Leica M3 with Summicron F=5cm 1:2 lens

<p>I never had a Leica but like shooting a Nikon FM2 with 50mm 1.8 lens. I also have a light meter and enjoy shooting a Mamiya RZ67. I have seen an advert for a Leica M3 1955 year with Summicron F=5cm 1.2 lens advertised as fully working with mint condition. Sfr 1500 = USD 1440.<br>

Has anybody any advise as to how they feel about the camera positive or negative. How about the price is that resonable. For sure looks like a great camera for my small collection but I would want to use it if I had it. I am happy with the FM2 but this is a much newer generation of camera.<br>

Any thought would be interesting.</p><div></div>

<p>It's a wonderful combination (for a rangefinder camera), in fact I'd call it the ultimate. Price seems good.</p>

<p>I have a 1954 Leica M3 with meter and 50 collapsible Summicron. Wonderful camera, great for 50, 90 and 135 frame lines. 35mm can actually be the entire outside of the finder roughly 37mm focal length, close enough? I was in Pennsylvania one May taking pictures of the steam tractor rally at Kinzers on RT 30 (I've attended 6 years of these). It usually rains as it did the year I brought the M3. I shot many pic's in the rain, the camera came through unscathed. I just wiped it off with a handkerchief. The lens hood kept the filter in front of the lens, dry and clean. My other cameras are Leicaflex SL and Nikon F2...all fall into the category of rugged bench made machines like steam engines and should last a lifetime plus.</p>

<p>Hello Bill and Paul,<br>

Many thanks for your feed back and input. I think its got to go to the top of wish list I will go and get the camera in my hands and give it a close inspection. If its as advertised I think its one of those things that just makes you happy to have and use. a real quality items from th e 50's. Regards Carl</p>

<p>The camera & lens is a nice combination, but the price seems high (@ least if you have to pay in US $) unless everything is in truly mint condition (not eBay "mint").</p>

I agree with Christopher. "Mint" is very often misused to mean "not too many scratches and no major dings." Do a search on eBay for completed listings to see what M3s actually went for, and also check KEH.com. (Don't do a search for active auctions on eBay -- the prices are meaningless until the auction closes.)

 

--Marc

<p>It's difficult to be sure from that little picture, but I believe that the lens is a Dual-<br />Range Summicron -- IMO the best 50mm lens of all time. If so, ask if the seller has the close-up attachment, otherwise you'll eventually need to buy one sepearately.</p>

<p>Ditto on the high price. For $1400 with that lens it should be absolutely spotless. Perfect chrome, no chips or marks in vulcanite , crystal clear glass. All mechanicals should have been gone through recently and camera should come with repair slip from reputable service center.<br />If that's the actual camera in the photo you provided, watch out! Kind of dubious position in a cheapy light tent set-up. Not original owner ... seller found in estate sale, maybe ?<br />Even at a more realistic $750-900 for your typical mid-50s M3 ( one owner, rarely used, lovingly cared for, but in need of CLA), you're talking about a serious invesment. You might want a more modern M6 and newer glass if you're going to shell out some dough. <br />I was lucky enough to snag a 972xxx single stroke M3 with 50/2 , meter, leitz leather case, assortment of leitz hoods, cables, and filters, as well as a fat chrome Leitz Canada 90/2.8 for the obscene price of $100 last year. Mint exterior, save for the tiniest mark near SN (improper removal of meter !). Only flaw was a patched shutter curtain. Sold the 90mm to pay for CLA and new curtain. <br />I'm still afraid to take it out much and am awaiting a leather 1/2 case for its protection. They're gems to hold and use, but I'm a nut and prefer the clunky sublime qualities of Voigtlander Prominents.</p>

If the Leica M3 you are checking out is made in 1955, it may be one of the early models known as a "double-stroke". In

other words, you can't advance the film in a single stroke. (But most users adjust.) Also look carefully at the lens: the DR

Summicron is often found with damaged coatings, as Leitz then used a very fragile coating. I've used the same lens with a

badly damaged coating: still very sharp, but a lot of flare. I had it recoated for about $300; it's a great lens and worth it. But

as others have said, the price seems a little too high on this outfit, especially if it does not included the close-up "goggles"

for the DR Summicron.

<p>"Mint" is a wee bit unlikely if the previous owner regularly removed that meter: I've rarely seen an unscratched M3.</p>

<p>You may like to browse around the <em><a href="https://www.leicashop.com/vintage/leica-c-1000.html">Leica Shop in Wien</a> </em> in order to see some maintream dealer prices and examples of camera/lens condition.</p>

<p>A quick perusal at KEH and you'll see that isn't such a good deal. an M3 excellent condition and a DR will set you back 1200-1300 USD.</p>

<p>Unless of course your outfit truly is "Mint" and the seller is offering at least 15 days money back no questions asked, I'd pass on it. FWIW my experience with KEH is that much of their "bargain" grade gear is super clean, and one has to search for the flaws. And their EX grade often is every other dealers "mint".</p>

<p>Haggle the price a little, but if that camera is truly mint, then the price is fair. The M3 is probably the finest camera ever built, and the DR Summicron is up there with the best 50 ever made.</p>

<p>Many thanks to everyone. I think the price is maybe to high but its a local shop and the guy just specializes in supply film and equipment for people who have not gone digital. Here is the photo of the front of the lens. I will visit the shop to look closer. But I think its got some where and tear. But I would be using it as well so its more matching the price to market a bit.</p><div></div>

<p>Alan many thanks for the link of the shop in Wein. The equipment there looks in much better shape. Also Steve thanks for pointing me to KEH. Regards Carl</p>

<p>The M3 is a fine camera. Mine developed a blackening problem with its prism in the viewfinder-rangefinder, posssibly due to age (the repair was around $400 and that was 15 years ago). While that may be rare, you should also be sure that the lens of that era (50 years ago) doesn't have any hazing, fungus or other imaging problems. You have to shine a light through the lens to discover that, unless the supplier provides excellent photos through the lens. The price seems high for a less than perfect example. You will want to ask about shutter operation, rangefinder focus accuracy and finder brightness, as these are all keys to good operation.</p>

<p>I still have a fully manual M camera, the M4-P (c1980). Unless you do slow photography where light readings can be made casually, you might miss an on-board manual meter, like your FM2, let alone exposure automation. I use the M4-P less than a metered camera. The M6 camera, which I also have used, has a built in through the lens metering system and can be had relatively inexpensively, often under $1000 (body only) for excellent condition but not mint examples. Whereas the M3 is of slightly higher quality (for Leica, this is like comparing a Mercedes to a BMW) and a classic, and has a higher VF magnification (it's near life size is matched nearly by the 0.85X VF magnification model of the 0.85 version of the M6 - the regular model is 0.72X which is that of most Leica M cameras), the M6 is in my humble opinion probably the best value in 35mm RF cameras of Leica mechanical quality.</p>

<p>Framelines in the M3 are 50, 90 and 135, whereas the M6 runs from 28mm to 135mm (6 framelines). If you need someday a wider angle lens on the M3, VF attachments are necessary.</p>

<p>Hello Arther, many thanks for feed back and knowledge. Much appreciated. I was out shooting landscapes with the Mamiya RZ67 this weekend. Will hopefully be posting some new pictures approx Wednesday. Regards Carl</p>

<p>Hello Arther, many thanks for feed back and knowledge. Much appreciated. I was out shooting landscapes with the Mamiya RZ67 this weekend. Will hopefully be posting some new pictures approx Wednesday. Regards Carl</p>