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M3 or MP


badpets

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Finally I'm considering buying an M film body which I never used before. I like to get some advice on which one to get. Just found a brand new MP price at about USD 3300 and a used but in well condition M3 for about USD 2700. Which one is better deal? Thanks in advance.

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thanks, james. they do have used M3 in that $7-900 range, but they all either have scratch marks, dents or chips on the skin. i wish get something better than that. do you think the price is still unreasonable for an good condition M3 to be over USD 2000? MP in a authorized leica shop in tokyo is priced about USD 5000 if i'm not wrong. i thought USD 3300 for an MP is a cheap deal, isnt it??

 

 

How much for the M3 :eek: A good condition user should be no more than about $7-900 (based on current UK prices). The new MP is about right.

 

If you can afford it buy the new MP.

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meter is the thing why i consider MP, but i'm very tempted by the solid look of M3. ..

 

Buy the MP. Chances are you're coming from something far more automated. Cut yourself a break and get a body with a built-in-meter. That'll be the unloved M5, M6, MP or M7 (meter and Aperture Priority).
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i thought USD 3300 for an MP is a cheap deal, isnt it??

 

US$3300 is about the going rate (in £s).

 

That said, Leica Ginza is a remarkable shop. I've bought an M8 and an MP3 set there in the past. Not necessarily the cheapest, but the service is second-to-none.

 

If you're looking around the second-hand stores in Ginza, none of them will be steals. They have excellent examples, but their prices are 'appropriate' rather than good - and the strong ¥ doesn't help...

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Its a silly price for an M3, even if as new IMO - if you intend using the camera it's going to pick up a few marks along the way.

 

New UK M prices here Red Dot Cameras - Leica Cameras, Leica Binoculars, Metz Flashguns, Manfrotto Tripods, Leitz

 

I appreciate your local prices may differ.

 

Bear in mind the M3 finder is 50mm/90mm so you need goggled lenses or viewfinders if using wideangles. A nice M2 is my choice, but if I could I'd buy a new MP and have a camera that's good for a lifetime or more. The M7 has many fans though and the auto exposure is no doubt useful.

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how do you know i only own a M8? :eek: meter is the thing why i consider MP, but i'm very tempted by the solid look of M3. ..

 

Get an M7 then. If you go the a-la-carte route, you can get it to look similar to an MP (black paint + vulkanite + engraving + black dot would be gorgeous). Same price as the MP, speed-dial turns the same way as an M8, and has AE.

 

I used mine for the first time in a month today (I've been using my MPs predominantly recently) and was surprised once again at how great a camera it is...

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M3 only have 50mm/90mm frame, oh dear. i just read an article regarding M3 and it never mentioned that.. thanks james. i wonder what M body elliot erwitt used.

 

Its a silly price for an M3, even if as new IMO - if you intend using the camera it's going to pick up a few marks along the way.

 

New UK M prices here Red Dot Cameras - Leica Cameras, Leica Binoculars, Metz Flashguns, Manfrotto Tripods, Leitz

 

I appreciate your local prices may differ.

 

Bear in mind the M3 finder is 50mm/90mm so you need goggled lenses or viewfinders if using wideangles. A nice M2 is my choice, but if I could I'd buy a new MP and have a camera that's good for a lifetime or more. The M7 has many fans though and the auto exposure is no doubt useful.

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btw M7 and MP, i pefer MP. M7 is almost like M8 in terms of look.

 

Get an M7 then. If you go the a-la-carte route, you can get it to look similar to an MP (black paint + vulkanite + engraving + black dot would be gorgeous). Same price as the MP, speed-dial turns the same way as an M8, and has AE.

 

I used mine for the first time in a month today (I've been using my MPs predominantly recently) and was surprised once again at how great a camera it is...

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One last suggestion: I don't know how much money you have to spend, but I remember last time I was in Leica Ginza, they had a few body-only MP-3s available.

 

They are basically MPs (so with a meter), but with 35-50-90 framelines and Vulkanite. BUT, crucially, they look just like the Leica M3 (except with the M2's framecounter), and came in either chrome or black paint..

 

I can't remember how much they were, but they might be worth a look...

 

More info here:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/72435-what-leica-mp-3-a.html

 

btw M7 and MP, i pefer MP. M7 is almost like M8 in terms of look.

 

Yup, but if you're gonna use it, it's not all about looks. It may be a bonus to have film and digital cameras function identically, and you might end up finding the MP's shutter-speed dial a right royal pain in the...

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yes, they are excellent dealer. i wish i could resist the cheaper leica over these unauthorized dealers.

 

 

That said, Leica Ginza is a remarkable shop. I've bought an M8 and an MP3 set there in the past. Not necessarily the cheapest, but the service is second-to-none.

 

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thank you, mongrelnomad for your information. i think i'll go and have a chat with them tomorrow.

 

One last suggestion: I don't know how much money you have to spend, but I remember last time I was in Leica Ginza, they had a few body-only MP-3s available.

 

They are basically MPs (so with a meter), but with 35-50-90 framelines and Vulkanite. BUT, crucially, they look just like the Leica M3 (except with the M2's framecounter), and came in either chrome or black paint..

 

I can't remember how much they were, but they might be worth a look...

 

More info here:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/72435-what-leica-mp-3-a.html

 

 

 

Yup, but if you're gonna use it, it's not all about looks. It may be a bonus to have film and digital cameras function identically, and you might end up finding the MP's shutter-speed dial a right royal pain in the...

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M3 only have 50mm/90mm frame, oh dear.

 

For the record and completeness, the M3 has 50/90/135 frames. It also has a magnification of .92 - which the the highest magnification of any M Leica. 35mm lenses either need the "goggles" version (these are now getting old, the last ones were made in the 1960s), or the external viewfinder (which is not a tragedy - you need an external viewfinder for the very wide lenses, and they work very well).

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35mm lenses either need the "goggles" version (these are now getting old, the last ones were made in the 1960s), or the external viewfinder (which is not a tragedy - you need an external viewfinder for the very wide lenses, and they work very well).

 

With very wide lenses 24mm or wider say, you don't need to be so critical with your focussing, you can zone focus if stopping down and get away without using the rangefinder. Using the 35mm lens with a separate finder and the rangefinder would be very slow (slower than on my lllf as you would have to move your eye from finder to finder unlike the lllf finder/rangefinder which are directly next to each other).

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For the prices you mention, it sounds like you want to collect a Leica more than use it. So if that is what you want, then there is not really more to say or discuss other than go for it.

 

But if you want to shoot with them, then I think you are going about this out of priority.

 

For instance, if you intend to use an M3 as a shooter, there is no point in paying more than $1,500 for it since that will easily net you a mint one with the box as a result of prudent searching. I have two M3's, one mint chrome and a black user, the M3 is one of my all time favorite cameras. The feel, lack of meter detent in the shutter and .92 finder with a 50 is just pure Leica, bar-none.

 

As for the MP, people are going broke and selling ones hardly used for $2,500, why pay new, really? The MP is what I would get as my first Leica since it really is the modern pinnacle in Leica mechanical performance. I have the MP 3 kit in black paint and love it.

 

For $3,300 you could have both a clean MP and M3 and try them out for awhile.

 

Be honest with your self, do you really need a brand new rig to get brand new photos?

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