Leica M3 and 35 mm lenses

[Martin B]

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Hello all,

 

Already having a M6 and M7, I just was offered a great deal on a double stroke Leica M3 camera from 1956 in excellent condition which I intend to buy. I have now a few weeks to test it before making the final decision, but I already like the design. Inserting a roll of film wasn't difficult either - fairly straight forward. The camera also comes with the Leica MR light meter which sits on the hotshoe of the camera. Standard lens on the camera is a version of the expandable 50/2 Summicron lens. So far I like the bright 0.92x viewfinder (even the slight blueish cast of the glass takes a bit to get used to). The only slight issue I currently have is that I am predominantly a 35 mm shooter, and I am using the Leica 35/2 (version IV) as my favorite lens. Would love to use this lens on the M3, but the M3 does not come with 35 mm frame lines. This leaves me with three options - getting an older 35/2 lens with goggles or an external 35 mm viewfinder to be inserted onto the hotshoe. Third possibility is to use 35 mm only with my M6 and M7 cameras which would limit my usage of the M3 restricting it to 50 and 90 mm (assuming I leave the MR light meter mounted on the hotshoe). I am not really eager to get another older 35/2 lens, and I wouldn't be able to use the MR light meter on the hotshoe when using an external 35 mm viewfinder. Potentially I could use the MR viewfinder handheld (or using another external light meter). Any advice/experience here from others who use the M3 with 35 mm lenses? 

Edited May 23, 2017 by Martin B

[semi-ambivalent]

Ext. VF works fine. People will more quickly recognize your camera as being "old". I use a Cosina.

 

s-a

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[earleygallery]

If you already have an M6 and M7 and 35mm is your preferred lens then I don't know why you want to buy the M3.

 

Goggled lenses are heavy and top heavy too, they make the camera a bit uncomfortable to use, added to which you have a distorted and dimmer viewfinder.

 

Use a shoe mounted finder and you have to focus through the cameras viewfinder then frame through the shoe mounted finder and you lose the parallax correction of the M's finder.

 

Pass on the M3, your existing cameras are better for your needs.

[Martin B]

If you already have an M6 and M7 and 35mm is your preferred lens then I don't know why you want to buy the M3.

 

Goggled lenses are heavy and top heavy too, they make the camera a bit uncomfortable to use, added to which you have a distorted and dimmer viewfinder.

 

Use a shoe mounted finder and you have to focus through the cameras viewfinder then frame through the shoe mounted finder and you lose the parallax correction of the M's finder.

 

Pass on the M3, your existing cameras are better for your needs.

 

I will certainly get the M3 for the suggested deal - just because I like the built and the style of the M3 which differs from the later M versions including the M3 viewfinder itself (and I still use 50 mm quite often, too). I already use an external viewfinder on my M6/M7 cameras for my 21 and 12 mm lenses which works extremely well. The difference in parallax is not too bad and can be adjusted for with some experience.

 

Good point that a goggled lens causes the viewfinder to be dimmer - something I would rather like to avoid. 

Edited May 23, 2017 by Martin B

[earleygallery]

Buy the M3 if you just want an M3 but it's best used with a 50mm lens for obvious reasons.

 

I had a goggled Summaron, lovely lens which I used on my M2 but I sold it after a while because of the issues I mentioned above.

[oldwino]

The M3 is a great camera for the 50mm focal length, and a good one for the 90mm. But 35mm? It's not made for that, the solution is rather inelegant, so why try to make it do something it isn't designed to do well?

[Guest]

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I'happy to use 21-28-35mm lenses on the M3 with external viewfinders: still get the use of the best M-rangerfinder, with which I feel focusing is faster than with any other M-camera.

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[TomB_tx]

I have a goggled Summicron for my M3, which is a nice lens. But the goggles do distort and add flare to the finder. I much prefer the M2 or M4 with a 35, and even a 50. The M3 shines with a 90 though.

[Martin B]

Why not use the 50mm on the M3 and the 35mm on your M7 that way you will have a great combination and if you have a 90mm even better on the M3.

 

Don't miss out on the M3 because even with the disadvantage of not being able to use a 35mm without some viewfinder solution it is a GREAT camera and to me I like the double stroke models best of all.

 

Built like a mechanical jewel in an age before compromise and cost cutting was more normal. 

 

That's what I have in mind to do now. I have a 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit which will work fine with the M3, too. 

[Martin B]

Absolutely Martin.

 

Shorten one strap and lengthen the other so that you can carry the M7 and M3 one above the other around your neck. Preferably the M3 on the long strap as there won't be interference between the physically longer longer 90mm lens and the M7 with the smaller 35mm lens.

 

35mm lens on the M7 and 90mm or 50mm on the M3 - the other lens in your jacket pocket as you don't need a bag with you - travel light and give yourself the maneuverability.

 

Set up like this there is not a situation that you couldn't cover between your 2 camera bodies and these 3 lenses.

 

This is how I work when using the same M3 with M6 combination and I second your love of the 35mm Summicron - it's a great lens!

 

Thanks, good hint with the straps! Honestly I could have well lived just with my M6 and M7 cameras, and I would have never considered normally to purchase another M film camera in addition. But it came as sudden offer from a friend of mine who had it left from his father, and it was not used for quite a while but in excellent condition. I can test the camera now for a few weeks before I make the final call to purchase it from him. It is simply a unique opportunity which will likely not presented to me as easily in the future for such deal - I see it more as a collection item which I can also make some use of. I took the first frames with it on FP4+ film, and will later see if the shutter still is doing well (at least it sounds perfectly fine so far). Definitely a fun camera to shoot with!

[Ko.Fe.]

So, you have one of the best M Leica ever made with collapsible Cron, which is one of the best for BW (IMO). Why not use it as it was made for? 90mm is handy sometimes, but not something HCB used on his M3 cameras often. He used 50mm most.

 

I used to have Summarit 35 3.5 goggled. No goggles flare at all. Perhaps it didn't have separation in goggles and I kept them and camera glass clean. Not expensive lens even now and it has very short minimal focus distance. Something like 0.65. But M3 might not support it, I think, some of M3 are set for one meter.

[Frank Sellitto]

I would buy the m3...put a 50mm on it and enjoy the adventure!

 

 

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[Michael Geschlecht]

So, you have one of the best M Leica ever made with collapsible Cron, which is one of the best for BW (IMO). Why not use it as it was made for? 90mm is handy sometimes, but not something HCB used on his M3 cameras often. He used 50mm most.

 

I used to have Summarit 35 3.5 goggled. No goggles flare at all. Perhaps it didn't have separation in goggles and I kept them and camera glass clean. Not expensive lens even now and it has very short minimal focus distance. Something like 0.65. But M3 might not support it, I think, some of M3 are set for one meter.

 

Hello Ko.Fe.,

 

The purpose of the "goggles" is to both expand the field of vision thru the M3 range/viewfinder & to allow closer focus that the 1 meter that many M3 rangefinders have as a near limit to focus to.

 

0.65 meters is the close focus limit for all M3's with "goggled" 35mm lenses.

 

Some other lenses without goggles also allow closer focus than 1 meter by the photographer turning the lens barrel to the closer engraved distances & either estimating or measuring from the film plane to the plane they would like to focus on.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

[plaidshirts]

Martin,

I use a goggled Summaron 35/2.8 on my M3.

I don't mind the extra weight (M cameras aren't exactly light to begin with) and think the lens looks cool.

I don't agree with the opinion that you should keep only the gear that "serves" your needs in a practical sense.

If that were the case, you should slap a zoom lens on a mirrorless camera and be done with it.

Even though I have a Summarit 35 on my M6, I will always keep the M3 and the 35 because they are different lenses after all with different optics and colors.

And like you I think the M3 is the coolest looking camera around. The goggled lens makes it even better.