PeLu Posted Wednesday at 07:26 PM Share #1 Posted Wednesday at 07:26 PM Advertisement (gone after registration) I have gone totally obsessed with these cameras and lenses. What beautiful and timeless machines they are. Today I unpacked my first M3. Bought in a kit with 3 lenses and some extras. Had to wipe of some dust immediately. From 1956, DS with what I think is a glas pressure plate. Marks from the Leica meter and a small piece of vulcanite missing. I have seen exact same spot with similar sagas before. Week spot? Summicron lens looks like it has pristine coating on the front lens. Probably the Leica UVa filter has been there since new? Made in 1954. I’ll ad some more pictures of the kit tomorrow. It also came with a cool 35mm googled summar in a leather case. 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! 4 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/424929-first-m3/?do=findComment&comment=5879712'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted Wednesday at 07:26 PM Posted Wednesday at 07:26 PM Hi PeLu, Take a look here First M3. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
sandro Posted Wednesday at 07:37 PM Share #2 Posted Wednesday at 07:37 PM Congratulations with your kit! The M3 is indeed a timeless camera, as wonderful to use today as it was decades ago. Have fun with it! Lex 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted Wednesday at 08:15 PM Share #3 Posted Wednesday at 08:15 PM Very nice, well done! For you I think you'd find it interesting to discover where the camera was last serviced but the wax seal looks like an '8' which I can't find a reference for, is it an 8? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted Thursday at 08:30 AM Share #4 Posted Thursday at 08:30 AM (edited) Fully as original looking at the relevant details (glass pressure plate, frame selector, DS... the times scale isn't so clear, but I suppose it's of the "old" style) , compliments, a fine classic! Post also the Summicron pics ! Edited Thursday at 08:32 AM by luigi bertolotti Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeLu Posted Thursday at 10:14 AM Author Share #5 Posted Thursday at 10:14 AM 13 hours ago, 250swb said: Very nice, well done! For you I think you'd find it interesting to discover where the camera was last serviced but the wax seal looks like an '8' which I can't find a reference for, is it an 8? It looks like a ”E” Tried to take a clear photo. Any ideas about that? 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! 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/424929-first-m3/?do=findComment&comment=5879975'>More sharing options...
PG Black nickel Posted Thursday at 10:29 AM Share #6 Posted Thursday at 10:29 AM The M3 may have been repaired in Stockholm. 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! 2 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/424929-first-m3/?do=findComment&comment=5879986'>More sharing options...
qqphot Posted yesterday at 06:08 PM Share #7 Posted yesterday at 06:08 PM Advertisement (gone after registration) Imagine having all those options for competent repair and maintenance! It seems like a dream. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambro51 Posted yesterday at 08:08 PM Share #8 Posted yesterday at 08:08 PM Stunning Machine! I’ve touched up very small covering chips with a small bit of JB Quickweld. A toothpick to apply a tiny bit. Happy Fondling! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted 23 hours ago Share #9 Posted 23 hours ago Or serviced in Cordoba? How would that fit regarding where you are or where you bought it from 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted 22 hours ago Share #10 Posted 22 hours ago Don Goldberg near Madison Wisconsin still uses his dad's (Norman Goldberg) Camcraft 92 repair seal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeLu Posted 12 hours ago Author Share #11 Posted 12 hours ago On 10/23/2025 at 12:29 PM, PG Black nickel said: The M3 may have been repaired in Stockholm. 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! Yes, I found another source. One of the old men servicing Leicas in Stockholm replied in a thread on Rangefinderforum. If I remembered correctly he used to work at Brands Optik (who serviced my M3 and seals with ”E”). They where the agent for Leica at that time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted 7 hours ago Share #12 Posted 7 hours ago 5 hours ago, PeLu said: Yes, I found another source. One of the old men servicing Leicas in Stockholm replied in a thread on Rangefinderforum. If I remembered correctly he used to work at Brands Optik (who serviced my M3 and seals with ”E”). They where the agent for Leica at that time. That's a very strange 'E' considering there is a closer almost perfect match. I'm a member of Rangefinder Forum but can't find the thread I'd be interested in what he said about the seal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jul Posted 6 hours ago Share #13 Posted 6 hours ago 56 minutes ago, 250swb said: That's a very strange 'E' considering there is a closer almost perfect match. I'm a member of Rangefinder Forum but can't find the thread I'd be interested in what he said about the seal. Here you go: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/threads/leica-repair-wax-seals-e.65357/post-1395770 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted 5 hours ago Share #14 Posted 5 hours ago (edited) 52 minutes ago, Jul said: Here you go: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/threads/leica-repair-wax-seals-e.65357/post-1395770 Sorry to be sceptical but that thread goes back to 2007 and the chap who identified the seal as an E made a total of four posts on RF. In the thread it was clear nobody had the full list of symbols and I think because it looked like an 'E' I think they assumed it had to be an E, but in the full list an E is a capital letter not lower case. In the full list a lower case E is a Greek epsilon ε as can be seen on the OP's camera and refers to a different repairer. 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! Edited 5 hours ago by 250swb added list 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/424929-first-m3/?do=findComment&comment=5882267'>More sharing options...
PeLu Posted 4 hours ago Author Share #15 Posted 4 hours ago (edited) 41 minutes ago, 250swb said: Sorry to be sceptical but that thread goes back to 2007 and the chap who identified the seal as an E made a total of four posts on RF. In the thread it was clear nobody had the full list of symbols and I think because it looked like an 'E' I think they assumed it had to be an E, but in the full list an E is a capital letter not lower case. In the full list a lower case E is a Greek epsilon ε as can be seen on the OP's camera and refers to a different repairer. 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! 41 minutes ago, 250swb said: Sorry to be sceptical but that thread goes back to 2007 and the chap who identified the seal as an E made a total of four posts on RF. In the thread it was clear nobody had the full list of symbols and I think because it looked like an 'E' I think they assumed it had to be an E, but in the full list an E is a capital letter not lower case. In the full list a lower case E is a Greek epsilon ε as can be seen on the OP's camera and refers to a different repairer. No problem. The man who posted that, I checked now and I have actually spoke to him a few weeks ago, has been servicing Leicas for decades. He was a technician att Brandts Optik in Stockholm trained on Leicas. He has made that ”e” lots of times after finishing services. He’s still active so let me know if you want to get in contact. He’s +80 though… Regarding the font. (I doubt there is any connection to this) but I learned to write capital ”E” that way during my military service in the 80s. So you wouldn’t confuse ”E” with ”F”. That could be fatal. Unlike with Leicas I hope!😂 Edit: Brandts Optik was the Leica agent in Sweden back in the days. Edited 4 hours ago by PeLu Added fact. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jul Posted 1 hour ago Share #16 Posted 1 hour ago 4 hours ago, 250swb said: Sorry to be sceptical but that thread goes back to 2007 and the chap who identified the seal as an E made a total of four posts on RF. In the thread it was clear nobody had the full list of symbols and I think because it looked like an 'E' I think they assumed it had to be an E, but in the full list an E is a capital letter not lower case. In the full list a lower case E is a Greek epsilon ε as can be seen on the OP's camera and refers to a different repairer. You might very well be right, on the other hand in the full list, the 'L' for Leitz Wetzlar is a capital letter as well but the actual Leitz Wetzlar seal does not look like a capital 'L'. If you write an 'E' the same way Leitz Wetzlar is writing its 'L', it will be quite similar to the seal @PeLu showed us in his opening post, with its imbalance (small curve on top, big curve below). I would expect a Greek epsilon to be more symetrical. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeLu Posted 22 minutes ago Author Share #17 Posted 22 minutes ago (edited) 51 minutes ago, Jul said: You might very well be right, on the other hand in the full list, the 'L' for Leitz Wetzlar is a capital letter as well but the actual Leitz Wetzlar seal does not look like a capital 'L'. If you write an 'E' the same way Leitz Wetzlar is writing its 'L', it will be quite similar to the seal @PeLu showed us in his opening post, with its imbalance (small curve on top, big curve below). I would expect a Greek epsilon to be more symetrical. Thanks. Yes I think it’s quite natural that a camera well taken cared, of bought in Sweden, also has been serviced in Sweden. And especially when the service man say it’s been serviced by his company. Chiarini feels a bit far fetched. 😊 Edited 7 minutes ago by PeLu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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