squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
I actually, weirdly, feel pretty strongly about this. I like the look, and most importantly the feel, of the metal one-piece better. I even had my M7's lever swapped out for a metal one-piece.
The advance lever is a major part of your interface with the camera...if you love the way it feels, you love using the camera!
The advance lever is a major part of your interface with the camera...if you love the way it feels, you love using the camera!
aizan
Veteran
it is slightly shorter. search for 'leica m3 ds' on ebay.
HuubL
hunter-gatherer
It's true indeed. The lever on your M4 is a short M3 one. I have a similar M4 with metal levers and mine has the longer one. The difference is about 4mm.
tjh
Well-known
My M8 is missing the wind lever but I've never noticed. There is a little squirrel inside that does the winding.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
It's true - the M3 DS version is shorter compared to those produced later. Although "functionally" the same, the MP advance lever is slightly different yet - a little less metal is used on the arm (it is a bit thinner).
ItsReallyDarren
That's really me
wow, its true. I just looked at my SS M3 and the lever is almost touching the cold shoe.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
So, if the SS had longer levers, did Leitz swap the levers as well when you factory upgraded from DS to SS?
Or can I tell from the lever length whether a camera started out as DS vs SS?
EDIT: I was wondering about the above, since I have sent my black M3 DS off to Will van Manen and cannot check the lever length. But, I just thought of the shots on my Flickr with the M3 in them: the substitute black lever I bought and fitted on it apparently is the MP lever. Longer than the M3 DS lever and less thickness.
That's gonna itch for some time to come, gotta find myself a correct lever for that M3
Or can I tell from the lever length whether a camera started out as DS vs SS?
EDIT: I was wondering about the above, since I have sent my black M3 DS off to Will van Manen and cannot check the lever length. But, I just thought of the shots on my Flickr with the M3 in them: the substitute black lever I bought and fitted on it apparently is the MP lever. Longer than the M3 DS lever and less thickness.
That's gonna itch for some time to come, gotta find myself a correct lever for that M3
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Well- you made me look at the M3DS. And it makes sense that they had to length the advance lever on the Single Stroke model as the lever has to be rotated farther.
Also on the Double Stroke: the eyepiece is a smaller diameter and has less eye relief than the Single Stroke.
Also on the Double Stroke: the eyepiece is a smaller diameter and has less eye relief than the Single Stroke.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
Keep looking - there were literally dozens of tweaks (most were 'improvements') made to the M3 over its life-span.
Ironically, the M4 underwent NONE (the only film Leica M model of which you could say that).
Even my Nikon F2's underwent the tweek of substituting a Plastic Tipped advance lever for the original all-metal lever.
My M3DS is a later one, preview, metal pressure plate, and newer series shutter-speed progression. It's 8/1957 production, about a month newer than me.
My M3DS is a later one, preview, metal pressure plate, and newer series shutter-speed progression. It's 8/1957 production, about a month newer than me.
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
These are the questions that try men's souls. Hey, if you have a rapidwinder, it hardly matters. Actually, it hardly matters anyway.
Ben Marks
Ben Marks
ampguy
Veteran
The M3 metal one on an M6 gets very close to the shutter speed dial.
The plastic one is made to have some "give" as Leica clearly realized their rewind cranks were not as robust as Japanese SLRs, so this "give" in later designs actually protects your gear.
Use what was designed for it - metal on earlier models, plastic on M4ps and up.
The plastic one is made to have some "give" as Leica clearly realized their rewind cranks were not as robust as Japanese SLRs, so this "give" in later designs actually protects your gear.
Use what was designed for it - metal on earlier models, plastic on M4ps and up.
Livesteamer
Well-known
Many years ago a Leica rep visited a large camera store near here and offered free shutter speed checks so I took my trusty M3 in and he is the one who told me about the different lever lengths. My M3 #802280 should be a DS but at some point got upgraded altho still with the shorter wind lever. I like the metal levers but the plastic ones on my M6's work just fine. Joe
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
Actually, it was M4s and up [through the M7]. The current MP advance was reverted back to metal.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I'm dealing with the trauma of seeing a thread on the main page entitled 'All Metal vs Plastic-tipped Advance Lever' running to thirty five posts ...
... now thirty six!
... now thirty six!
It was on Oprah last week, people are only starting to talk now. It was the big conversation over the lunch table at work....
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
ampguy
Veteran
right
right
You can go back to metal advance, but only if the rewind is knob, not crank.
right
You can go back to metal advance, but only if the rewind is knob, not crank.
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
but one of the metal levers is about 4mm longer....thickness of a couple of matchsticks!....this is BIG deal! - think how it will affect your shooting!I'm dealing with the trauma of seeing a thread on the main page entitled 'All Metal vs Plastic-tipped Advance Lever' running to thirty five posts ...
... now thirty six!
amateriat
We're all light!
Aw, you beat me to it...the solution, of course, is the hexar rf.
My Hexars use hamsters. Big, healthy hamsters...
Funny thing is, up until the M2 I got on very-extended loan last year, all my main-line cameras have been non-wind-lever-equipped (i.e. built-in motorized wind/rewind) for the last eighteen years. What's an underemployed right thumb to do?
- Barrett