The Leica M3, like all other Leica Ms, has its own characteristics that make it different from all of the other Leica M film cameras. If you're trying to figure out which Leica M film rangefinder you should buy, here are some of the reason that might make you choosing a Leica M3.
0.91x Magnification Viewfinder on the Leica M3
The Leica M3 has the largest viewfinder magnification among all Leica cameras, which makes it the ideal viewfinder for longer focal lengths. If you like the 50mm focal length, the Leica M3 is the perfect camera for you.The 50mm frame lines on the Leica M3 are large and clear, much larger than what you would find on your modern digital Leica Ms. The closest viewfinder magnification that you will find on another Leica M camera are the .85x viewfinders that are on some Leica M6 and M7 cameras, but those are on the uncommon side.The Leica M3 was the First Leica M Camera
Leica has one of the most interesting histories among all camera brands. Everything from the ups and downs of the company, the various inovations, as well as the history of those that used the Leica camera. The Leica M3 was a huge part of Leica's history because it was the first camera that combined the rangefinder and viewfinder window, a huge inovation at the time.The Leica M3 has an All Mechanical Construction
The Leica M3 is one of the few fully mechanical Leica M cameras (The Leica M2 and Leica M4 are fully mechanical as well). Because the Leica M3 is fully mechanical, you can use it any time and anywhere. You don't have worry about your batteries running out or faulty electronics failing when you're out shooting with the Leica M3. One of the downsides to the Leica M3 being fully mechanical is that it doesn't have a built in light meter. This hasn't been a problem for me as I mostly rely on the Sunny 16 rule and do a little buit of guess work to figure out proper exposure. You can also buy an external hand held of clip on light meter to get your exposure readings.Leica M3 Looks Different
The Leica M3 was the first of its kind and the design deviated greatly from the Barkacks that came before it. It has a unique hump on the front of the top plate that you wont find on any other Leica M cameras (apart from special edition cameras that are made to look like the Leica M3) . I happen to really like the look of the Leica M3 and you might as well. If you do, the Leica M3 might be right for you.So there you have it guys. Those are the 4 biggest reasons (That I can think of) to consider buying a Leica M3 over any other Leica M film rangefinder camera. If these for reason don't apply to you, then maybe the M3 is not for you.
My first Leica was an M3, which I bought having fallen for the M3 Mystique that is so often described across the internet, the M3 being hyped as the "Ur M" which any discerning photographer must have (viz. Rockwell).
ReplyDeleteHowever, the mystique soon wore off, once I realised that 0.72x viewfinders are really much more useful. 0.91x is nice but in my usage it is unnecessary since I can focus 135mm lenses as accurately with 0.72x viewfinders which also incorporate lines for 28mm and 35mm which is something I use regularly. The M3's viewfinder is often touted as being flare-free but the same is the case with the M4 (and the M2, I believe).
Looks-wise, I much prefer the M4's clean appearance to the more ornamented M3. I have a black M4 and it is really the most stylish M ever. The M4 also has a great film loading mechanism by default (there are M2s with the "rapid load" mechanism but they are not very common). And it has the fine-mechanical tank-like build quality of the early Ms. It is a wonderful camera that is also slightly smaller in the hand than other Ms (and much smaller than the M5 of course).
For me, the perfect complement to the M4 is the TTL because I don't use an external meter and because I sometimes (esp. indoors and at night) feel the need to meter properly to ensure a well-exposed negative. While it is not crucial, I do like the large shutter speed dial. Importantly for me though is that the metering arrows point in the same direction as both the shutter speed dial and the aperture ring (except for some of the older M39 lenses). This simple change makes the meter so much more intuitive to use. The "accurate exposure" dot in the middle, which the classic M6 lacks, is also a really useful addition. True, the TTL is 2mm higher than the M4 and to my hands this is actually a tangible difference. Still, the TTL is a beautiful camera and I am very happy with my M4+TTL kit.
If I want quirkiness of operation, such as bizarre film loading and more complex focusing and composing, I'll just use my Leica II(D) which, now in its 9th decade, is an amazingly competent camera.
Anyway, while the M3 is a nice camera, for me, the 3 main reasons NOT to buy an M3 are:
The frustratingly slow film loading,
The lack of sub-50mm framelines, and
The obtrusive looks.
While the M3 was the first Leica with a combined rangefinder/viewfinder, it was not the first camera with this feature. That honour goes to the Contax II, which was released in 1936.
ReplyDeleteThe M4-2, M4-P, M6, and MP are also fully mechanical. Don't believe me on the M6 and MP? Pull out the batteries. The camera works just fine.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI'm talking about the M3 as it is. When I mentioned that it was mechanical, I meant that there were not electronics in it to begin with. If you're going to shoot without a meter, why not go with a camera without a meter to begin with. I understand that having a meter and still being able to use it when it dies is a nice thing to have but that wasn't the point.
If you're going to talk about adding things to the viewfinder then I can take it even further. If you want to shoot 90mm or 135mm, the M3 will win with the added magnifier. Again, I was talking about the camera as is.
Regarding the Contax II, I actually didn't know that. Thanks for pointing it out.
Lastly, I understand there there are a ton of reasons to buy the other Leica M cameras over the Leica M3, and separate posts can be mad about those but this post really just focuses on the selling points of the Leica M3. I know that many people will skim over the M3 in favor of another Leica M and thats totally fine.
Hi, thanks for commenting! I do understand that the M3 is not for everyone. There are many other reasons to the other Ms over the M3 but I still think that the M3 has some features that really sets it appart. I happen to have the quick load kit on my Leica M3 so it loads very similarly to other Leica Ms and I use the 50mm primarily on the Leica so it has been a wonderful experience. I am planning to try the 35mm focal length on a Leica soon so I'm going to have to look at a different M for that.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of feel and handeling, which M is your favorite?
I don't buy your first point re: the meter. The M6 (or MP) gives me the choice of using the meter, should I want to. In that respect, there's absolutely no downside vs. the M3.
ReplyDeleteYour point re: the M3's native 0.91x viewfinder is well-taken, and correct. If I were shooting mainly 90mm, I'd be shooting an M3 + 1.25x magnifier, no question.
The M3 is a terrific camera, and that's saying something considering it's nearly 60 years old.
I have an M7, which is a fantastic camera. I do want an M3 as well though. A great one for the collection. Must be great to shoot with a real piece of history!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at the Leica M7 lately. I hear that it has the quietest shutter of all Leica M cameras due to being electronically operated. I also like the idea of having auto exposure when needed!
ReplyDeleteIt's a very quiet camera! I don't use the auto exposure normally, but it is very useful for those times you just don't know, or when you need to be quicker than usual. I like having it there as a safety net.
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