Old is old

[darkosaric]

You mentioned buying a new MP ?, it's a M6ttl, without the ttl flash and with a terrible rewind lever. Get your M3 fixed or find another, I shoot a M6ttl 0.85x I like it. I had a mint M2 with the 50 1.4 . In a moment of grief I sold it, still sad about that.

The thing is - I have a classic M6 (0.72), CL and IIIf. I enjoy using all of them, but none as M3 (I am 50mm shooter). It is a hefty price to pay for repair (~500 euros), but I thing I will go for it. If my M6 or CL broke - I would sell them. Eventually one day MP or M-A with 0.85 is an option.

 

[mshchem]

The thing is - I have a classic M6 (0.72), CL and IIIf. I enjoy using all of them, but none as M3 (I am 50mm shooter). It is a hefty price to pay for repair (~500 euros), but I thing I will go for it. If my M6 or CL broke - I would sell them. Eventually one day MP or M-A with 0.85 is an option.

I understand, I have a 35mm lens for my M6 but 90% of the time I'm shooting a 50mm. I don't shoot to much 35mm film anymore. I sure would like to have the M2 back. Prices on Leica stuff is crazy. Put your M3 in a drawer before you sell it. It would be nice to have crazy amounts of money. I wouldn't buy any ugly Leica gold plated stuff but I would love to have a factory specification Leica M3 and M2 with a couple nice lenses.

 

[Arklatexian]

So,

I knew this day will come, sooner or later. Today my M3 died, after more than 10 years in my hands, without CLA, I got it for around 500€ at the time, it it was not CLA-ed who know when. It will be interesting to see how much I will get on ebay for it.
I still have M6, IIIf and CL, but when next one goes ...time to think about MP.

Because, here in the USA, there are several really good Leica repair persons, I would never consider my M3 or M2 as beyond future use just because either of them "quit" and I have owned both cameras much longer than 10 years, like maybe 50. I certainly think they will outlast me. I just wish I was as good a photographer as they are cameras.......Regards!

 

[Arklatexian]

The thing is - I have a classic M6 (0.72), CL and IIIf. I enjoy using all of them, but none as M3 (I am 50mm shooter). It is a hefty price to pay for repair (~500 euros), but I thing I will go for it. If my M6 or CL broke - I would sell them. Eventually one day MP or M-A with 0.85 is an option.

500 Euros? Is that to repair both camera AND lens or just the camera body? That does seem expensive to me. I don't know what Leica USA would charge but I would probably send mine to someone else here......Regards, Again!

 

[GarageBoy]

Ha, you should be lucky as Leica is the brand with the most accessible servicing

My contax iiia is down for the count

 

[darkosaric]

500 Euros? Is that to repair both camera AND lens or just the camera body? That does seem expensive to me. I don't know what Leica USA would charge but I would probably send mine to someone else here......Regards, Again!

Only body. I decided to send it to Warsaw, friend of mine told me that he knows somebody there who can do it much cheaper.

 

[darkosaric]

M3 is still not repaired. But in the meantime I have sold CL with Summicron C, and decided to get another body from that profit.
In Meister camera Leica shop in Hamburg I have seen 3 cameras that fit my budget: M1 for ~500 euros, M5 for ~500, and M3 DS for 700. I took a look on all 3 bodies, and while M1 and M5 are fine cameras - no doubt about it --> I got myself another M3. I was worried how DS will feel, but no problem at all. And this M3 is serviced and proofed (yesterdays film test that I did was also fine). M3 is simply best camera for my need, with 50mm DR, or with Elmar, that is all I need. Below is my new old camera .

 

[__Brian]

Ha, you should be lucky as Leica is the brand with the most accessible servicing

My contax iiia is down for the count

What is wrong with the IIIa? I picked up a Contax IIIa with a Tessar 5cm F3.5 for $100, sold as "needs repair", INOP. I popped the top, put some camera oil down the top to the underlying shutter mechanism, it's been working for 3 years. Cameras that are "down for the count" make good ones to learn DIY repair.

I also have an M3 DS, very, very smooth.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

What is wrong with the IIIa? I picked up a Contax IIIa with a Tessar 5cm F3.5 for $100, sold as "needs repair", INOP. I popped the top, put some camera oil down the top to the underlying shutter mechanism, it's been working for 3 years. Cameras that are "down for the count" make good ones to learn DIY repair.

I also have an M3 DS, very, very smooth.

Not surprised Contax is watch kind of mechanism shutter. It needs lubricant.
Folks in Russia do repair Contax IIa by themselves after they compiled some old threads and added their own trials.
I was holding in my hands IIa which was CLA’d by one of them.

 

[GarageBoy]

Sorry, it's a III - curtain straps broke

That 50 3.5 is a rare gem - enjoy

 

[Arklatexian]

What is wrong with the IIIa? I picked up a Contax IIIa with a Tessar 5cm F3.5 for $100, sold as "needs repair", INOP. I popped the top, put some camera oil down the top to the underlying shutter mechanism, it's been working for 3 years. Cameras that are "down for the count" make good ones to learn DIY repair.

I also have an M3 DS, very, very smooth.

Many, many years ago, I bought a very clean used DS M3 camera. After using it a year or two, I sent it to Leica-USA for what is now called a CLA, mostly to clean the flash contacts. When it came back, there was a note with it from Leica Repair telling me that while they had the camera, they converted it to a SS M3 at no extra charge. Later I inquired about having the camera converted back to a DS camera. and was told this could not be done. So while the serial number is for a DS camera, mine is a SS. That has been more than 50 years ago. It still works like a "new" camera, a SS camera. Has anyone else had such an experience? I will repeat, this was done by E. Leitz, New York or E. Leitz, New Jersey, wherever they were at the time. I am not complaining, this is just the history of MY SSM3 which, until I die, isn't for sale at any price..........Regards!...(sorry if I am providing ammunition for the ANTI-LEICA contingent of Photrio, but this is one of the first M3 Leicas sold in Shreveport. I sold it to its first owner when I worked in a camera store. I am its second owner.)

 

[mshchem]

Many, many years ago, I bought a very clean used DS M3 camera. After using it a year or two, I sent it to Leica-USA for what is now called a CLA, mostly to clean the flash contacts. When it came back, there was a note with it from Leica Repair telling me that while they had the camera, they converted it to a SS M3 at no extra charge. Later I inquired about having the camera converted back to a DS camera. and was told this could not be done. So while the serial number is for a DS camera, mine is a SS. That has been more than 50 years ago. It still works like a "new" camera, a SS camera. Has anyone else had such an experience? I will repeat, this was done by E. Leitz, New York or E. Leitz, New Jersey, wherever they were at the time. I am not complaining, this is just the history of MY SSM3 which, until I die, isn't for sale at any price..........Regards!...(sorry if I am providing ammunition for the ANTI-LEICA contingent of Photrio, but this is one of the first M3 Leicas sold in Shreveport. I sold it to its first owner when I worked in a camera store. I am its second owner.)

That's a neat story!

 

[__Brian]

I have a Leica IIIf that is converted from a IIIc. Leica offered these conversions, were at reasonable cost. Getting the Single-Stroke conversion- that was a nice touch. Leica originally went with two strokes to minimize stress on a new system, or so I read in a story years ago. There are other differences with a SIngle Stroke M3 that are not as obvious, the eyepiece has a slightly larger diameter with "just a little better eye relief" for eye glass wearers.

 

[darkosaric]

Today I have used M3 DS for the first time little longer (2 rolls today, hooray), and I must say I prefer SS. Not a big difference though, but slight advantage goes to SS.
But between DS M3 and M6 --> DS wins .

 

[Kino]

sorry if I am providing ammunition for the ANTI-LEICA contingent of Photrio, b)

Who is Anti-Leica?