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M3's Double Stroke, stroke


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Quick question for any of you folks who have used an M3 Double Stroke. Was trying one yesterday for the first time, after having used an M6 and M2 for years.

 

With both my M6 and my M2, when I get to the end of the stroke there is a rather positive stop,

 

With this M3, the first stroke came to a positive stop, but the second stroke got to an "easy point" in the stroke, where I could stop the stroke and fire the shutter, but it travelled past this easy point, to kind of a mushy spot and then kind of came to an almost positive stop.

 

Is this normal and a characteristic of the M3 Double Stroke Leicas.

 

Any and all info on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks everyone.

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I have had two different DS M3 bodies, and the phenomena that you have described is how the M3 that I have now operates. It's probably not normal, but...

 

This second M3 also has noticably narrower areas in between frames than every other 35mm camera I have ever used. It makes cutting the negs an real adventure.

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Jaybob, that's hilarious that you say that, as it is exactly what I experienced. Along with the weird ending of the second stroke, I noticed last night when I processed the film that the frame lines between shots were incredibly thin and while cutting thought, "Darn, it's hard to cut these negs."

 

Thanks for the feedback.

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Hi Jaybob. Just got off the phone with the one Leica repair person whom I totally trust, and he said this is a normal occurrence on an M3 double stroke, it means that the winding clutch mechanism is wearing out. He happened to have seen this particular camera and he said I should get about another ten years out of it before the mechanism will need to be replaced.

 

There aren't parts anymore to replace the Double Stroke mechanism, so it needs to be replaced with a single stroke mechanism. Who knows what the prices will be in ten years, but as of today, he says the operation would run about $300, parts and labor.

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It is a long time since I used a DS M3 camera. However the action described does not seem to me to be normal. There was little difference in feel between the first and second strokes.

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It is a long time since I used a DS M3 camera. However the action described does not seem to me to be normal. There was little difference in feel between the first and second strokes.

 

Exactly. When I owned a DS M3, both strokes were affirmative and well defined.

 

Andy

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