Sad Sad Day... M3 fell from my car into the gutter...

[JoshuaMB]

What a sad sound that was, the dull thump of my M3 falling from my SUV into the dry gutter. If a man screams, I screamed. I am so bummed.

Guess it could be much worse, it seems like its just the scar and no internal damage, my 35 'cron is fine. But for 50 years this camera has been well cared for, and then me...... damn.

 

[colyn]

Those of us 50 and over wish we had so few issues!

Ain't that right..

 

[sherm]

I know this is of little consolation at this time, but this mark just adds more character to your M3. I've attached a link that has been around a few times but is always appropriate when something like this happens.

http://www.cameraquest.com/LeicaM4G.htm

Also, don't forget you're still taking good care of that M3 by taking photos and using it 50 years after it was made instead of letting it gather dust on a shelf or worse yet retiring it for something digital. Think of it from another point of view... had that happened with a new digital or god forbid the M8 you wouldn't be taking pictures at all.

You'll feel better in a few days,


Scott

 

[trittium]

Look at it as a liberating experience

silver lining

 

[photogdave]

I dropped my LC1 on the hardwood floor this morning. The stpid aluminum "protection" filter is all bent and the glass shattered. I'll probably wreck the threads to get it off. I'm bummed too!

 

[Keith]

God ... aren't you lucky it wasn't a new camera? 😱

Sorry ... your pain must be enormous at the moment and every Leica fan on this forum felt that blow! 🙁


ps ... By the way, that's a hell of a first post, welcome! 🙂)

 

[colyn]

I dropped my LC1 on the hardwood floor this morning. The stpid aluminum "protection" filter is all bent and the glass shattered. I'll probably wreck the threads to get it off. I'm bummed too!

Take a small pair of needle nose pliers and carefully twist the metal edge of the filter ring as if you are trying to wrap the filter around the pliers then do the same on the opposite end. This will loosen it enough to remove it without damaging the filter mount.

 

[raid]

Thank God it was the M3 and not you who fell from the car.

 

[photogdave]

Take a small pair of needle nose pliers and carefully twist the metal edge of the filter ring as if you are trying to wrap the filter around the pliers then do the same on the opposite end. This will loosen it enough to remove it without damaging the filter mount.

Thanks Colyn! I'll give it a go.

 

[David Murphy]

I dropped my LC1 on the hardwood floor this morning. The stpid aluminum "protection" filter is all bent and the glass shattered. I'll probably wreck the threads to get it off. I'm bummed too!

Any good camera tech can fix this for a few dollars including fixing threads if necessary.

 

[jarski]

my M3 has been dropped on top of its left ear in past decades,
this hasnt prevented me from enjoying and using my camera 🙂

btw. these small dings etc., totally unrepairable? only way is to buy
new (old) top plate from other M3 that have abused in other parts?
yes, serial would change..

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Joshua, now the camera is really, really yours. Congratulations! 🙂

 

[Dfin]

Sorry for your M3. Didn`t anyone tell you that photography is a contact sport?

 

[JoshuaMB]

I love that....

I love that....

Joshua, now the camera is really, really yours. Congratulations! 🙂

Such a great way of looking at it.... it was so beautiful and new, so prestine, but yeah, now its not about resale value or "what its worth".... so true so true.... thank you all for your kind words and alternate views. I feel bad mostly that I was so careless and marred such a beautiful specimen... and yes, now it is mine. I love the link to the utterly well worn M4... but at the same time, I dont want the signs of wear and age to be from carelessness....

 

[Olsen]

Coming home from our summer house in Sweden with a fully packed car, I opened one of the doors. Out rolled my Canon 1Ds II. Like an apple it rolled down the steep hill we live in. An exposure went off and the camera chewed it's own viewfinder screen. Just the noice was heartbreaking. Except for a few scratches here and there and a scrathced up viewfinder screen, it worked without a hitch. I had it tested at Canon's service shop here in Oslo who found nothing wrong with it.

Well. Scratching up a M3 is still worse. Like as if you should lean on this horse statue at St Marcus Square in Venice so it toppled over. Showing disrespect for old art & culture.

Shame on you, Joshua!

 

[RML]

My camera has several of such dents and bruises. 🙂

I dropped my CL while trying to get one of them split rings on to get the strap fixed to it. It was on the way home from the post office, the very day I received it. Not 10 minutes before I had collected it from the post office, and I was too eager to give the CL a whirl. I tried a bit too hard to get the split ring on the camera. I lost grip and the camera dropped on the tarmac. Result, an unscathed camera ended up having a nice couple of bruises like your M. 🙂

But I never felt I needed to be too careful with it after that fateful day. 😛

 

[rxmd]

Er, if that little ding spoils the day then I guess you need a beater M3 to take out and another pristine M3 to keep in on velvet a glass cupboard at home.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[JCT]

Ah, to quote Monty Python, "tis but a scratch"!

It's just a further demonstration that the Leica is built to take it -- and it not just some object d'art , the camera is probably "proud" of it's wound.

I had mine in a small domke bag next to me on the NYC subway when some little kid (that I didn't know) decided to give me a spontaneous hug -- and knocked the bag to the floor. So, I'm trying to convince the kid's mom that it was no problem while I was panicking inside about my M3. As soon as they got off I pulled it out to discover that it had hit lens first 🙁 -- but the Heavystar hood had taken the brunt of the impact -- took some work to get it (and the filter) off -- but all is OK. The best part (besides the fact that the camera survived) was the reaction of the guy sitting across from me when I pulled the camera out -- he muttered "Oh s-it" and leaned over to see if it was OK!

JT

 

[peter_n]

yay heavystar hoods! That's what I have mine for! Joshua that ding certainly adds character, looks a little rough in places you might want to buff it a bit with one of those rotating thingamabobs that go on a drill. I have 2 new(ish) M7s and they are beginning to show a bit of wear, not much but it is starting to happen. I kind of like it. 🙂