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Hi everyone ! I’m very happy to be part of the family of the Leica now, I just received my very first Leica. I decided to purchased this M4 in a stunning condition. The thing is the next day I realised that was something little bit « strange » just between the flash bulb and the backdoor (check the picture), that there is a part of the top plate looks bent a little, is not huge on the picture but you can notice it and the backdoor is clicking a little bit as well.. Do you think that is normal or it could be an issue? I would appreciate any recommendations Thank y’all !

My collection Leica M3 + summicron 50 rigid bought together in 1962 still remains an L-seal and "B" letter on lens mount. From my knowledge this mean Camera and lens likely never open for service since 1991. Box and all original paper still there. but, the problem is the view finder is blackout and show only focus pad and frame line. Do I need to repair or sell this as a original condition? or How about if I send them to Konton for repair and repaint to black, would be better? Anyone knowing about letter "B" on back lens mount? Thank you so much for all helping.

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

I recently was given a Leica M3 and in my first role, the photos appear to have double and triple exposed by accident. Most negatives have no space in-between them and the edges have overlapped. The photos don't overlap the sprocket holes. Has anyone else experienced this or have any suggestions on how to fix it? Or do I just have to get it serviced? Whilst shooting there was no odd feeling whilst winding the film on, it was all very smooth. I did a test with a dud roll of film by setting the camera on Bulb mode, While the shutter was open I drew out the frame onto the negative with a pen, wound the film on, and repeated this until the role was done. In this test, all the photo frame lines came out perfectly and none of them overlapped. I'm baffled as to what occurred in my initial role. Photos are of Glasgow, Scotland

Life is pretty quiet photographically for me at the moment, mostly due to really bad weather with heavy rain which makes street photography almost impossible. This means I am continuing my journey through my archives, and this I had forgotten. It shows a typical English pastime - playing bowls. The white clothes are the standard dress for everyone, and afternoon tea is almost compulsory. English tradition at its best. Leica M3 + 50mm Summicron f2. Ilford 400 Delta. 1997.

Hello. I was offered a Leica M3 black paint. The seller refused to give a price buy said he was open to offers. Since I'm not, by any means, an expert, I'm not sure about a good price for it. What would you think would be a fair price for it? I have attached some pictures.

Paris 1997 Leica M3 + 50mm Summicron f2 and Fuji Neopan 400PR © Gerry Walden/gwpics.com When, oh when, are we going to get Fuji Neopan 400PR back! Gerry

It was in 1997 when my wife and I first visited New England. I wanted to attend the annual Star Island ‘escape’ of the New Hampshire Society of Photographic Artists, and it was to celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary. Both of us had always wanted to visit the area for the fall colours, so we scraped the money together and did the trip. One of our days was spent travelling the road which was the old route of i95 before it became a multi-lane highway, to discover a little of rural America north of Boston. It turned out to be a fascinating drive with abandoned wood-built hotels, and large empty barns, both of which had died when the traffic deserted the road for the new superhighway. During our travels we came across a car lot selling rusty old heaps of autos which I did not understand why anybody would pay the price, but which I enjoyed enjoyed photographing. Today there is a programme here on cable TV in the UK called “American Pickers” and I understand the American restoration market more, and therefore the old-time autos sat by the roadside. As it was, I was just fascinated to see them and photograph some of them.I was new to Leica having bought my M3 double-stroke about 6 months earlier, and was using Kodak T400CN film so I could get it processed as I went to avoid x-ray problems at the airport. The lens was a beat-up 50mm Summicron f2 because it was what I could afford. I have just been going through the archives, and I particularly like this image. I may be wrong but I reckon the price would now be about 4 times what is shown here.If anybody knows the make and model of the auto, or the location of the car lot I would like to know.Hope you like the image!Gerry

Hi everyone I'm looking at buying an M3 but was wondering if there are any specific serial numbers I should be looking at and why. I saw this blogpost with the best M3 serial numbers, but this is a very limited batch so I doubt I'll find any of those. Any other (larger) batches I should be looking at?

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

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

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!

hey guys.... I have inherited a Leica M3 and i dont know much at all about it. i keep seeing terms like "single throw/double throw" and dont know how to properly identify it. Im not even sure if im going to keep it. With that said, can anyone help me out with the details of what i have as far as the camera and the lens? and perhaps what its worth? heres what i know. Leica M3 purchased 1959 serial body - M3 - 966 148 serial lens - 1597506 thanks in advance, Ray

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.

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

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.

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

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

Leica M3 and Summicron 2/50mm

Shot with the Leica M3 and Summicron 2/50mm

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

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!

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any experience with knowing if it is possible to modify a Leica M3 DS eyepiece. I know that SS Leica M3’s have a larger eyepiece area with the DS Leica M3’s containing what appears to be an ‘inner’ smaller metal ring. I was curious if it would be possible to remove this inner ring on a DS so that the eyepiece view is more larger like that of a SS M3. Soon I may be able to purchase a Leica M3 DS example, hence the curiosity. any input greatly appreciated. thankyou for your time everyone.