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If the M3 is in good working order and you are used to operate it (film loading, metering handheld, knob rewind), keep it and upgrade / buy an additional lens instead.

 

The M6 will take identical photographs, it has a different finder (much worse when shooting 50/90/135, much better when shooting 28/35/75).

The M6 will be just as capable as the M3 but will load and rewind much faster - if that is something you think about, think first if the upgrade/ side-grade cost are worth the cost to you.

 

To me an additional or "better" lens is always more interesting than a different body (which in case of M3 vs M6 will produce identical quality photographs if the actual functional differences do not matter to you).

 

A M6 can be easily motorized or used with much easier (and much cheaper) available Leicavit bottom winders.

 

I am a big fan of the ingenious Leica rapid loading introduced since the M4 - apart from a Nikon F5 or F6 it is by far the fastest, easiest and most reliably loading film camera available - again: does the M3 loading bother you to pay for an upgrade?

 

 

The 40/1.4 is a versatile and capable lens but there is a vast choice of different lens options out there (it must not be a Summicron after all).

Think carefully by looking at your favorite photographs you took with the 40/1.4 if there is anything you would really miss about this lens if you sell it.

Look at photographs made with the lenses you are interested in and see if you can find anything that would bother you.

 

I would personally keep the M3, sell the 40/1.4, get a nice 50mm (choices are enormous and depend on what you want to do with that lens) and a 90/2.8.

 

Thank you Dirk...in fact I did exactly that...I kept the M3, kept the 40mm (for now) and bought a 90mm Tele-Elmarit that is amazing

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Thank you Dirk...in fact I did exactly that...I kept the M3, kept the 40mm (for now) and bought a 90mm Tele-Elmarit that is amazing

 

Lorenzo, that is a fantastic choice - enjoy!

The M3 has Leica's very best finder to shoot 50mm and 90mm - should you find at some point a little extra cash have a look into the different 50mm choices.

 

Which 90/2.8 Elmarit did you end up with?

 

Each generation of the Leica 90/2.8 is fantastic in it's own right but does differ quite a bit in character.

When you look later into a 50mm you should try to match that 90/2.8 image character with the 50mm lens

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Lorenzo, that is a fantastic choice - enjoy!

The M3 has Leica's very best finder to shoot 50mm and 90mm - should you find at some point a little extra cash have a look into the different 50mm choices.

 

Which 90/2.8 Elmarit did you end up with?

 

Each generation of the Leica 90/2.8 is fantastic in it's own right but does differ quite a bit in character.

When you look later into a 50mm you should try to match that 90/2.8 image character with the 50mm lens

 

Now you have my attention, tell me more, I am eager to learn. It is a Tele-Elmarit #2793537 what would be the perfect 50mm to pair with?

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So you have the "thin" Tele-Elmarit which is an excellent performer (my personal favorite is the earlier "fat" Tele-Elmarit with lower contrast a slightly softer rendering).

 

I would pair with your lens a v4 Summicron (the thin type without telescopic lens hood and focus tab).

This has reputedly the same optical formula as the current pre ASPH 50mm Summicron yet a much more slender built, making a wonderful compact and light kit with the thin Tele-Elmarit.

It also shares the same 39mm filters.

 

Here are a few nice threads for more discussion about the differences of the 50/2 Summicron lenses:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/79158-which-version-of-summicron-m-50mm-is-the-best/

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/211526-which-50mm-summicron/

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So you have the "thin" Tele-Elmarit which is an excellent performer (my personal favorite is the earlier "fat" Tele-Elmarit with lower contrast a slightly softer rendering).

 

I would pair with your lens a v4 Summicron (the thin type without telescopic lens hood and focus tab).

This has reputedly the same optical formula as the current pre ASPH 50mm Summicron yet a much more slender built, making a wonderful compact and light kit with the thin Tele-Elmarit.

It also shares the same 39mm filters.

 

Here are a few nice threads for more discussion about the differences of the 50/2 Summicron lenses:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/79158-which-version-of-summicron-m-50mm-is-the-best/

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/211526-which-50mm-summicron/

 

given my budget, the Summicron v3 would be more likely

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I have the aforementioned Summicron 50mm V3, and it is indeed a great lens, as I think you'll find most/all are. I also have the Summicron 50mm Collapsible, it is exceptionally handy for keeping the camera a bit more compact, and it has a nice "glow", not quite as clinical as the later 50's.

Gary

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The 50 Summicron v3 I never tried personally. It (too) often gets an undeserved bad reputation on the internet as when it was released some quite significant changes in character to the earlier v2 (DR + rigid) were made.

Specifically the v3 has a lowered resolution to the v2 in order to achieve higher contrast.

 

Personally I would take a v2 Summicron over a v3 as contrast is easy enough to achieve with stronger filters/ development.

I also do like generally lower contrast lenses over high contrast ones.

 

This is a very personal thing though.

 

The v2 Summicron definitely fits much better in character to the original (non tele) 90 Elmarit and also the "fat" Tele-Elmarit (which has lower resolution but a similar contrast to the v2 Summicron).

 

The thin Tele-Elmarit and v4 Summicron fit to each other beautifully, a v3 Summicron instead surely will be fine as well.

 

 

Here is another thought regarding 50/2 lenses:

I am a big fan of Konica lenses - a Konica 50/2 is another fantastic option.

 

Also a 50/2.8 modern collapsible Elmar is a great lens if you don't need the f2 aperture.

The 50/2.5 Summarit is also a very fine lens and can be had usually slightly lower priced to v4 Summicron lenses - it is very compact too.

 

And then there is the excellent Cosina Voigtlander 50/1.5 - maybe a bit heavier and larger than the Summicron but an excellent lens (and an additional stop of light).

 

If you can imagine a slightly wider lens than 50mm and deal with the looser framing with the M3 finder, the Pentax 43/1.9 lens is a wonderful little gem too - it is not as nicely built as the Summicron lenses or the Konica and Voigtlander samples but I personally love its image character (VERY high resolution, especially in center and yet a wonderfully smooth background with moderately high contrast - a mix from modern and classic).

 

There are of corse many, many more options but these are the ones that come immediately to mind when thinking to pair to a thin Tele-Elmarit.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks to the amazing info I received here...here's an update. I ended up buying a 90mm Tele-Elmarit "thin". It is in awesome conditions...I love it, it's small, light and because of the short focusing throw makes it easy to be precise...while still looking I also bought a 50mm Summicron v2 which is possibly from the same year as my M3...I now understand and believe the hype for the Summicron...now selling the Voigtlander Classic 40mm f1.4

Edited by Lorenzo Lietti
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First, HP5+ is very forgiving bw film. Second, Lifestyle/documentary and landscapes shots could be easily and more precise measured with not expensive, modern hand-held light meter or with free app in the mobile phone. Third, for bw Summicron doesn't have to be latest and greatest. Collapsible Cron will do great on M3. Just like it did for HCB :)

Owning M3 and not trying it with what it was made for is wrong, IMO. M3 framelines are accurate enough for 50mm.  

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Thanks to the amazing info I received here...here's an update. I ended up buying a 90mm Tele-Elmarit "thin". It is in awesome conditions...I love it, it's small, light and because of the short focusing throw makes it easy to be precise...while still looking I also bought a 50mm Summicron v2 which is possibly from the same year as my M3...I now understand and believe the hype for the Summicron...now selling the Voigtlander Classic 40mm f1.4

 

Those are some great lenses you got there ;-)

Congratulations!

 

You may find that the 50 Summicron v2 has lower contrast than the thin 90/2.8 TE - you may like to mitigate that with different contrast filters for BW film (no filter on the 90mm + a light yellow or yellow orange on the 50mm).

Also try to use a lens hood on the 50 Summicron if you want to protect the contrast, otherwise it is a lovely lens (I prefer these older Summicron lenses over the later more contrasty designs).

The Summicron v2 you have is a much nicer lens then the collapsible v1 (which by itself is also no slouch).

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