Peerless Type-3
The Peerless Type-3 is a LTM-mount film rangefinder camera, introduced in 1949. Leica camera price index →
Reference maintained by Thomas Boots
General
- Mount
- LTM
- Release Year
- 1949
- Type
- Film
- Model Number
- Type-3
- Serial Range
- Confirmed examples 24001, 24011, 24032, 24039 and 24058; numbers are non-contiguous within Nicca Type-3 production
Dimensions
Viewfinder & Shutter
- Framelines
- None, separate fixed 50 mm viewfinder and coupled rangefinder
- Shutter Speeds
- T, 1 s, 1/2 s, 1/4 s, 1/8 s, Z or B, 1/20 s, 1/30 s, 1/40 s, 1/60 s, 1/100 s, 1/200 s and 1/500 s
- Shutter Type
- Cloth
Features
- Hot Shoe
- No
- Tripod Socket
- Yes
- Self Timer
- No
- Flash Sync
- None
Peerless Type-3
The Peerless Type-3 is a rare US-market LTM rangefinder made by Nicca for Peerless Camera Stores of New York. Its body corresponds to an early Nicca Type-3, with separate viewing and focusing windows, slow speeds and a cloth shutter reaching 1/500 second.
The original outfit used a collapsible Sun Sophia 5 cm f/2 instead of the Nikkor lenses normally supplied with Nicca cameras. Known examples are not flash synchronized.
History
Development and Launch
Peerless ordered the small batch in 1949, shortly after Nicca changed its maker engraving from “Nicca Camera Works, Ltd. Tokyo” to “Nicca Camera Works, Ltd.”.
Production Evolution
Five confirmed numbers, 24001, 24011, 24032, 24039 and 24058, lie inside the regular Nicca Type-3 sequence. Ordinary Niccas also occur between them, so the Peerless cameras did not receive a continuous reserved block.
Special Variants
Peerless Type-3 is a distinct commercial rebadge, not a commemorative edition. It should receive its own Standard model profile.
Collector Notes
Correct examples are engraved “Peerless Type-3” on the finder cover and “Made for Peerless Photo Supply by Nicca Camera Works” on the baseplate. An original Sun Sophia lens materially strengthens attribution.
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