Offered for sale here is a clean Leica M3, double-stroke, serial #899493, with a M6 finder.
Mechanically, the camera is in excellent condition and must have been CLA'd no very long ago. Both rangefinder and shutter are accurate, the shutter is buttery-smooth. The film loading area is very clean and includes the spool. As mentioned above, the camera has been upgraded with a M6 finder with 0.85x magnification. This is a rare upgrade but not unheard of. The leica FAQ mentions this type of finder upgrade. Some M3 have been upgraded with a M4 finder or M6, but I don't recall seeing one on the market recently. The small wax seal is stamped "K" which might stand for Sherry Krauter of The Golden Touch, well-known Leica technician and specialist. So I assume she would have done the finder upgrade and the CLA. (I might be wrong there, and please feel to correct me if anyone know the letters used by the various technicians.)
Cosmetically, the body is in good condition showing some use but no abuse. As you can see in the pictures, there are some scratches and bright marks, but no over-worn area nor dents. The vulcanite is also original, with some touch-up, and there is a small loss near the bottom plate.
I have been enjoying shooting this camera very much; with the M6 finder, it is as close as it gets to a MP without light meter. Having purchased a M7 on this forum last month, I am now selling the M3.
I am asking $1,400 + shipping or will consider trading for a 50 summilux-M ASPH (with cash) or perhaps the previous version non-ASPH as well.
Any questions, please let me know.
Gilles
Mechanically, the camera is in excellent condition and must have been CLA'd no very long ago. Both rangefinder and shutter are accurate, the shutter is buttery-smooth. The film loading area is very clean and includes the spool. As mentioned above, the camera has been upgraded with a M6 finder with 0.85x magnification. This is a rare upgrade but not unheard of. The leica FAQ mentions this type of finder upgrade. Some M3 have been upgraded with a M4 finder or M6, but I don't recall seeing one on the market recently. The small wax seal is stamped "K" which might stand for Sherry Krauter of The Golden Touch, well-known Leica technician and specialist. So I assume she would have done the finder upgrade and the CLA. (I might be wrong there, and please feel to correct me if anyone know the letters used by the various technicians.)
Cosmetically, the body is in good condition showing some use but no abuse. As you can see in the pictures, there are some scratches and bright marks, but no over-worn area nor dents. The vulcanite is also original, with some touch-up, and there is a small loss near the bottom plate.
I have been enjoying shooting this camera very much; with the M6 finder, it is as close as it gets to a MP without light meter. Having purchased a M7 on this forum last month, I am now selling the M3.
I am asking $1,400 + shipping or will consider trading for a 50 summilux-M ASPH (with cash) or perhaps the previous version non-ASPH as well.
Any questions, please let me know.
Gilles