Installing a meter in an M3?

adamjohari

adamjohari

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Hey guys? Is this thing do-able by a good repairman? I have a Leica M3 and shooting without a meter has been difficult for me. Has anyone done it before?

Thanks in advance.

Adam
 
Buy something like a VCII meter (made by voigtlander) or a handheld reflected light meter - it'll be much cheaper than hacking apart your M3

~S
 
As Steinberg said - don't waste your money - the Voigtlander meter is cheap and small and fits right into the cold shoe on your M3.
 
In a summary, no.

Take a look at the M5 to see Leitz's first solution. Then look at the CL and M6. It was a non-trivial exercise, by a team of very talented designers.

And look at the Japanese approaches, like the Canon F1 and Pentax Spotmatics.

I was going to suggest getting a new version MP, but if you want the M3 viewfinder, you might more economically look at transplanting an M3 rangefinder into an MP (not sure whether the LED display could be transplanted).

....Vick


adamjohari said:
Hey guys? Is this thing do-able by a good repairman? I have a Leica M3 and shooting without a meter has been difficult for me. Has anyone done it before?

Thanks in advance.

Adam
Click to expand...
 
Get a camera with a meter, or pickup a small handheld. They aren't that expensive. Here is the one that I use. I also have a couple of larger, expensive Sekonics.

Gossen Digsix

Just curious, what makes it so difficult shooting without a meter? Are you shooting slides, mostly inside... what has you troubled?
 
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use lightmeter app for iphone, accurate and free, 4.99 if you want to buy the developer's a pint. I've found it accurate enough for slide film for my purposes, YMMV

I take an initial reading with it set it on the M3 and then fire away, no need to take another reading unless conditions change. I've stopped using my vc meter.

PM me if you are interested in the meter

Nik
 
It has been done but it is expensive. It requires an M6, an M3, an expert repair person like DAG and a big chunk of money. What you get back is basically an M6 with an M3 top plate. Joe
 
I have an M6 with the .85x viewfinder and its is wonderful. Almost as much finder magnification as an M3, but has a meter and the addition of 35mm framelines.
 
Livesteamer said:
It has been done but it is expensive. It requires an M6, an M3, an expert repair person like DAG and a big chunk of money. What you get back is basically an M6 with an M3 top plate. Joe
Click to expand...

Didn't a member here do just that? I remember seeing an M3/M6 conversion and a M2/M6 conversion.
 
off course the camera is yours but IMHO it's blasphemy to modificate the M3 :D
A Bessa could be a solution or a CL/CLE (even Minolta). There is also the Leicameter for the M3.
 
I have the MR meter that couples to the shutter speed and use it often, but in the end you still need a handheld if you get a lens that needs an external viewfinder to fit in the shoe.

Randy
 
A VC or MR meter or any hand held meter has got to be a better idea compared to attempting the impossible. Even better than that would be to sell the M3 and buy an M6. I have to admire your spirit, but...

Steve
 
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roboflick said:
use lightmeter app for iphone, accurate and free, 4.99 if you want to buy the developer's a pint. I've found it accurate enough for slide film for my purposes, YMMV

I take an initial reading with it set it on the M3 and then fire away, no need to take another reading unless conditions change. I've stopped using my vc meter.

PM me if you are interested in the meter

Nik
Click to expand...

+1

This is what I do with my IIIf & M2. Leave the dedicated light meters at home.
 
I'm the guy who took the entire light meter system out from an MP so you know what I'd say. ;)

Twin Mate, iPhone app, Sunny 16 (more like Sunny 11 here in SF) all work fine. When I need light meter, I MUCH prefer external, incident meter. If you really really reeeeaally want an internal light meter, M6 with 0.85 VF is your best bet.
 
zauhar said:
I have the MR meter that couples to the shutter speed and use it often, but in the end you still need a handheld if you get a lens that needs an external viewfinder to fit in the shoe.
Click to expand...

The Leicameter works fine as a hand-held meter. I have walked around many a time with the Leicameter in my shirt pocket and a 35mm or 21mm viewfinder in the M3 accessory shoe. No problem.
:)
 
I actually have the Iphone meter and a Sekonic L-208S. But I find that using them takes a bit of time, and I have this sense of insecurity while photographing wondering if I'm going to underexpose or overexpose. Normally, I'd take out the meter and constantly check the light (I think I have some kind of light sense OCD).

I guess what I should do is just sell my M3 and get an M7 with AE.
 
It can actually be done... But it will cost you the price of a new MP and the time of a skilled camera tech.
You remove the self timer from your M3 and take all of the electronic internals of the new MP and transplant them into your M3.
Transplanting M3 rangfinders to the newer models has been done so this is also doable but before we go any further...
(lets assume you have bags of money so the issue isn't financial)

Try imaging how hard and complex it would be to actually do this.
And once done how reliable would it be? And what would you do with the left over MP parts? (maybe not such a problem with eBay)

--------------------------

I use the Voigtlander shoe mount meter and it works great.

I have an iPhone and I've installed a free app and it works but it's really hard to beat the simplicity of the Voigtlander meter.

And who really wants to be playing with their iPhone when you have film in your classic M camera? It's just not right IMO. :cool:
 
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