The Leica M3
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- Опубликовано: 30 июн 2023
- The M3 is often considered the best Leica ever made. I try one out and share my thoughts in this review. Film stocks used in the video are Reflx Lab 800T & Pan 400. reflxlab.com/
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I was gifted a super early, but broken, 1954 double stroke M3 when I was 12 years old. Last year for my 23rd birthday i was finally able to afford a full Leica service & repair and after shooting with it for a couple of months i came to my final decision.
I will take this camera to my grave.
As a M6 shooter, I can still appreciate the M3. I recently came into possession of a IIIg, in good condition, but not working. I couldn’t just turn it into a conversation piece. It’s currently in the hands of Ye, who is one of the best repair technicians in the US. Your style of video is very entertaining and informative, I just subscribed. Thanks, Rick…..
I love my M3, the smooth operation is such a pleasure. I like the 90, 50 and 35mm focal length and find I can successfully shoot 35mm by using the whole of the view finder as my frame.
I got really lucky getting my M3 just before the price rise in mid 2021 for around 850 Euros. Though if I remember correctly, they used to go for as low as 400-500 back in like 2015 or so
It really is a gorgeous thing. I am a 28mm shooter but I can also really appreciate the M3.
I use a 28 on the m3 , the rangefinder patch helps me nail focus if required, then I use a voigtlander Cold shoe viewfinder, if I zone focus then the system is ruthlessly effective
It's usable still. I use a 21mm lens with the corresponding viewfinder and the size doesn't really grow that much.
Also, being a 21mm f3.4 you don't have to worry about critical focus; much more forgiving.
You crushed it with the 50mm and 90mm! The watch on the table and the person holding the umbrella at the hat store are some of my favorite photos from you to date. Thanks for constantly producing.
Much appreciated! :-)
I just got an M3 a couple months ago. It was rebuilt, came with a collapsible Summicron 50mm lens. The camera serial number 1962 - single stroke; the lens is older - I looked it up but forgot (1957 maybe). I traded a bunch of cameras I wasn't using (plus some cash). I use sunny 16 but I've been doing this for a few decades so I'm comfortable not having a light meter. I LOVE this camera. It was expensive but there is a finite amount of them on the planet and few in the condition mine is in. If you're a film shooting street photographer and you find one, go for it!
Great to hear! 🙂
Great video! Absolutely love my M3, it will likely remain in my collection for decades to come.
Totally agree with your video. Own a Leica M3/Single Stroke camera with a collapsible 50 MM Summicron lens and love how it performs. There is a certain level of precision, smoothness and quality when you handle a Leica M3. Feel fortunate to own such a classic camera which produces such sharp pictures. It is the camera of choice for professional photographers and even photo journalists who were sent to cover stories and conflicts. Well worth any shooter’s investment. Nicely done.❤❤
Love love love my M3, I’m mostly a 50 guy for my work and I still love my m2 amd m4 but the m3 is just built different and I’m glad you were able to shed some light on this masterpiece camera
Thank you for these videos - I used to be an avid film shooter but with prices as they are these days I can't afford to shoot film all that often but it's lovely to watch these videos as a reminder of the lovely process involved.
All the best!
Glad to hear! Maybe prices will come back down soon enough :-)
Was able to purchased one already CLA’d by Leica .Bought it from the Leica store in soho nyc when they still sells the used equipments. Paired it with a 50mm planar, absolutely love this camera.
In the early 1970's I was a college student who combed Shutterbug Ads for useful old cameras. Even then, any M-series Leica was commanding Collector prices, putting it and the Hasselblad 500C in the category of "photographic Unobtainium." M-series Lenses were even pricier, which pointed me to Leica Screw Mount cameras. A complete Canon P outfit in a brown leather case could be bought for far less than the cost of a Leica M3 body. The outfit included the clip-on Selenlum cell light meter, "gently used" body and 50mm f/1.8 Canon lens. This became my "substitute Leica M3" with a better-than-Summar/Summitar-50mm lens. So many years on, I made the right decision, because I had money left over for 28mm f/2.8 Canon and 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor LSM lenses. A very interesting companion for the Leica IIIa family camera with a 1950's 50mm f/3.5 Collapsible Elmar.;)
I only hear good things about the Canon P!
I bought a 1964 Leica M3 Single Stroke last year. I have always wanted one and I got mine fully services on eBay (full CLA + replaced curtains) for a little more than 1100 euro - a steal. As I am mostly a 35mm shooter I opted for the 40mm Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f/1.4 lens, which is also usable on the M3. One can ignore the 50mm frame lines and use the whole viewfinder past the lines to frame the shot, it works pretty well to be honest. I have since put at least 10 rolls through the camera and every single one is an experience... I truly love the mechanical feel and sound that the camera provides, as well as the ease of operation and lack of distracting "features" which usually deflects your attention away from the pure photographic immersion this camera is able to deliver.
The M-3 is my favorite camera of all time. The M-3 is the reason I bought my M-A. At that time I wish I had given some thought to how valuable a self-timer would be to me. The M-3 has a self-timer and my expensive M-A doesn't. Which camera is more beautiful, the M-3 or the M-A? I haven't decided.
Timely video... My M3 arrived on Friday, and is a stunning camera. One thing to note with these, the minimum focal distance is 1m. It threw me for a moment when taking an image of my kids.
Thanks for all the videos mate, you've got a great eye!
Congrats! Oh yeah I didn't take that into account, I guess since the lenses I used only focus about that close anyway. Having 0.7m min. is handy for portraits
I think you can get a close focus m adaptor from voightlander , small and lets you focus more like a regular lens can.
I have a Leica M3 too. My camera was built in 1960. I think, it is the best Leica for 50, 90 and 135 mm lenses. I love it! Greetings from Germany!
I prefer minimal design of the M2. The M3 has those embossed edges around viewfinder which kills the clean design. There is a reason why the modern MP and MA are based off the M2 design.
I don't mind those edges personally! Prefer it over the look of semi-manual film counter
This was a wonderfully shot and edited video Hashem! The M3 is beautiful! I’ve always had a soft spot for the M2 and m3, but I prefer a 1:1 viewfinder so the Canon P is perfect for me
Thanks man! I'm yet to try one of those Canon P's
I had an M3 with a CLA by a respected Leica camera professional & it was a beautiful camera. My problem was I realized I am not a rangefinder person. I got an Olympus OM1, again totally brought back to specs & loved it. Make sure before you invest that you like the rangefinder experience.
Great video! Have the M4 myself and love it. These cameras are absolutely beautiful works of art. Unfortunately, they largely fell out of favor from the early '70s through to the end of the 20th century (about 30 years), a period in which the Japanese SLR completely dominated the 35mm scene, but it's great to see Leica M cameras finding renewed popularity in the 21st century.
I will say that personally I still find a manual SLR a bit easier to focus, though...especially in a broader array of conditions. And the advantages of WYSIWYG are hard to ignore. But for zone focusing in daylight conditions, the M is unmatched.
Great review man! You did it justice. And honest and concise as always. Really cool Pixpa commercial too 🤣👍🏽
I appreciate it!
One of the best M3 reviews I’ve seen! M3 was my first M mount camera. It really is a thing of beauty. I ended up with an MP to shoot 35mm lenses. But there are so many great options, if one has their heart set on an M3 and still wants to use 35mm lenses the three options are an 1) M2… is almost identical to the M3 with minor differences in styling but with a .72x viewfinder 2) Summaron / Summicron / Summilux lens with goggles. A very cool and unique option, though the Cron and the Lux are pricy. 3) Buy any 35mm lens you like and an external viewfinder.
The amazing thing about the M system is the myriad options of making a camera suit your needs. For instance if you like an M camera with a native 0.72 view finder but on occasion want to shoot a 50mm lens then the 1.25x diopter could also be a good option, this was the route I ended up going. But could easily see myself with an M3 again in the future.
One other option that could be put out there is the Nikon S3 with a 5cm f/1.4 lens. In their era the Nikon lenses were said to outperform Leica equivalent lenses… a view I more or less agree with and the S3 has a superb, large 1x viewfinder. But Nikon RF cameras are a rabbit hole all of their own. 😅
Thanks! Good points, and I have been curious to try the old rangefinders from Nikon and Canon :-)
I love shooting the 35mm and 40mm lens on my M3 by guessing. That makes this camera even more fun
M, the most powerful english alphabet. Leica M, BMW M …
Mercedes, Mega, Meta, Microsoft……. Me and …… Mother
I had one. What drove me crazy was the film spool. You're holding the camera, roll of film, film spool, bottom of the camera....all with 2 hands. Video makes it look easy with the edits. Go for the M4 and later.
Just fyi, the 2 stroke was made that way to reduce the torque and strain over time on the ratchet lever, engineering wise it is superior but they went to the single stroke for speed and ease of use.lots of nice quality small light meters available now can be put on the cold shoe for those who are put off by having no meter.😀
This camera really is awesome! Thanks for the beautiful video..
It is! Thanks for watching man
Hashem, I really enjoyed this video. Perfect combination of 2 of my favorite things - photography and HiFi. Great music choices as well 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Man I love my M3 so much. I pair it w a tiny nokton 50mm. Had mine modified so the CFD is 0.7m
Great vid!
Very nice! and thanks 🙂
Thank you the M3 is one of the best film cameras ever made. I was turned onto photography by my father, who owns four Leica cameras. They are by far the most quality and feature packed cameras, ever made. Keep up the good work. I am also a photography enthusiast with an education in radio and television broadcasting, mainly in production, and with the use of all of the digital cameras out there you still do not get the clarity and depth that you get with a film camera of this quality
The M3 may be more versatile than you realize: I use the astonishing 35mm Summicron on my M3 with correcting goggles that convert the viewfinder appropriately. No built in light meter? I use the Leica clip on meter. Servicing? I have owned my M3 since 1987. I have had it serviced twice: probably more than necessary. This camera was designed and built to last indefinitely. It's my prize possession.
Love marvels of mid 20s century engineering!
Still looking for a M for myself... probably will start with a digital 240 though^^
I’d love to see a video about the Canon P… very similar to the m3 and a real “underdog”. Been using it for a while now and feel like it really deserves attention! Lovely vid as always
I'd love to try one sometime!
Every time I sold my M3, I got another one (the first one was DS like the one here). I also have an M4 which is amazing, but the M3 feels smoother. Using a 35mm in hyperfocal with the SBLOO viewfinder is unbeatable, however it's expensive and you can't use the shoe for anything else (I like using the Leica Meter MC). 🙂
Excellent video, you are elevating your video production and it is working, great content.
I have this camera with 50mm/90mm F2, the M10 with the Summicron 35mm and the Leica Q2 with the 28mm, it makes the perfect setup for me
Hey, thanks so much! That does sound like the perfect set up. I'm yet to try a digital M out on the street, but will some day
@@pushingfilm you will enjoy it for sure!
Great vid. Just picked up an M3. Which Bresson book is flipped through in the video?
Thanks, and congrats! That one is HCB's "Scrapbook"
Nice video. The M3 is a nice looking camera for sure and i'd definitely say it's the most iconic. I mostly shoot 50, so I messed around with one before buying my second Leica, but I wear glasses and could barely see the frame lines, so ended up with an M2 which IMO feels just as nice.
Thanks! M2 is a great choice too, a little more versatile
Great video! I love the look of the M3 but I think a light meter is something I really want.
Thanks! That's fair :-) MP might be the best alternative then?
Great video - even the ad for Pixpa (a bit of slapstick humour goes a long way in my book)
Excellent review
love your work Mate!, i would love to see a review of the Leica MDa , a pure mechanical joy! 👍
Thanks! I think I like having a viewfinder... but it would be fun to try
Great video! Super nice shots 😊
Thanks a lot!
Have a chrome M A 2022 , and my Lovely M 3 KANTO rebuild , the M 3 was already fine but after the tune up and service ... Oh so smooth. I love the M3 more than I do my F3 , or beloved Sony bodies ... the digital is great fast and probably commercially better , but Film , and the focus required , makes a person a better photographer.
Take some time, breathe , open up and try film.
Great video plus the photos are beautiful!
Thank you so much!
The M3 was my white whale camera for many years. Last year, I came upon a great deal from a local seller, he was selling his recently CLA'd M3 for 850 eur. Got the goggled Summaron 2.8 and the DR Summicron with it and I couldn't be happier. It's my fav camera since then (tied with the Zeiss Tenax II)
Great deal!
would love to hear about how you meter light for low light/ night photography with the M3/M-A. im well versed in sunny 16 and usually my guess is never more than one stop off during daylight. but it's the night / indoor stuff that really gets me. would love tips
If I'm working handheld, I usually go as slow on the shutter as I'm confident keeping steady at the time (usually 1/4-1/60th somewhere) and wide open aperture, or close to it. This mainly works in artificially lit scenes. If bright lights are quite predominant in the frame I might go 1/60th f4. So basically it's a whole bunch of "guestimation" 😅 or just shooting as bright as possible while keeping still! But, if I'm doing long exposures and/or have my light meter (and the time to use it!) then I'll carefully meter the scene. I use a similar approach when I shoot indoor, except there's window light instead of (or in addition to) artificial light.
... and if you mainly shoot 35mm, the one for you is the M2. The build is identical. I have both, as well as M-A and M7.
The M2 and 3 are always loaded with ILFORD and the M7 with Portra.
The M-A I've only had one film through it. I bought it new at Wetzlar, and the rangefinder adjustment had slipped under the quality control radar. I didn't find out until I was back on the other side of the planet and had the first roll of film processed. Every frame was out of focus. I had used my Summicron lenses, 50 and 90 at f2. On the same trip, I used the same on the M7. The film from the M7 was perfect, as always.
I'll never buy another new Leica.
Nice, that's a lot of M's! 🙂
Worth noting that it’s stupid easy to range focus 35mm and wider, so an external finder and a brain can make for a good pairing, esp for more Street like stuff.
Leica reviews tend to be so overhyped, but I think you managed to keep expectations very reasonably. Especially mentioning that the camera is fricking old, and more modern cameras might be a better option, especially considering potential maintenance and lenses. What an honest review from someone who definetly loved the camera but was able to give us an incredibly valuable and fun review to watch. Keep it up man!!
Hey, thanks so much!
I noticed you don’t use an external light meter at night. That’s some crazy skills you got!
Thanks! Negative film is so forgiving though. I generally just shoot as slow and wide open as I can. Then the brighter the artificial light in the scene, the more I close down.
@@pushingfilm Ic! What shutter speed for what aperture? That’s very interesting approach.
@@threeamigoshk Hey :-) It really varied depending on the shot.. and I didn't write down the settings or remember them unfortunately, so I couldn't tell you.
God damn you put everything together so well. Another great one. I always learn so much
Thanks man!
I have always wanted an M3 but could never justify paying that much out for a camera, i recently got a voigtlander bessa R as a comprimise and have loved it ever since! Untill myfriend said he just got an m3 and let me put a roll through it, and now i cant look at the bessa the same way, amazing video as always keep it up
Thank you! How has quality/reliability been with the Bessa R?
@@pushingfilm I saw a lot of people saying that it felt really plasticky thought I haven’t really felt that my self. I think the weight helped it a lot. I only had one issue with the advance lever locking up. But removing the base plate and touch up on some lubricant solved the issue. Been loving it!
A brassy black paint looks so nice. M2 or M3. M2 is more practical with 35mm lines.
I got my M3 off a trade for a X-T2 combo. All in all the trade with cost of 40mm lens cost me about $750ish for a M3 setup so not a bad deal. I probably would have never gotten a Leica if that trade did not present itself. That M3 is probably one of my all time favorite cameras. But if you are in the market keep in mind it is expensive to use. Film prices are way up, cost to process and scann. I develop my own film (color and B&W) and have a dedicated 35mm film scanner. If you can't develope or scan there is a extra cost. One day I will also have to pay for a CLA.
I have the m3 and I will never sell it. I honestly use 28mm often on it with a finder. the 28mm summaron is a dream on the m3
thats cool man, good review, are you in NSW?
Thanks! Melbourne 🙂
I found one in my garage today, it was likely my late uncle's, it has a light meter and two lenses. I am trying to decide what to do with it. I am not really into photography but I know how to operate this camera, I might try using it, thanks for making this video.
Great find! Enjoy :-)
Great video! What is your opinion on 40mm lens on this M3? I guess you still could compose with the 50mm frameline, cant it?
I read somewhere that the field of view of a 40mm lens corresponds approximately to the image you see in the viewfinder. I use 40 mm exclusively on my M3 and it looks about right, so just ignore the framelines and compose with the whole viewfinder.
@@SatumangoTheGreat great! Thanks for the information.
I think 40 would work well, as someone mentioned use the whole viewfinder as a guide
@@pushingfilm perfect! Thanks for the information.
I missed my M3..... until I bought the M4!
That's interesting. I have an M3 and just bought an M4 although I've not received it yet.
@@crispin8888 I shot with an M3 for about 3 years then I sold it and went digital. I got sick of digital and missed the darkroom so I just sold all my digital gear last week and bought an M4.
Absolutely love the M4!
@kurtkgledhill Thank you for the reply. I love my M3, but I want the extra framelines.
@@crispin8888 yeah that’s one of the good things about it. You will also love the quick load system too! I actually prefer the M3 rewind knob, but the quick loading is awesome!
@kurtkgledhill Thank you for the replies and insights. I'm looking forward to it, and always enjoy using the Sunny 16 Rule.
Is there focus shift with the M3 and the Sonnar?
The focus shift is inherit to the Sonnar itself. It is there, but very minor and workable (especially on film). Many of these images were wide open. You can chek out my review on that lens if you like. Also Hamish Gill's article on 35mmc helped me a lot.
My guy!! What film were you using on those night shoots?? Those pictures were money! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Reflex Lab 800T :-)
Wish Leica could find a way to innovate on their viewfinder to have a way to provide two different magnifications, 50mm is still fine on the .72 magnification, but anything longer is doable but hit or miss
That would be cool!
I bought my single stroke M3 some time around 2004/2005, with the 50 Summicron DR (with the goggles) at a licensed Leica retailer in Hamburg - paying a fraction of what that double stroke M3 costs now according to the quote in the video. I photographed all over Europe and the US with that camera. I will NEVER part with my M3 and the 50 Summicron DR, those two were MADE FOR EACH OTHER. I shoot wider focal lengths too now on a new Leica MP, but quite honestly, my M3 is mechanically the better camera. Leica should re-issue the M3 as a single stroke, brass with black paint with the M2 design language - leaving all the mechanics inside (rangefinder base length, viewfinder magnification, pickup spool) identical to the original M3. I would throw my money at Leica in a heartbeat.
Great essay! But owning an M-A as my main camera, the M2 feels like the perfect vintage Leica to me and not the M3. 35mm Framelines and the more modern feel (by loosing the protruding frames) while still have the same amazing feel and built quality. And as a person wearing glasses, I felt the 50 Framelines in the M3 were not optimal. If you don't wear glasses, that's another thing of course. Snatched a good looking M2 for 900€ and got it serviced for 400. Tbh the difference to my M-A feels really small.
M2 is another great camera! I just wish they kept the automatic frame counter
@@pushingfilm Before using it, I thought that could have been an issue. But after 15 rolls through it, it didn't bother me really. But the main reason for not getting a M3 was and is me wearing glasses. I am a 50mm shooter and the M2 tramlines are perfect with glasses.
@@FranzSchuier Makes sense! The friend I borrowed this from also wears glasses, and he can only barely see the frame lines.
I got one for about $250 in trade back in 2002. It was a late 1,1xx,xxx single stroke. I miss it but nikons are usually more useful and affordable
What a buy! That's true about Nikons
M3 also has the most accurate rangefinder due to the length of its base. Mechanically it is superb bordering on sublime, and only the M2 matches it in mechanical quality. It is a superb tool for a serious photographer. If you are just a speculator or are not serious about photography, leave this camera well alone. Buy gold or diamonds.
The Pre-war Contax has a base of 9cm.
I know, I have one. But have you ever looked through the viewfinder? The base might make for marginally more accurate focusing, but it is very dim compared to an M3.@@winstonli8081
I've been keen to hear what you thought about it! Having burned so much of my $$ on so many Leica bodies, I still find the M3 to be the best. Also, for those of you wishing you could own the best camera ever made but shoot wider, Imaging By Design can re-fit an M3 with an M6 viewfinder (.58, .72 or .85)!!
Hey man! have you changed cameras recently?
@PushingFilm honestly, I feel like I change cameras every week! 😄 But yes, ended up selling the M-A, I now have an interim M3 but will probably end up with something that has a .58 finder (maybe M6/M7)
@@raphaelelisha3160 Haha nice, just don't end up going full circle! 😁
@@pushingfilm the threat is real...
Just built better. Hard to explain. And for a 50mm shooter, the best.
As good as it is, they are not the easiest film camera to load, in fact quite tricky, and there is cost of the lens which can double the price of the camera. Leica lenses are not cheep.
The lack of a built in light meter is also a big disadvantage. For any one who has never used film it comes in 24 and 36 frame rolls, and is will need the photographer to make a mind change from having 100X the image capacity of digital.
Having said all that some of the greatest pictures. have been taken on one.
Best camera ever bar none!!!
I can tell you haven't looked at the Leica M-A!
@@Gravitys-NOT-a-forcef it has anything electronic or plastic .. don’t want it. M3 and M4 since 1970 :)
I love them both 😁
Was looking forward to this I think you need to hold onto it and do a few more follow up episodes. Maybe even try 90mm for street in that tight crop Faizel style?
Had to give it back today so no time for more rolls with it unfortunately. But, I have been planning for a while to do something like you said... Saul Leiter/Ernst Haas inspired stuff on the street, with film. I actually did it a few times with 90, 135... just never made a video.
great video - but must remind myself i can't buy one right now
Thanks! haha stay strong
Currently shooting an MP but the M3 was my first film M and i endlessly toy with the idea of picking up another body. Videos like this don't help!
Probably not 😅
I might be in the minority but for me aesthetically the M3 is kind of the ugly one in the M lineup... The protruding metal frames around all the windows make it look really dated. All the other, later Ms (M2, M4, M6 etc.) have a much cleaner, more timeless look to them.
I guess it's not for everyone! :-)
If size is important, it may be worth mentioning that the single digit Olympus OM film cameras are (with the exception of the small prism 'pyramid') exactly the same size.
It is the finest and best made Leica-M. Caveat Emptor! It's old! The balsam glues in viewfinder optics are now, very fragile! One wrong hard knock, could damage the viewfinder. It could be totalled. Working without a strap, a modern fetish, stupidity bordering on insanity. Mine from new, is now 56 years old. If you need a Leica-M, get newer. Yes, I've had it generations! I know the risks. I'm not in prime condition either! 79. It's wrong to push these cameras, unless the buyer knows the real risks.That's RUclips.
Let's take a break from all the gushing & fawning and engage our rational mind for a moment. The Canon 7 was one of the best rangefinder cameras ever made. Yes it's LTM mount but for about 1/15 the cost of a typical vintage M you have a camera every bit as good and in some ways, better.
I have an M3 I inherited from my father who was a professional photographer. He loved it. I am curious to know what the serial number means. This one has M3 - 746458. If anyone can help that would be great!
Nice! I remember looking up a page through Google with all the serial number ranges, and years of manufacture. Forgot what it was now, but it should be relatively easy to find.
@@pushingfilm Thanks. Enjoyed your presentation. I did find that listing. It's a 1955 version. He sure used it a lot - the black finish on the right side is worn out!