jaques Posted February 23, 2010 Share #1 Posted February 23, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I just picked up a lovely old M3. From the serial number I think it dates from 1955. However it is single stroke, and has the viewfinder frame-line lever. The film pressure plate looks like glass. I am assuming that this camera must have been upgraded at some stage? Is it an unusual camera? It is working very nicely- and the RF is superb- very contrasty- better than my M9? Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/113474-my-new-1954-m3-is-it-unusual/?do=findComment&comment=1236209'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 Hi jaques, Take a look here My new 1954 M3: is it Unusual?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
sabears Posted February 23, 2010 Share #2 Posted February 23, 2010 Your assumptions are correct. The camera was upgraded. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 23, 2010 Share #3 Posted February 23, 2010 But it is nice that it still has the original film pressure plate. Many have been replaced by a later type. The conversion to single-stroke was an official Leica upgrade. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandro Posted February 23, 2010 Share #4 Posted February 23, 2010 Specific features of your 1955 M3 were: film pressure plate of glass, double stroke lever wind, no frame preselector, triangular strap lugs, old shutter speed range. Of these items both the change to one-stroke lever wind and the addition of the frame preselector were offered as a factory conversion. Your looks very nice! Have fun with it. Lex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share #5 Posted February 23, 2010 Thanks for the info guys. There are a few marks here and there but overall this camera is in great condition for its age. The screw in the middle of the rewind knob is a little damaged and has some rust on it- I have seen the later rewind knobs with the two red dots- would it be easy to replace this part? Shutter sounds very good down to one second and the RF is focusing so smooth and accurate. I have a large collection of small Japanese RF cameras made some 20-30 years after this M3 and not one has a finder that comes close. I cant see any separation or defects in the finder which is good as I have read the older m3's can have expensive issues. I wonder when this camera was modified, and if anything else was changed? As I know nothing about its history would I be advised to have the camera serviced? I have a good leica trained tech close at hand- or considering that it seems to be pretty much perfect- should I leave well enough alone? Finally is it lucky to have all those 7's in the serial number? :-) I just wish someone would pay me to load this thing with film and document their event . It looks real nice with my 1973 summicron- and I am sure the photos would too: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/113474-my-new-1954-m3-is-it-unusual/?do=findComment&comment=1236296'>More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 23, 2010 Share #6 Posted February 23, 2010 What a strange tab on your Summicron... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandro Posted February 23, 2010 Share #7 Posted February 23, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Jacques, I wouldn't replace the rewind knob but have it repaired. The one red dot is another feature of your M3. My 1954 M3 has it as well, but my 1960 M3 has two red dots. Would be nice to keep that 1955-element on your camera. Iw won't hurt a bit to give your M3 a CLA. Do you know if it has been used recently? The older lubricants tend to dry out and they can be replaces by modern lubricants which are much better. I had mine checked recently and it works and sounds smoother than before. If your Leica-tech is a good one you should let him check your camera. Lex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted February 23, 2010 Share #8 Posted February 23, 2010 Wow... I remember well to have seen one Summicron with THAT tab years ago... it was onto a M5: don't know if it's an original variant... very curios anyway.... is it screwed into or fixed ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share #9 Posted February 24, 2010 It is an unusual focusing lever. It is screwed in and can be easily unscrewed. I purchased the lens with it already fitted- I doubt it is leica original. The lens came via Hong Kong- perhaps it was the very one you saw years ago? I certainly havn't seen one before... It is a little bit annoying- poking out- and can catch on things. I get worried it will get bent... But for focusing it is fantastic- very fast, accurate and a better feel than a tab. I reminds me of the rapid focusing levers I had on some hasslblad lenses I used to own. I have decided I like it. As to the M3 I have no idea of the history of the camera- and if it has been recently serviced or not. But as I say it seems to function very smooth. When I first got it- a few times there was a slightly 'crunchy' feel advancing the film- but after a few dozen cycles this seems to have disappeared... I guess that may indicate that the lubricant is a bit old? Also the shutter button returns a bit slowly after it has been released- it feels a little 'spongy'. I guess a service will sort that out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted February 24, 2010 Share #10 Posted February 24, 2010 Service should sort sort out the problem. My M3 have been SS modified also. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted February 24, 2010 Share #11 Posted February 24, 2010 It is an unusual focusing lever. It is screwed in and can be easily unscrewed. I purchased the lens with it already fitted- I doubt it is leica original. The lens came via Hong Kong- perhaps it was the very one you saw years ago? I certainly havn't seen one before... . Found it... July 1992 issue of Classic Camera (Italian magazine) : as a lens passionate, I remembered only it was mounted onto a M5... did not remember that the M5 too was unusual... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! A sort of Safari prototype, unnumbered and with some odd details... the author (Sartorius, well known historician still alive in 1992) wrote that in his opinion was a factory orginal item: he founded it at a dealer of Rome (could be Luigi Crescenzi, at that times just a specialist dealer, not yet the worldwide reknown manufacturer of the famous "Luigi's cases"): he doesn't say much about the Summicron... only it has an odd lever: in the pic, the number is hardly recognized... surely 2.5xx.x49, probably 2.586.049... isn't it yours, by chance ? it would be a lot funny, 18 years after... Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! A sort of Safari prototype, unnumbered and with some odd details... the author (Sartorius, well known historician still alive in 1992) wrote that in his opinion was a factory orginal item: he founded it at a dealer of Rome (could be Luigi Crescenzi, at that times just a specialist dealer, not yet the worldwide reknown manufacturer of the famous "Luigi's cases"): he doesn't say much about the Summicron... only it has an odd lever: in the pic, the number is hardly recognized... surely 2.5xx.x49, probably 2.586.049... isn't it yours, by chance ? it would be a lot funny, 18 years after... ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/113474-my-new-1954-m3-is-it-unusual/?do=findComment&comment=1238080'>More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted February 24, 2010 Share #12 Posted February 24, 2010 That M3 looks great for its age. Jealous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted February 25, 2010 Luigi: nice research- and this could indeed be funny- the serial number on my lens is 2585049! One digit out? or the very same lens? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted February 25, 2010 Share #14 Posted February 25, 2010 Luigi: nice research- and this could indeed be funny- the serial number on my lens is 2585049! One digit out? or the very same lens? ! I think it is THE SAME... as I wrote, some digits aren't easily readable... 5 instead of 6 can surely be a well reasonable misreading; btw, in the meantime I verified that 2.586.049 ought NOT to be a Summicron 50, but a Tele Elmarit 90, whilst 2.585.049 is inside 2.583.501 - 2.585.500, a batch of 2000 Summicron 50. It is IT, I'd say... it commuted from Rome to Hong Kong in 18 years.... Would be fine to find some other lens in the same batch... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted February 25, 2010 Share #15 Posted February 25, 2010 My goodness... that M5 looks like the front end of a Tiger tank Is that a machine gun port under the 'M5'? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share #16 Posted February 25, 2010 Luigi- for sure- it really must be the very same lens. An amazing coincidence that it jogged your memory after all these years. However it is interesting how similar my shot of the M3 is to the shot of the M5 from 1992 Classic camera- it seems this lens 'asks' to be photographed from just exactly that angle. In the M5 photo there looks to be a little dust- or marks- in the lens. I can happily report it was cleaned since then and is spotless. I purchased the 50 cron from an ebay seller from Hong Kong that is affiliated with another branch in Germany. The german branch often sells 'one off' and rare Leica items. They seem to have access to old prototypes etc, direct from Leitz. perhaps that's where the lens came from... I wonder what became of that M5... I could email Luigi (famous Luigi)- I just got an email from him today cabout my new half case... I would love to read the original article from the 90's. I am glad I bought this particular lens now (I only wish the M5 had come with it)- I actually think I saved few hundred dollars because of the little focus lever... It goes well with my single stroke, frame lever 1955 m3... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted February 25, 2010 Share #17 Posted February 25, 2010 Luigi- for sure- it really must be the very same lens. An amazing coincidence that it jogged your memory after all these years. However it is interesting how similar my shot of the M3 is to the shot of the M5 from 1992 Classic camera- it seems this lens 'asks' to be photographed from just exactly that angle. In the M5 photo there looks to be a little dust- or marks- in the lens. I can happily report it was cleaned since then and is spotless. I purchased the 50 cron from an ebay seller from Hong Kong that is affiliated with another branch in Germany. The german branch often sells 'one off' and rare Leica items. They seem to have access to old prototypes etc, direct from Leitz. perhaps that's where the lens came from... I wonder what became of that M5... I could email Luigi (famous Luigi)- I just got an email from him today cabout my new half case... I would love to read the original article from the 90's. I am glad I bought this particular lens now (I only wish the M5 had come with it)- I actually think I saved few hundred dollars because of the little focus lever... It goes well with my single stroke, frame lever 1955 m3... I can scan a copy and send... (2 pages only) : Italian Language of course... let me know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticman Posted February 25, 2010 Share #18 Posted February 25, 2010 What an amazing string of coincidences! And a testimony to the incredible community that holds together Leica enthusiasts! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookonclassic Posted March 5, 2010 Share #19 Posted March 5, 2010 What an amazing string of coincidences! And a testimony to the incredible community that holds together Leica enthusiasts! Amazing life story of the 50 Cron indeed...interesting...make me wonder who is first person that install the handle to this lens... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpattison Posted March 5, 2010 Share #20 Posted March 5, 2010 Do you think it could be a factory test lens, maybe hooked up to a mechanical focusing aid (set at 1m, 3m, and 10m) to check camera focus set-up? John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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