Help identifying my latest folly... M3

[jaques]

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I couldn't resist and picked up another M3. The camera is on its way- in the meantime I am wondering if anyone can help me get information about the camera and some of the accesories.

 

The camera serial number is 732114 and dates to 1955. However I note it has a preview lever and from what I understand these were introduced later. I am wondering if this camera is likely to be upgraded at Solms to single stroke as well?

 

It looks like I will need new leather and I wonder if anyone has a good recommendation in that regard.... I am considering green.

 

The camera comes with an ancient Hektor. Serial 485443 (1938?) However in the photos it looks to be M mount. Will this be an adaptor ring or an aftermarket M mount fitted at Solms?

 

There is also a close focus attachment. I think it is called Somky? Am I correct and what is its approximate value?

 

Any thoughts, wisdom, abuse or comments welcome.

 

here are pics of the items:

[lars_bergquist]

It seems that the frame preview lever came in at no. 785801 (late 1955) but Leitz did offer conversion of earlier models. If the conversion was done as late as 1958 or later, a single-stroke conversion could also have been done, so this is perfectly possible.

 

Lots of screw-mount lenses were of course pressed into service on early M cameras, with the addition of a bayonet adapter. This seems to have been the case here.

 

Being a user, not a collector, I cannot unfortunately help you with current market values. These however should be quite modest in both cases.

 

The old man from the Age of the M3

[luigi bertolotti]

The close up attachment is indeed a SOMKY - good, when alone, for SM rectratable lenses like Elmar-Hektor (with its add on ring UOORF you can use also Summicron 50 lenshead): you must fit the lens' tube bayonets into the receptacles of the SOMKY, keeping the focusing mount of the lens "floating"; not uncommon item, value around 100-200 Euros, still very useful (I use regularly my one with M8).

 

The bayonet adapter of the Hektor 135 seems indeed to be a standard one, maybe still unscrewable.

[bill]

Any thoughts, wisdom, abuse or comments welcome.

 

I'm hungry (thought)

All polar bears are left handed (wisdom)

You're rubbish! (abuse)

 

 

Right, now that I have that out of my system, some comments. Firstly, congratulations! there is nothing to beat the old Ms for sheer tactile pleasure in a practical form. The Hektor lens is definitely screw-mount, although if the M adaptor has been on there for a long time it might take some shifting. The lens head unscrews on that model, IIRC. The SOMKY is a handy little device - I have used the NOOKY and the NOOKY-HESUM in my time - but somewhat cumbersome in use. As has already been said, it is not particularly rare or valuable. Do work on the basis that you will need a CLA, and be pleasantly surprised if you don't. Look at the wax seal on the mount and you may be able to see a letter - if it is there it is a fair bet that the camera has never been serviced.

 

Good luck with it and let us know how you get on!

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[tobey bilek]

The camera had preview installed later. Mine all had single stroke transports installed later in 1980`s. I like it much better.

 

You can get into a lot of maintenance issues with them, so beware. New shutters, delaminating RF prisms, cla, light shields, but all repairable if you have the money.