I love my *custom* Film M!

[Prosophos]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi all,

Not sure if this topic has been done, or is appropriate (mods will decide of course), but I thought it would be fun to start a thread on "custom" film M cameras.

Custom means repaint jobs, rebuilds, modifications, etc. that you've done to your beloved film M cameras of choice.

Sacrilege to some (even for me sometimes), a second life to others.

Here's a couple of M3s I've had done:

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!

 

I also have another one on the way.  I will post the finished product here when it's done (the work in progress can be seen here:  https://prosophos.com/2021/09/10/leica-m3-3/ )

So let's see your custom Film M...

—Peter.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[andybarton]

If you have done all that work to the first one yourself, you have done an excellent job.

[Prosophos]

2 hours ago, andybarton said:

If you have done all that work to the first one yourself, you have done an excellent job.

Oh goodness no Andy, I possess zero skills for such work, and would never even attempt it.  Kanto performed the first one (pics 1 and 2 are before-and-after shots).  The second camera (3rd image on wood) was done by another outfit I've discovered.  I'll have more to say about them in another post.

—Peter.

[Prosophos]

1 hour ago, Al Brown said:

So... only film M 🥺 ?

It's a film M forum, hence the restriction.

(Were you thinking of including Barnacks?.. that would be nice too, but I don't know if the moderators would allow it)

[logan2z]

2 hours ago, Prosophos said:

Kanto performed the first one

I keep toying with the idea of picking up an M3 and having Kanto convert it to black paint.  But I keep reading about M3s that are unrepairable on this forum so I'm starting to have second thoughts about buying one.  Yours looks fantastic, though...

Edited September 10, 2021 by logan2z

[250swb]

Nice, if Kanto did it the body will have had the chrome stripped before the repaint. There aren't many ways to refresh a camera, I hope the innards also stay fresh.

[Vlad Soare]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

12 hours ago, logan2z said:

But I keep reading about M3s that are unrepairable

Only double stroke M3s. The single stroke should be fine.

[logan2z]

44 minutes ago, Vlad Soare said:

Only double stroke M3s. The single stroke should be fine.

Right, double strokes seem to be the issue.

[Prosophos]

13 hours ago, logan2z said:

Right, double strokes seem to be the issue.

The next one I'm getting is a DS.  Not worried at all.

[Andy_Shields]

Nothing too over-the-top but I've removed all of the white infill from my M-A and Leicavit-M. I also removed the orange paint from my 24mm Elmarit asph and replaced it with red for a more consistent look when mounted. https://imgur.com/a/kxK4qMo

[Kriehuber]

vor 4 Stunden schrieb Andy_Shields:

Nothing too over-the-top but I've removed all of the white infill from my M-A and Leicavit-M. I also removed the orange paint from my 24mm Elmarit asph and replaced it with red for a more consistent look when mounted. https://imgur.com/a/kxK4qMo

 Looks Great! How did you remove the white paint on the lens ?

[Topsy]

5 hours ago, Andy_Shields said:

Nothing too over-the-top but I've removed all of the white infill from my M-A and Leicavit-M. I also removed the orange paint from my 24mm Elmarit asph and replaced it with red for a more consistent look when mounted. https://imgur.com/a/kxK4qMo

A bit off topic but how do you frame accurately with the 24mm and no additional viewfinder?

[Prosophos]

6 hours ago, Andy_Shields said:

Nothing too over-the-top but I've removed all of the white infill from my M-A and Leicavit-M. I also removed the orange paint from my 24mm Elmarit asph and replaced it with red for a more consistent look when mounted. https://imgur.com/a/kxK4qMo

I like it!

[Andy_Shields]

3 hours ago, Kriehuber said:

 Looks Great! How did you remove the white paint on the lens ?

99% isopropyl alcohol and q-tips. It requires some care and patience but that's what I found to be the most safe and effective. It doesn't have any effect on Leica's black chrome or black anodized finishes. 

[Andy_Shields]

2 hours ago, Topsy said:

A bit off topic but how do you frame accurately with the 24mm and no additional viewfinder?

Fair question. I have the black paint over brass 24mm finder. I was left off for the photo as admittedly it kills the look a bit. I suspect that the Leica script and mm designation are black underneath but I'm concerned that the 99% alcohol that I use to remove the white infill will also remove the black lacquer finish. Not interested in that, 😁. 

Leica 24mm finder top https://imgur.com/gallery/5lVxtCx

 

[Topsy]

1 hour ago, Andy_Shields said:

Fair question. I have the black paint over brass 24mm finder. I was left off for the photo as admittedly it kills the look a bit. I suspect that the Leica script and mm designation are black underneath but I'm concerned that the 99% alcohol that I use to remove the white infill will also remove the black lacquer finish. Not interested in that, 😁. 

Leica 24mm finder top https://imgur.com/gallery/5lVxtCx

 

Thanks, I am thinking about a 24mm myself hence the question. How accurate is that finder?

[Andy_Shields]

4 hours ago, Topsy said:

Thanks, I am thinking about a 24mm myself hence the question. How accurate is that finder?

Great question. I shoot a lot of wide angle on film bodies. Normally I'm shooting loose and not worrying much about the edges of the frame. When I have cautiously composed frames I've found the 24mm finder to be more like 23mm at closer distances. I do not believe it's parallax, I've lost some framing on the sides of the frame as well. 

For additional insight, I've used the Zeiss Contax 16mm f8 Hologon extensively. It's finder is tighter than 16mm and I regularly get more in my  actual frame. I shoot the two lenses similarly in the sense that I try to have strong foreground interest. I mention this as evidence that I believe that the finder inaccuracies are more than parallax error as I'm noticing issues that are consistent but opposite from one wide to the next. 

For further context I also have the GR 21mm f3.5 and it's finder. That finder sits tall and has a fair bit of parallax but I've found it to frame more accurately than the other finders I've mentioned. 

Hope this helps.

[Topsy]

3 minutes ago, Andy_Shields said:

Great question. I shoot a lot of wide angle on film bodies. Normally I'm shooting loose and not worrying much about the edges of the frame. When I have cautiously composed frames I've found the 24mm finder to be more like 23mm at closer distances. I do not believe it's parallax, I've lost some framing on the sides of the frame as well. 

For additional insight, I've used the Zeiss Contax 16mm f8 Hologon extensively. It's finder is tighter than 16mm and I regularly get more in my  actual frame. I shoot the two lenses similarly in the sense that I try to have strong foreground interest. I mention this as evidence that I believe that the finder inaccuracies are more than parallax error as I'm noticing issues that are consistent but opposite from one wide to the next. 

For further context I also have the GR 21mm f3.5 and it's finder. That finder sits tall and has a fair bit of parallax but I've found it to frame more accurately than the other finders I've mentioned. 

Hope this helps.

Thanks yes it does.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Prosophos]

On 9/10/2021 at 8:15 AM, Prosophos said:

Hi all,

Not sure if this topic has been done, or is appropriate (mods will decide of course), but I thought it would be fun to start a thread on "custom" film M cameras.

Custom means repaint jobs, rebuilds, modifications, etc. that you've done to your beloved film M cameras of choice.

Sacrilege to some (even for me sometimes), a second life to others.

Here's a couple of M3s I've had done:

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!

 

I also have another one on the way.  I will post the finished product here when it's done (the work in progress can be seen here:  https://prosophos.com/2021/09/10/leica-m3-3/ )

So let's see your custom Film M...

—Peter.

 

My second rebuild arrived this week.

It's a Double Stroke M3, to go along with the Single Stroke rebuild I already have.

Both cameras were finished identically.

—Peter.

 

 

[colint544]

Always wanted a black paint M2 or M3, but could never afford one, not a genuine one anyway. So back in 2013, I got a cheap standard chrome M2 from Red Dot Cameras. Vulcanite was peeling off the back door, the controls were stiff, and the viewfinder was dim.

Sent the camera off to Kanto, and they transformed it into this. It's now smooth, quiet, and the viewfinder is bright and accurate. I've put 160+ rolls of film through it since. It never misses a beat. It might not be a 'real' black paint, but it's a real M2.

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!