rcoles Posted September 27, 2010 Share #1 Posted September 27, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am considering getting an M3 as a companion to my M9. In doing my research I noticed that the M3 camera body serial numbers started at 700000 and ended around 1164865 for a total of 464,865 SN’s. They reportedly only sold around 220,000 cameras. What am I missing? Thanks Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 27, 2010 Posted September 27, 2010 Hi rcoles, Take a look here Leica M3 Serial Numbers. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
LeicaBraz Posted September 27, 2010 Share #2 Posted September 27, 2010 244.865 cameras. On a more serious note, understand from other threads that production numbers are assigned in batches and not consecutively to the same model. The forum sages can most probably correct me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eckart Posted September 27, 2010 Share #3 Posted September 27, 2010 In the time from '58-67 there have been 85.000 of M2, from '59-'64 have been 9600 of the M1, from'64-'66 have been 3500 from the MD plus quite a big amount of the 180.000 of the IIIf, which was build between '50-'57, some of the 35.000 IIf, build from '51-'56, some of the 17.000 If, build from '52-'57 , plus the 42.000 IIIg build from '57-'60 and the 6.000 of the Ig build in the same period. That's how our WIKI answers this question:D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted September 28, 2010 Share #4 Posted September 28, 2010 I am considering getting an M3 as a companion to my M9. In doing my research I noticed that the M3 camera body serial numbers started at 700000 and ended around 1164865 for a total of 464,865 SN’s. They reportedly only sold around 220,000 cameras. What am I missing?Thanks Bob Eckart's computations is the answer... Leitz made several cameras in that period, M3 being the most important but not the only one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted September 28, 2010 Share #5 Posted September 28, 2010 Sorry about picking nits, but when you start counting, you start from 1, not from 0. And so it is with Leica too. The first M3 produced carried the serial number 700001. Always when Leitz/Leica have started a new series of numbers, thay have started from something-1. The Leica M3 # 700000 does nevertheless exist. But it was not produced until more than a year after the launch, and bears all the characteristics of a c. 1955 M3, i.e. with frame lever. But the intention was to present that camera to Leica pioneer Prof. Stefan Kruckenhauser. Presentation cameras always have a number ending in several zeros. So that M3 was back-numbered so that 'Kruck' could have his zeros -- and you'll agree that he got a goodly number of them! The camera is now in the possession of a very rich collector in Bangkok, according to the LFI. The old man from the Age of the Old Men Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted September 28, 2010 Share #6 Posted September 28, 2010 Eckart's computations is the answer... Leitz made several cameras in that period, M3 being the most important but not the only one. Such as the IIIf, the M2, the M1, the IIIg ... The old man from the olden days Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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