder then compose in the right one. The value of these cameras have went up slightly since I sold mine so I think I would hang on to it.
You can also use Voigtlander screw mount lenes as well with this. Tuna uses a Voigtlander 35mm for about 90% of his work.

Thanks for the info Greg. What's the difference between a III and a IIIa? The site I found said it was a III and that is what the guy selling it had it listed as.

I do plan on getting a lens for it at some point, but I'm really not in a hurry to spend much money on this. If/when the camera does get used, it won't be much. It's more of a piece to add to my collection of antique cameras, but I do want to play with it a little. :)

Check out Stephen Gandy's Camera Quest . This is a site with a world of information about all things rangefinder and a very good source for lenses, parts, repairs, etc. Here's a direct link to the serial number page:
http://www.cameraquest.com/ltmnum.htm

The big feature of the IIIa was a 1/1000th top speed for the shutter. This set the mark for the rest of the 35mm camera world for many years.

See this Page for more details.

Yours actually might be a III, I thought mine had 1/1000s on it and that was the difference. You can pick up a Jupiter or Industar 5cm for it on ebay fairly cheap. Less than $50.00 and maybe cheaper than that. If you shoot anything different than 5cm or 50mm you will need a hot shoe finder. So your best bet will probably be 5cm. the old Russian lenses are very good lenses for the money. Some of the old LTM and Leica lenses actually have character unlike newer lenses.