M3, I think I get it

Might as well join this thread as I got an M3 recently with rigid 2.0 50mm and am waiting to shoot a roll through it. THe only reason I am waiting is because the rubber on it is so brittle that there are already cracks in it and I just know that as soon as I grab it once wrong it will flake off in huge chunks... Right now it's all there.. so pretty on my shelf... just waiting.....
 
I've just recently bought an M3 too and a minty Summicron 50 F2 from 1966, I doubt the lens has ever been on a camera.

If you think the camera is wonderful wait until you get your hands on a lens like the Rigid Summicron F2, the craftmanship is simply wonderful and so small too which was really a surprise for me.

Tony
 
Congrats on your new baby...errr...M3...

I met a lady a few years ago at camera shop, she had either an M2 or M3 and this was her take on using it..."I just about have an orgasm every time I take a picture..."
Enjoy yours...
 
An Orgasm? DO you have her Number? My sort of lady..................... Chuckle Chuckle ............. M3's M3's M3's................. Never played around with a M3 before. M4's M6's and M7's but never M3's I was not that impressed with any of the M's I tried I found all of them to have too small a rangefinder path for my liking, this was of course due to the finder magnification. I have heard that the higher mag M's have a larger patch but I have never looked thru one. The quality on the M's I have handled did not blow me out of the water either. but none were M3's. None of the M's I have seen compared to the Contax IIA I owned in regards to finish. The Contax had a much nicer finish then any of them. I would like to take a look thru the vewfinder of a M3 and compare it with my nikon S2, Canon P or Zorki 4K. My canon P has quite a bright and clear viewfinder. To call a clean Canon P's finder dim is a lot of )(*&^%$# in my estimation - Kievman
 
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The M3 is pretty ordinary IMO. Really not sure what all the fuss is frankly... sorry, I am just in the market for a second body so I thought I'd try and lower the going price a bit ;-)

I had a recent M3 epiphany too. Wonderful piece of equipment!
 
The M3 is a little nicer with its ground glass frame illumination window, rather than a plastic fresnel lens, but the M2 and M3 are so similar in use that I forget which I'm using...which is bad when you have 400ASA b/w in one and 100ASA colour in the other.
 
I only 'got' the M3 after using the M6 for a year, in fact. I had tried M3s, M2s, M6s when I was looking for a rangefinder but didn't feel any difference at the time.

After using the M6 for a year I bought an M3 to get a DR Summicron that was being sold with it. I shot 2 rolls with that M3 but they were enough for me to realise it was quite different from the M6. I finally got what people meant by saying the M3 was 'smoother'. Also, I metered both rolls by eye, and not having missed any shots due to bad exposure I gained a lot of confidence on metering by eye, and realised I don't really need a meter.

I ended up selling it to a friend though as I mostly use 35mm, but we have a "contact me first if you feel like selling it" agreement 🙂

and i sold the mint M6 and got myself a user M4. best switch ever.
 
Vics said:
I LOVE my M3, but it does kind of put you in a trap where focal length is concerned. I think that most RF shooters like to shoot wide. I kind of miss that with the M3. Since you asked, I'd say go for the M2 to get the magic trio of 35-50-90. You can do it with an M3, but you'll have to use an accessory VF in the shoe or use one of the 35s with goggles designed for the M3 (I think the last choice is too restrictive).
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...And then I traded one of my 50s for a 35 w/goggles! I hope it gets here soon!
 
I am very happy with my M5, but the M3 is... special. Just got it back from a CLA done by Will van Manen in the Netherlands, smooth as butter and good as new. And I finally got a proper battery-adapter for the MR lightmeter... all set to go now that spring is finally here in Oslo!
 
ottluuk said:
So, why doesn't the M4 get as much love as M3 and M2? All owners out shooting? 😀

< waiting delivery of an M4... >
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I briefly had an M4. The first thing I did when it arrived was fit an M3 transport lever since I like them far better. Also, the slanted rewind crank does not do anything for me, I prefer the rewind knob that M2's and M3's have. Feels more sturdy and I do not mind that it is slower. With the M3 I like the fatter framelines, but I do not miss them in the M2. The tulip-shaped Quick Loading spool on the M4 requires that you cut a tongue on self-wound film and the M2 and M3 have no such requirement. I always forgot to cut it.

The M4 has the same brass gearing IIRC so you're probably close as can be to actual M3 Society Membership 😀
 
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