
Image
Leica
IIIb
Year
1937-1946
Low serial no.
240 001
High serial no.
355 000
Total
30,850
Variants
3
Leica
IIIb
Year
1937-1946
Low serial no.
240 001
High serial no.
355 000
Total
30,850
Variants
3
Model Description
The Leica IIIb altered the arrangement of the rangefinder and viewfinder eyepieces. Although focusing and framing still used separate optical systems, their rear eyepieces were placed immediately beside one another. This reduced the movement required when changing from the rangefinder to the viewfinder. The shutter remained substantially that of the IIIa, including its 1/1000-second maximum and separate slow-speed control. The change was primarily one of handling rather than a new photographic system, but it was another stage in the development that eventually produced the single combined finder of the M3.
Descriptions currently under review
Production Quantity by Year
Variants & Production Records
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1937
240 001
241 000
1,000
1937
242 001
243 000
1,000
1937
265 001
266 000
1,000
1938

280 001
286 500
6,500
1938
288 001
290 200
2,200
1938
294 001
294 600
600
1939
317 001
318 000
1,000
1939
319 001
320 000
1,000
1939
321 001
322 000
1,000
1939
323 001
324 000
1,000
1939
326 000
327 000
1,001
1939
328 001
329 000
1,000
1939

331 001
332 000
1,000
1939
333 601
334 000
400
1939

336 001
337 000
1,000
1939
339 001
340 000
1,000
1939
344 001
348 500
4,500
1940
348 601
349 000
400
1940
349 301
351 100
1,800
1940
351 151
352 000
850
1946
354 401
355 000
600
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1937
240 001
241 000
1,000
1937
242 001
243 000
1,000
1937
265 001
266 000
1,000
1938

280 001
286 500
6,500
1938
288 001
290 200
2,200
1938
294 001
294 600
600
1939
317 001
318 000
1,000
1939
319 001
320 000
1,000
1939
321 001
322 000
1,000
1939
323 001
324 000
1,000
1939
326 000
327 000
1,001
1939
328 001
329 000
1,000
1939

331 001
332 000
1,000
1939
333 601
334 000
400
1939

336 001
337 000
1,000
1939
339 001
340 000
1,000
1939
344 001
348 500
4,500
1940
348 601
349 000
400
1940
349 301
351 100
1,800
1940
351 151
352 000
850
1946
354 401
355 000
600
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1937
240 001
241 000
1,000
1937
242 001
243 000
1,000
1937
265 001
266 000
1,000
1938

280 001
286 500
6,500
1938
288 001
290 200
2,200
1938
294 001
294 600
600
1939
317 001
318 000
1,000
1939
319 001
320 000
1,000
1939
321 001
322 000
1,000
1939
323 001
324 000
1,000
1939
326 000
327 000
1,001
1939
328 001
329 000
1,000
1939

331 001
332 000
1,000
1939
333 601
334 000
400
1939

336 001
337 000
1,000
1939
339 001
340 000
1,000
1939
344 001
348 500
4,500
1940
348 601
349 000
400
1940
349 301
351 100
1,800
1940
351 151
352 000
850
1946
354 401
355 000
600
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1938

295 301
295 305
5
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1938

295 301
295 305
5
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1938

295 301
295 305
5
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1939

335 007
336 000
994
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1939

335 007
336 000
994
Year
Start No.
End No.
Total
1939

335 007
336 000
994
End

© Jordan Lockhart / Lockhart's List 2026. All rights reserved. This website and its database content are protected by copyright and the EU Database Directive (96/9/EC).
Lockhart's List is an independent website and not affiliated or endorsed by Leica Camera AG or its subsidiaries. No part of this database may be reproduced or distributed in any form without written consent from the database creator. No images seen in this database may be altered, copied, or distributed without the express written permission of the image copyright holder. Images that appear in this database do so with the consent of their copyright holders. No responsibility or liability can be accepted with respect to estimated values or records of production and is for hobbyist purposes only. Classifications, quantities, records, images, sales, & market prices are subject to change, additions, & deletions. Any offers to buy or sell are purely preliminary and not binding. We hope you gain valuable insight from information contained herein & good luck on your endeavors.

© Jordan Lockhart / Lockhart's List 2026. All rights reserved. This website and its database content are protected by copyright and the EU Database Directive (96/9/EC).
Lockhart's List is an independent website and not affiliated or endorsed by Leica Camera AG or its subsidiaries. No part of this database may be reproduced or distributed in any form without written consent from the database creator. No images seen in this database may be altered, copied, or distributed without the express written permission of the image copyright holder. Images that appear in this database do so with the consent of their copyright holders. No responsibility or liability can be accepted with respect to estimated values or records of production and is for hobbyist purposes only. Classifications, quantities, records, images, sales, & market prices are subject to change, additions, & deletions. Any offers to buy or sell are purely preliminary and not binding. We hope you gain valuable insight from information contained herein & good luck on your endeavors.