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Continuing my trawl through my archives, I found this from Chinese New Year in London 1998. I had been shooting with my first Leica (a M3) for less than a year at this stage. Film was Fuji Neopan 400 and the lens was an old Summicron 50mm f2. Gerry

Hallo zusammen, da ich mich über meine Neuerwerbung sehr freue, muss ich dies hier kund tun. Ich habe zuletzt etliche Jahre mit einer Leica X1 fotografiert, dann bin ich vor 5 Jahren auf eine M9 umgestiegen. Damit fotografiere ich regelmäßig und es macht mir eine Menge Spaß. Als Erbstück von meinen Eltern (meine Mutter war Fotografin) habe ich eine Leica IIIc (Baujahr 1949) mit einem Summitar (von 1951) 5 cm, 1:2, die sich - damit Objektiv - in einem sehr schönen und voll funktionsfähigen Zustand befindet. Damit habe ich in den letzten Wochen 2 Filme belichtet, um zu sehen, ob ich überhaupt noch analog und jede Automatik fotografieren kann. Es hat funktioniert. Da die Schraubleica nicht wirklich einfach in der Handhabung ist (Sucherfenster und Entfernungsmesser separat) habe ich über die Anschaffung einer M3 oder M2 nachgedacht. Für die M3 spricht, dass Sie über einen besonders großen Fenster verfügt. Für die M2 sprach ihr Aussehen (sehr schlicht - sehr schön) und die Tatsache, dass man mit ihr problemlos ein 35 mm Objektiv nutzen kann. Nun ist es eine M3 - Kauf per Ebay (trotz grundsätzlicher Bedenken) geworden und ich kann meine Leica-Optiken (meistgenutzt: 50 mm) für den Oldtimer nutzen. Ich bin gespannt darauf, sie in der Hand zu halten und den ersten Film zurück zu erhalten. Beste Grüße Dieter M.

Hello everyone! I am new to the photography hobby and I have inherited a Leica M3 as well as a bunch of accessories. I am pretty sure I have figured out what some of the things are, such as the Leicameter MC, the 50mm Summicron f/2 Rigid, 135mm Hektor f/4.5 and the 21mm Super-Angulon f/4 lenses, but there are quite a few things that I am stuck on. I am hoping that you guys can help me ID some of these items! I have an idea as to what some of these may be, but some clarification would be nice. Your help would be appreciated TIA

Hi guys, this is my very first post over here after reading it since I've got my M3. I was using it with my friend's Summarit 50, while searching for an optimal lens for me. Finally, I've decided to buy a Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5. Fortunately, I've managed to get one for a test ride (actual the one, I'll buy, if i do so) and I've experience the following situation with it: when I put it on my camera, it doesn't click. Like if the lens release button (or how is it called officially?) doesn't clicks into the lens. So I can take off the lens of the body without pressing the lens release button. Interesting, though, I can't rotate the lens in the opposite direction without pressing the button. What can I do in that case? The guy has an M6 and 240 and he doesn't have that issue. I've tried to unscrew the button and check it on both lenses, but it seems identically the same, till the last micro mm. Here's a video demonstraing the problem: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10156939/Video%2007-03-15%2012%2049%2029.mov Thanks alot, guys much love

With up to $1000 budget, which one would you buy to use and keep? M2, M3 or M4 And are there variations to watch for or watch out for? Also, which starter lens? Thanks J

I was in Hong Kong last week and paid a visit to the David Chan Photo Shop off Nathan Road in Kowloon. Mr. Chan has been selling cameras in HK since the early 60’s and has had the shop at 16 Kimberly Rd since 1972. He is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary collectors and sellers of vintage camera equipment on the planet, with a breathtaking knowledge of all the great marques, particularly Leica. He is more an obsessive collector than a camera vendor and keeps a deliberately low profile -- no website, no facebook page – a virtual ghost in the digital world for which he has little regard. But that hasn’t stopped him from becoming world famous. He is even featured in the Lonely Planet Guide to HK as well as Time Out HK: Time Out Hong Kong | Big Smog | Hongkonger: David Chan. But for a really great profile of him, check out Emilio Brizzi’s blog: On Photography And More: Meeting Mr. David Chan in Kowloon. I spent a couple of hours in the shop with the elegantly besuited Mr. Chan, his staff and the rather eccentric and passionate longtime customers of his who clearly treat the shop as a second home. (One of them insisted that Leica hadn't made a great lens since the 1930's!). Mr. Chan could quickly see that I was not a collector of high-end rarities. Nonetheless, he showed me a few of his many treasures, all lovingly wrapped in shrink wrap. And in the end, I couldn’t resist buying a lens: a 1966 Leica M 35mm 1.4 v2 lens with “eyes” to be precise. It was in good condition and perfect for my M3. When I told Mr. Chan I was from Toronto, he smiled and pointed out that my new lens had been made in Midland Ontario, near Toronto, in 1966. It was fitting then that I would be returning the lens to its birthplace. Who knows how many adventures it had had in the intervening 48 years on its journey from Toronto to Hong Kong? Mr. Chan smiled again and said, almost conspiratorially, that the Midland lenses were better built than the German ones. He invoked the sacred name of Leica designer extraordinaire Walter Mandler, who ran Leica’s Midland operation and who created the lens I had just purchased, among others. The transaction completed, Mr. Chan had one of his staff take a photo of me, Mr. Chan and one of his longtime customers. We shook hands and I walked out into the neon-lit, crowded buzzy streets of Kowloon and... took my first picture with my new lens. All in all a wonderful experience!

Found this M3 in perfect shape, but was confused with the 1-2-4-8 speed dial. According to the serial code, it is made in 1956. Therefore it should have a scientific 1-2-5-10 dial, right? The seller claims it is original though. And I see no reason a camera in such shape needs the speed dial replaced. I'm new to this forum. Any help would be appreciated.

A few months ago, I was visiting a friend and we watched his daughter's softball game

It was really interesting to see other people's work as a print rather than viewed on a computer monitor. As always, I had my camera with me and found this shot. Leica M3 and 50 Summicron

Hello, I am new to the world of Leica and the forum but I have just purchased what I am hoping is a genuine M3 off a private seller but I had a question about something I only noticed once I had the camera at home with me. Basically I realized the Lens "Release" Button doesn't have the signature M3 metal surround. I have spent a few days google-ing and researching the features of an authentic leica and everything appears to be correct except for that tiny piece of metal that every other M3 has around the lens button. Was there at any point any variation that lacked the surround or would any of you guys/girls have any suggestions/reasoning behind it? Everything else seems to be correct like the pitting and general wear, the rewind knob dot colour etc etc. Thanks in advance for all your input and suggestions, based on the responses I get I can easily add more photos that would help you out.

Hallo zusammen, nachdem ich im "Kaviar"- Thread zurecht darauf hingewiesen wurde, daß dort eigentlich keine Beispielbilder zu posten sind, eröffne ich diesen Thread. Also zeigt, was eure M3 hergibt!

Hi, I was wondering, is it possible to diy repaint the serial numbers? I have a chrome M3 but there was some black paint missing at the Leica logo and other parts. What is the best way to repaint it? I thought maybe use a fine permanent marker and follow the inscription? Ideas? Thanks

Shot with Leica M3/Summicron 2/50mm

Shot at a local Starbucks Leica M3/Summicron 2/50mm

Shot last year with Leica M3/Summicron 2/50mm

Leica M3 and Summicron 2/50mm

Shot with the Leica M3 and Summicron 2/50mm

Hallo alle zusammen, bin neu hier im Forum und das ist mein erster Eintrag. Habe seit kurzem eine M3 von meinem Opa bekommen, die aber ca. 20 Jahre unbenutzt in Keller rumlag. Hoffe das hat ihr nichts angetan. Nun aber schon zum ersten Problem. Soweit ich weiß, leuchtet die M3, je nach aufgesetztem Objektiv, automatisch den passenden Leuchtrahmen im Sucher ein. Wenn ich jetzt aber ein 50mm F2 aufstecke, leuchtet sie gar keinen Leuchtrahmen ein. Und wenn ich denn Hebel an der Vorderseite der M3 umlege, damit dieser manuell den 50mm Leuchtrahmen einblendet, verschwindet der eingeblendete Rahmen wieder sobald ich denn Hebel loslasse.. Kennt jemand von euch das Problem? Ist das ein Schaden der (kostspielig) behoben werden muss? Danke im Voraus Lg Jakob

Hi, I just have a M3 camera here to try out. But I have not really any idea how to use a camera without light meter. So the question is on one hand - how to use a M3 without a ight meter to get the right exposure (ISO Aperture and Speed) - and on the other hand this is not sticky to a M3 but how to use any camera without light meter. Thanks for any help which is highly appreciated. Any links to online help also welcome - I already asked google but did not do a great job. Regards AHAB

Shot with Leica M3 and Summicron 2/50mm

Shot with Leica M3 and Summicron 2/50mm