Bought my first M3 but thinking of returning it

[Matlock]

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7 minutes ago, mediumformula said:

Oddly, this camera was listed as having a CLA done in 2022....  That was part of the reason I bought it.   Anyway the camera is already in the mail back to the seller. 

Sadly there seems to be no consistency as to what CLA really means. Hope it all turns out OK

[logan2z]

4 minutes ago, mediumformula said:

Oddly, this camera was listed as having a CLA done in 2022....

The M3 I bought had also had a recent CLA.  The viewfinder wasn't nearly as bad as yours, but it had obvious bubbles in the rangefinder patch.  When I mentioned it to the selling dealer (a very well-known authorized Leica dealer) he said "The repairer did the best he could".  That's fine, I get that these are old cameras and can have age-related defects.  But disclose them and let the buyers decide if they're willing to live with them.

[Huss]

8 hours ago, hektor said:

The dealer should be named and shamed.

Let medium complete his return first!

[Huss]

2 hours ago, DoubleE said:

There are still plenty of M3s around that have excellent viewfinders and honest wear (as opposed to abuse like carving a name in the top plate).  I would also highly recommend getting one with a recent CLA, or else with the price adjusted to cover a servicing (around $400) because if it hasn't had one recently, it will need it.   

Unless the name was of a loved one, or someone famous, I find that much more off-putting than actual wear and tear.

"HCB engraved on it?  Why would I want this Leica? Pass"

[mediumformula]

Was looking for a local M3 as someone suggested and found this monstrosity.  

 

Leica M3 film camera "crude paint" - New CLA Youxin

https://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/pho/7551123878.html

 

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Edited November 3, 2022 by mediumformula

[Anbaric]

12 minutes ago, mediumformula said:

Was looking for a local M3 as someone suggested and found this monstrosity.

We really need a 'scream' rather than a smile response button for these situations. The seller even confesses to the terrible crime in the first paragraph.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Anbaric

[thrid]

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It could be two things.

- Prism block separation. The prism block in the M3/M2 are glued with Canadian balsam that can deteriorate with age. Starting with the M4 Leica switched to a UV cured synthetic glue.

- The prism block is de-silvering.

Both problems can be fixed, but not all repair shops offer this service and it may not be cheap.

Edited November 3, 2022 by thrid

[DoubleE]

You could check with Sherry Krauter at Golden Touch and see if she has any M3s for sale.  You can trust her to be honest and forthright, and her repair work is impeccable.  I’ve bought multiple bodies and lenses from her over the years.

[pegelli]

1 hour ago, mediumformula said:

Was looking for a local M3 as someone suggested and found this monstrosity.  

Leica M3 film camera "crude paint" - New CLA Youxin

https://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/pho/7551123878.html

 

I think the "crude paint" tanked the value of that camera quite a lot. CLA or not I don't think many people will think it's worth anywhere near the asking price.

[lmans]

1 hour ago, DoubleE said:

You could check with Sherry Krauter at Golden Touch and see if she has any M3s for sale.  You can trust her to be honest and forthright, and her repair work is impeccable.  I’ve bought multiple bodies and lenses from her over the years.

Ditto....I have found Sherry to be excellent and in fact had my M3 CLA'd by her. 

[Huss]

1 hour ago, DoubleE said:

You could check with Sherry Krauter at Golden Touch and see if she has any M3s for sale.  You can trust her to be honest and forthright, and her repair work is impeccable.  I’ve bought multiple bodies and lenses from her over the years.

She bogarted my M5.  My rf condenser went mysteriously missing after she serviced it, resulting in severe RF patch flare.  Refused to discuss it, had to have DAG to replace/fix it.  Also charged me for correcting meter voltage to use modern batteries, but did not actually do it.  DAG fixed that too.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Huss

[thrid]

2 hours ago, mediumformula said:

Was looking for a local M3 as someone suggested and found this monstrosity.  

 

Leica M3 film camera "crude paint" - New CLA Youxin

https://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/pho/7551123878.html

 

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!

 

wow. that's criminal. The poor thing.

[DoubleE]

Sorry you had a negative experience with Sherry.  She's been servicing my cameras since the mid 1980s, and has been a beacon of knowledge for me regarding all things Leica since long before online forums, etc.  A few months ago I bought an M2 from her, a mysteriously unique one with an M3 frame counter and a buttery smooth film advance.  It's become my all time favorite body. 

[Huss]

3 hours ago, DoubleE said:

Sorry you had a negative experience with Sherry.  She's been servicing my cameras since the mid 1980s, and has been a beacon of knowledge for me regarding all things Leica since long before online forums, etc.  A few months ago I bought an M2 from her, a mysteriously unique one with an M3 frame counter and a buttery smooth film advance.  It's become my all time favorite body. 

I’m glad that worked out for you.  But when parts went mysteriously missing on my M5 , and she refused to engage in a discussion, well I’m done.

[andrew01]

On 11/3/2022 at 5:08 PM, mediumformula said:

Was looking for a local M3 as someone suggested and found this monstrosity.  

 

Leica M3 film camera "crude paint" - New CLA Youxin

https://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/pho/7551123878.html

 

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!

 

Wildly optimistic on that price! You can get a clean working example for that.  I would offer $150 for that POS.

[kivis]

A few years back I was looking for an M3. I called Alex at PopFlash. He said he had a single stroke coming in a few weeks. When it came in they tested for about a week and offered to me at a fair price and a six month warranty. Bottom line, work with reputable dealers. Leica Miami included.

[lmans]

Leica Miami is where I buy my Leica gear at now, usually used....I have dabbled with others but enjoy listening to their Red Dot Forum as well as they only sell top notch used gear. 

I was listening to a podcast on Leica the other day and one of the issues came up about registering your Leica. I see 'good buy's on the web/ebay.....and one thing to look at for is stolen Leica's that are being sold and when you go and register, it comes up as stolen. Going thru a dealer, prevents all of that.

[dbeids]

On 11/4/2022 at 6:46 PM, DoubleE said:

Sorry you had a negative experience with Sherry.  She's been servicing my cameras since the mid 1980s, and has been a beacon of knowledge for me regarding all things Leica since long before online forums, etc.  A few months ago I bought an M2 from her, a mysteriously unique one with an M3 frame counter and a buttery smooth film advance.  It's become my all time favorite body. 

I totally agree with DoubleE, I’ve known and worked with Sherry for decades and have nothing but good things to say

[pippy]

On 11/5/2022 at 9:49 AM, andrew01 said:

Wildly optimistic on that price! You can get a clean working example for that.  I would offer $150 for that POS.

Whilst I agree that the asking price is pretty ludicrous I would guess that the amount of work required to clean up the top- and base-plates would be fairly minimal; the 'paint' used seems to be flaking-off as it is so it would seem that to remove the crap completely might not be difficult. OTOH clearly it's impossible to ascertain how much damage there might be to the silver-chrome finish underneath the mud-bath but to remove / re-fit the top-plate takes no more than 20 mins tops.

As the camera seems to be in a good mechanical condition (checking the serial number against that on the CLA receipt would be essential!) the camera would probably be an OK 'user' if it were priced reasonably.

I could ask the question 'Why do people do such idiotic things to their Leicas?' but I won't because 30-odd years ago I did this to my own M2;

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It might only have been adhesive-backed electrical tape but, Boy, that adhesive left a whole mess of crap behind when, eventually, it was removed...

Philip.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Huss]

1 hour ago, pippy said:

Whilst I agree that the asking price is pretty ludicrous I would guess that the amount of work required to clean up the top- and base-plates would be fairly minimal; the 'paint' used seems to be flaking-off as it is so it would seem that to remove the crap completely might not be difficult. OTOH clearly it's impossible to ascertain how much damage there might be to the silver-chrome finish underneath the mud-bath but to remove / re-fit the top-plate takes no more than 20 mins tops.

As the camera seems to be in a good mechanical condition (checking the serial number against that on the CLA receipt would be essential!) the camera would probably be an OK 'user' if it were priced reasonably.

I could ask the question 'Why do people do such idiotic things to their Leicas?' but I won't because 30-odd years ago I did this to my own 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!

It might only have been adhesive-backed electrical tape but, Boy, that adhesive left a whole mess of crap behind when, eventually, it was removed...

Philip.

looking at that pic reminds me of sitting in a cinema and having the audience yell out "focus!" to the projectioner..