Leica M3 Buyers Guide

[Leon Berg]

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Am 11.11.2021 um 04:25 schrieb Michael Geschlecht:

Hello Everybody,

Just for people who might not know the reason for the rounded corners of the 50mm frameline of an M3:

This was done originally because when the M3 was introduced, a lot of Leica camera users were also users of transparency/slide films, like Kodachrome, where the processed transparencies/slides were returned in mounts where the image displayed had rounded corners. 

And the view thru the 50mm frame with rounded corners approximates what is visible when a person looks at a mounted slide.

If the slides were ordered to be processed & returned unmounted: The images captured showed the image to the corners.

Best Regards,

Michael
 

Great info, thanks for sharing Michael!

I don’t mind the round corners at all. Quite the opposite to be honest. I love the coverage of the .91, it’s almost dslr like but without that annoying depth of field (which is good for some kinds of photography of course) 

.91 + true depth is a great combo for me. If I keep my 35mm Lux I will try out an M2 for that, everyone seems to like the M2 for that reason. I also prefer the old loading system more and more. After shooting 3-4 ghost rolls with my M4 and having to pay extra attention when loading just makes me nervous and constantly conscious. I need my consciousnesses for my pictures not for a camera, that doesn’t advance film properly. 😁

it’s also the design.. I love love love the M3. Just found out again, that it is my camera. So I probably get second body or an M2. Will see.

My MP from beginning of 2021 was a sexy beast, for sure.. I didn’t like that the viewfinder was on same level as the top plate (because of scratches) and it was just cluttered with lines. Just like the M6. 
The M3 brought a whole different shooting experience into my Leica life.

[a.noctilux]

For many years, for me the best VF was on the M3 that I used happily for many years.

Untill somebody showed me (innocently) to look inside SBOOI

recent thread here ...

Leon, if you had not done yet, have a look inside this lifesize VF.