Leica M3 shutter upgrade?

<p>Hello everybody,</p>

 

<p>I've just got an old Leica M3 (832XXX serial number range), and it

has the European shutter speeds (1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100...). Is it

possible to get a shutter speed upgrade to the standard shutter speeds

(1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60...)? Where is a good place where I could get

this upgrade done (preferable within the Vancouver, BC, Canada area)?</p>

 

<p>Thank you all in advance for your help.</p>

 

<p>R.M.</p>

Don't woory about it. The "newer" speeds are not that accurate.

I wouldn't waste my time or money. The old speeds are so close to the "new" ones, you would never get any benefit from the "upgrade." The only thing you would gain on the new dial is an extra stop between 30 and 60 and a lightning bolt.

The newer system has two more shutter speeds than the old: twelve vs. ten. That would probably call for replacing some parts. Aoart from that, I imagine the existing speeds could be recalibrated to match the closest new ones. 1/100 could be changed to 1/125, for instance. 1/50 could possibly be changed to 1/60 (you would lose your flash synch speed), and 1/25 to 1/30. That ought to cover the most frequently used speeds. You would just have to be aware of the difference between marked & actual speeds.

 

At longer speeds, you would be missing a click-stop someplace. You could possibly have 1/15 in lieu of 1/10. 1/5 could become 1/4. The two longest speeds would not need to change. But, what has happened to 1/8? There is no speed left to convert to 1/8, unless you pre-empt 1/10. But then you lose your 1/15 speed. You see the difficulty.

 

Still, this is only speculation. You asked to be referred to a specialist. How about Sherry Krauter? She'll know. it's:

 

krauter@warwick.net

For Canada, I suggest sending the camera to Toronto to Kindermann.

 

Otherwise send it to Oregon to DAG or to S.Krauter in the eastern USA.

 

regards,

Vick

Unless your shutter needs a major overhaul anyway just leave it alone!

I'll agree here with the rest -- unnecessary, more hassle than it is worth.

 

But if the camera needs any other attention, send it to Gerry Smith at Kindermann Canada (in Markham, Ontario) and he'll tell you if the conversion can be done.

I suppose in retrospect that I should have been worrying about this sometime over the past sixty years, but it really never occurred to me even though I have or have had shutters as well as lenses in both systems and at times intermixed. I just picked the nearest match and shot away. Since most of the time I used the Sunny 16 I suppose happenstance and film lattitude took care of the dichotomy. If it affected my Kodachromes I didn't notice or was too dumb to. I really don't think the shutters are that accurate any way so Lady Luck has been good to me and for my own personal uses I can think of more attractive ways to spend my money.