The Leica III is similar to the model II but with the addition of slow speeds of 1 - 1/20 second and eyesight correction. The addition of the slow speed mechanism necessitated the top housing being re-modelled. Later model IIs also used the modified housing. The camera was originally produced in a back/nickel finish, shortly followed by a chrome model, a few models are finished in black/chrome. Other minor variations exist, most notably the size of the bottom plate locating pin and the addition of neck-strap lugs. On late models the re-wind lever has a cam that passes into the speed dial housing.

There are differences in the cassette tins, the early type has plain, flat, top, later it has a deep circular indent. Other versions of the reflecting finder have a swing-in negative lens for 35 mm and 28 mm wide-angle lenses.

Table Stand

This small device held the Leica in either a horizontal or vertical position, it could also be inclined slightly by means of the levelling screw. It was first shown in the 1936 General Catalogue.

STARE

The STARE copying stand is probably an early example and differs from that shown in catalogues of the time. The column is only 18" high rather than 22". The camera lens is off-set from the axis of the column by about 40 mm giving a lop sided look to the stand, on later models the bracket centres the lens with the column. The feet of the stand can be set up to 17" apart, the rear part of the stand is calibrated to this distance, but the height of the column only allows for originals up to 9" wide. When set to infinity with the no. 2 close-up lens the image width is about 8" with the camera at a height of 15".

BEOOY

With the BEOOY three settings are possible:
Lens no. 3 and camera lens at 3 ½ feet, object size is 5" x 3 ⅜".
Lens no. 3 and camera lens at infinity, object size is 6 5/16" x 4 1/4".
Lens no. 2 and camera lens at 3 ½ feet, object size is 8 ½" x 5 ⅝".

With the addition of the extension legs BETAB an additional setting of:
Lens no. 2 and camera lens at infinity, object size is 12 5/8" x 8 7/16".

The legs are marked with yellow and white rings for the Summar for the Elmar lenses respectively.

Optical Near-Focusing Device

This was a variable extension tube with parallax compensation to the view-finder and rangefinder. It allowed the standard 5 cm lens of the Leica to focus down to 17 ⅜", the magnification range was 1:6.5 - 1:17.5.

In use the lens is secured to the unit by its bayonet, the focusing mount of the lens is not used. An optical wedge is aligned over one of the rangefinder windows and a mask aligns in front of the view-finder window. The latter automatically adjusts for parallax and reduction in field size but in use was not very precise due to the small finder window.

Pre-war Leitz made different versions of the device:

• Nooky (1935) for the 5 cm Elmar lens. In 1939 a reproduction scale was added.
• Nooky-Hesum for the 5 cm Hektor and Summar. In 1939 a reproduction scale was added and the engraving included the 5 cm Summitar.

Early models were available in a black and nickel finish later only chrome were made.