logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Share #1 Posted November 16, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I was watching the Tamarkin Auction for a while yesterday and saw that the black paint M3 SS had been bid up to $7700. I thought "that's a lot of money for an M3". I just saw the final results of the auction and the camera sold for $13,500! By contrast, a silver M3 SS sold for $1500. Is that really the going rate for a BP M3, or did the bidding get out of control? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 16, 2020 Posted November 16, 2020 Hi logan2z, Take a look here Is this really the going rate for BP M3s?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Mute-on Posted November 16, 2020 Share #2 Posted November 16, 2020 Going rate https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Leitz/M3-black-paint.html 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaidshirts Posted November 16, 2020 Share #3 Posted November 16, 2020 45 minutes ago, Mute-on said: Going rate https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Leitz/M3-black-paint.html Wow. My gut feeling was ‘too high’, but you can’t argue with data... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nowhereman Posted November 16, 2020 Share #4 Posted November 16, 2020 You can send a silver M3 to Kanto in Japan and get a complete overhaul and BP job for about $1,000. They do a good job and the camera looks great. There's a recent video on them that you can find in a web search. Also, you can call them, as they have someone who speaks English to guide you through the process, which may take as long as six months. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted November 16, 2020 Share #5 Posted November 16, 2020 Factory black paint M3 only 3.010 units comparing to 215.944 silver chrome M3. Even scarcer 144 olive green last batches of 1967/1968 + 1957. (data from 8th edition Leica Pocket Book) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted November 16, 2020 2 hours ago, plaidshirts said: Wow. My gut feeling was ‘too high’, but you can’t argue with data... True. @Mute-on thanks for the link. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted November 16, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) 2 hours ago, Nowhereman said: You can send a silver M3 to Kanto in Japan and get a complete overhaul and BP job for about $1,000. They do a good job and the camera looks great. There's a recent video on them that you can find in a web search. Also, you can call them, as they have someone who speaks English to guide you through the process, which may take as long as six months. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook The Leica factory does it as well, but I have no idea of the cost. https://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/M-System-Service/Redesign Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted November 16, 2020 Share #8 Posted November 16, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, logan2z said: The Leica factory does it as well, but I have no idea of the cost. https://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/M-System-Service/Redesign The Leica factory will just swap the top and bottom plates. Repainting an M3 (like the Kanto option referenced) will involve painting the existing chrome top and bottom plates. Edited November 16, 2020 by wattsy Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted November 16, 2020 1 hour ago, wattsy said: The Leica factory will just swap the top and bottom plates. If they simply swap the top plate, I wonder if they re-engrave the new plate exactly as it was before, including the serial #. In the Kanto case, I guess there will be no brassing of the BP surfaces since they are chrome underneath. Not sure how it would look when the black paint wears to a chrome surface. These things sound great in theory, but it's probably best just to leave a chrome camera as chrome Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted November 16, 2020 Share #10 Posted November 16, 2020 8 minutes ago, logan2z said: best just to leave a chrome camera as chrome Correct! But if you want to go down the re-paint route this company are highly rated on this Forum https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nowhereman Posted November 16, 2020 Share #11 Posted November 16, 2020 (edited) ^ The M3 had a brass top plate; zinc top plates were introduced with the M6. I believe Kanto sandblast down to the brass, removing the chrome plating. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Edited November 16, 2020 by Nowhereman Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted November 16, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Nowhereman said: I believe Kanto file down to the brass, removing the chrome plating. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Interesting, I was wondering if they would do that. That may account for the $1000 price tag 😉 Edited November 16, 2020 by logan2z Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nowhereman Posted November 16, 2020 Share #13 Posted November 16, 2020 ^ If you're interested, it's worthwhile calling to check as I could be wrong. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted November 16, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, pedaes said: Correct! But if you want to go down the re-paint route this company are highly rated on this Forum https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/ Thanks for the link. From the Cameraworks web site: Each lever, knob and screw is individually stripped of its chrome and nickel plating and hand-finished before being painted, so that as the paint wears it will brass naturally That's the way to do it. Edit: A full repaint from Cameraworks is £650. That works out to about $860. Not as bad as I would have guessed. Edited November 16, 2020 by logan2z Added pricing info Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #15 Posted November 16, 2020 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Nowhereman said: ^ If you're interested, it's worthwhile calling to check as I could be wrong. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook I would certainly confirm before going down the repaint path. See above, Cameraworks does remove the chrome before repainting. Edited November 16, 2020 by logan2z Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nowhereman Posted November 16, 2020 Share #16 Posted November 16, 2020 ^ According to their website, Kanto does the same thing. Apparently, Kanto take the camera apart and do a complete overhaul replacing whatever is necessary. I wonder how the cost of the two companies compares. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #17 Posted November 16, 2020 5 minutes ago, Nowhereman said: I wonder how the cost of the two companies compares. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Not sure if you saw my edited post above, but I added pricing info from the Cameraworks web site. https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/price-list Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nowhereman Posted November 16, 2020 Share #18 Posted November 16, 2020 (edited) ^ Thanks, just looked at the price list now. I know Kanto only from their website and having spoken to them. Also, there was a strong endorsement from Peter <https://prosophos.com/blog/>, who is a member here. Here is how my M3 looks. When I last looked into this, I was using my M3 regularly and didn't want it gone for six months. Now, I've stopped using it because the hand-development lab that I was using in Chiang Mai closed down, as the young women who was the owner was warned by her doctor after he had results of her blood tests. Now, as I'm not using the camera, I don't see the point of having the camera painted. 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! ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Edited November 16, 2020 by Nowhereman Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ________________________ Frog Leaping photobook ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/315161-is-this-really-the-going-rate-for-bp-m3s/?do=findComment&comment=4081492'>More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share #19 Posted November 16, 2020 3 minutes ago, Nowhereman said: ^ Thanks, just looked at the price list now. I know Kanto only from their website and having spoken of them. Also, there was a strong endorsement from Peter <https://prosophos.com/blog/>, who is a member here. Here is how my M3 looks. When I last looked into this, I was using my M3 regularly and didn't want it gone for six months. Now, I've stopped using it because the hand-development lab that I was using in Chiang Mai closed down, as the young women who was the owner was warned by her doctor after he had results of her blood tests. Now, as I'm not using the camera, I don't see the point having the camera painted. 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! ________________________Frog Leaping photobook There's something to be said for the natural patina of a well-used camera. Looks fine as-is to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colint544 Posted November 16, 2020 Share #20 Posted November 16, 2020 For what it's worth, in 2013 I sent my recently acquired standard chrome 1966 Leica M2 off to Kanto. The controls were stiff, and the viewfinder was dim. The Vulcanite on the back door was all lifting off. I wanted them to paint it black, since there was no way I could afford a genuine M2 BP. And I really wanted a vintage Leitz era Leica M in black paint. Kanto will only do this if you pay for a full service as well. They're stripping the whole thing down anyway, so it makes sense. They replaced a shutter roller (I'm not quite sure what that is) and cleaned the rangefinder. And they chemically stripped all the chromed brass parts, and painted the camera black. At their suggestion, they painted the engravings in off-white. It was a different camera when I got it back. Smooth, tight, and the shutter release whisper quiet. Seven years on, I've put more than 140 rolls of film through the camera. It never misses a beat. Would recommend, as they say. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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