Which M3 - true/false?

[pico]

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Pardon my feeble recall, but of the very many excellent posts here regarding the M3

it strikes me that the single-stokes were mechanically better. (I also recall

when the M3 was introduced there were cries that a lever advance would tear

the film, and the double-stroke was a good compromise. True? I dunno.)

 

I am looking for an M3 to use with a favorite 50mm Summicron. Is there a

serial number range than one should look for?

 

Thanks to our forum's net wisdom for help.

Best,

Pico

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[dpitt]

The M3 was the first Leica camera with film advance lever. It seems like the engineers worried about stress on film advance, so designed it as DS in the first few years of production. Then from snr # 915521 onwards SS was used.

 

There are bodies around with lower serial numbers that were modified from DS to SS. Never heard of models modified in the other direction SS to DS.

 

I prefer SS because it is more natural to me, but other than that DS is fine and even feels smoother to me.

You can maybe find more info here:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M3

Edited August 20, 2016 by dpitt

[250swb]

Curious that engineers should worry about film tearing when it was designed to go through movie cameras at high speed? To design a double stroke system to avoid tearing must presumably mean they tested a single stroke system as well and found it unreliable? Or is it a story to cover themselves after they realised the smoothness of the double stroke system wasn't on its own justification enough to keep it in the face of competition? But whatever, the rumours are true, the double stroke is marginally smoother but less reliable, however with a well serviced single stroke most people would be hard pressed to detect anything that could be called rough.   

[Guest]

Sometimes I pull the film transport even at the M3SS into two movements like an M3DS.

Especially in portrait format it is sometimes more convenient if you do not have to spread the film advance lever so far.

[TomB_tx]

I have both: a DS from 1955 and SS from 1960. Both can be fine, and the DS is easy to get used to. If the advance clutch wears on the DS so that it takes more than two strokes to advance (you can feel it slip in this case), the standard fix is to convert to SS, as parts for the DS mechanism are rare.

My 1960 version feels a bit more refined-smoother lens mount, RF patch like the M2 with the DOF notches, etc.

Balsam separation of the VF prism can be an issue on any by now, so look for a good, clear VF.

[Keith (M)]

In his 'Leica Compendium' E Puts writes:-

 

The Leitz engineers were not sure about the effects of the fast operation on the film emulsion and used a glass pressure-plate and a two-stroke wind lever to ease the strain on the film.

 

 

Presumably the glass pressure-plate disappeared along with the double-stroke?

Edited August 20, 2016 by Keith (M)

[250swb]

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In his 'Leica Compendium' E Puts writes:-

 

 

 

Presumably the glass pressure-plate disappeared along with the double-stroke?

 

And yet those same engineers had experience of motorised and rapid film advance with specialist models of the Barnack Leica's..................

Edited August 21, 2016 by 250swb

[kivis]

I have had both. Presently using an M3 DS and it works just fine. Took 5 minutes to get used to it.

[mhasman]

Check Chicago Craigslist. There is very reputable and trusted gentleman selling M3 SS and DS and M4-2. I almost got one from him but decided to hunt for M2 instead. 

[Graham (G4FUJ)]

The original post is from 2016.  Sadly Pico passed away a few years ago.

[mhasman]

Sorry...