charles_nl Posted September 10, 2018 Share #1 Posted September 10, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi, I just got a Leica M3, single stroke which seems to be from around 1952. It was in a very decent condition but I have tried it with only a couple of films. However I noticed something strange with the Range Finder, because below 0.9m the moving central part did not move anymore. Thus it is impossible to set an accurate focus below 0.9m. The lens is a new Summilux F1.4/50mm from my M10. When I looked at the inside I noticed that the M3 RF mechanism has an additional arm that touches a stud and this inhibits a full swing of the roller at the end of the other arm (with the roller). In the M10 there is no such additional arm although the stud is there. See the photo's, the 1st is the M3, the 2nd an M10. Any suggestion if this is original Leica (doubtful) and if not why this extra arm was added? It is of course possible that internally the range finder mechanics is not any longer working in this low range, hence the limiter. And funny that M3 parts still appear in an M10. Charles Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/289335-leica-m3-range-finder-issue/?do=findComment&comment=3590876'>More sharing options...
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M9reno Posted September 10, 2018 Share #2 Posted September 10, 2018 The answer to your problem is simple. To quote Kisselbach, The Leica Book, 2nd ed. 1971, p.46: “with focal lengths from 21 to 50mm the rangefinder of the Leica models M2 and M4 allows a minimum focusing distance of 70cm (28 in) if the focusing mount of the lenses has been designed for this. In the Leica M3 the minimum focusing distance is 1m (40 in).” 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted September 10, 2018 Share #3 Posted September 10, 2018 Charles, What is your source saying your M3 is around 1952 ? Your source is not reliable as M3 appeared on the market with serial number 700 001 only on 1954. See Wiki here : https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M3 where you can find first class informations . Some M3 offered on sale can be a bit expensive : https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Last-Leica-M3-w-Summaron-35mm-f-2-8-ELMAR-50mm-f-2-8-Olive-Military-1968-/312148490045 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted September 10, 2018 Share #4 Posted September 10, 2018 (edited) Charles, Ps: you will want to check the date of the camera from the serial. 1952 is too early for any M3, let alone a single stroke. Edit: see above post. Edited September 10, 2018 by M9reno Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted September 10, 2018 Share #5 Posted September 10, 2018 As the limitation of M3 to 1m focus, I have some ideas: - to be 100% compatible with lenses offered in that period - calibration is only for that range 1m to infinity - some M3 users bent the "limiting arm" to use the newer lenses to 70cm - in my opinion, that would not be good idea, as native calibration works only to 1m Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyoung Posted September 11, 2018 Share #6 Posted September 11, 2018 Surely so much problem with parallax at those distances its hardly worth doing ANYTHING. Gerry Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles_nl Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted September 11, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Sorry, my silly mistake. I looked up what appeared to be the serial number list for Leica lenses (actually on this forum). My M3 serial number is 1032950 which is from June/July 1961. OK I am a really an amateur, certainly as far as Leica is concerned. I bought my first Leica (M10) about a year ago and got intrigued by film photo's again. An M3 body is not too expensive and that's why I embarked on the M3. Charles p.s. I have no inclination to bugger with the arm settings. It was designed for 1m, so be it. Charles, What is your source saying your M3 is around 1952 ? Your source is not reliable as M3 appeared on the market with serial number 700 001 only on 1954. See Wiki here : https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M3 where you can find first class informations . Some M3 offered on sale can be a bit expensive : https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Last-Leica-M3-w-Summaron-35mm-f-2-8-ELMAR-50mm-f-2-8-Olive-Military-1968-/312148490045 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted September 11, 2018 Share #8 Posted September 11, 2018 Charles, you may already have heard of the Dual Range Summicron 50. It is the elegant and correct way of getting around your M3's near-focus limitations, bringing it down from 1 m to just 48 cm! If not, have a look: https://www.daguerreotyping.com/?p=1672 and https://kenrockwell.com/leica/50mm-f2-dr.htm and obviously elsewhere in this forum. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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