Does anyone use an M3 as intended?

Austerby

Austerby

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The M3 came with 50mm, 90mm and 135mm lenses. Does anyone just use this set with their M3. Is it liberating or inhibiting?
 
I use a 50 DR Summicron and 135mm f/2.8 Elmarit (with goggles) on my M3. Both work great.

I've tried the 135mm f/2.8 Elmarit on my M4-P a few times... It's very difficult to focus.
My M4-P has a 21mm Superangulon and external 21mm view finder on almost 100% of the time.
 
My M3 is my go-to camera for my Canon 50/0.95.

Though I do admit to using an old Canon FL 28mm lens on it as of late.

Jim B.
 
I use a 21, 50 and 90 on it. I have a 35mm external VF but I try to use the 35mm lens on the M2.

A 135mm might actually be useful, and the Elmar is very good and cheap. Focusing one is tricky with anything other than an M3, although the last time I used a 90 on my M2 I had better luck, and that's a similar situation. The secret is to use the split-image feature of the RF rather than the coincidence feature, which gives far too much uncertainty. The double image merges into a single image for quite a lot of lens rotation.
 
This is my uncle... (M3 - 135mm f/2.8 Elmarit version one) 100 speed film.

F1000005.jpg
 
Austerby said:
The M3 came with 50mm, 90mm and 135mm lenses. Does anyone just use this set with their M3. Is it liberating or inhibiting?
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According to Buddhism, suffering is caused by craving, and the only way to be liberated is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path ;)
 
I traveled throughout the Middle East with only an M3 and a 50mm 3.5 Elmar in 1962 using just Kodachrome II (25ASA) with a small Gossen Pilot meter. It's very possible, and it develops photographic discipline...like walking to your subject !!

I still like to do that. I often use fixed lens cameras and have a Yashica Lynx 5000 with just a 50 on it for that purpose.
 
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One camera one lens for almost 3 years now. M3 + 5cm Summarit. It has taken that long to learn the nuances of the single lens and how best to use it.

Would love a 90mm though...:p No craving at all for anything wider yet.
 
On my M3's I use:
  • 21/3.4 Super-Angulon,
  • 35/2.8 Summaron-M3,
  • 50/1.5 CZJ Sonnar LTM,
  • 85/2.0 Jupiter Sonnar LTM,
  • 135/4.0 CZJ Sonnar LTM
All but the 35 and 135 also go on my M2, but for 50, 85 and 135 I really like the M3's most.
 
I sold my M3 and use an M2 because I like the 50mm.
I bought an M6 0.58 because I love 35mm.

I wear glasses and one of the things I like about shooting an RF is to see around the frame.
 
I've been using a 75mm Summilux lately on mine and just guesstimating the framing based on the 50mm lines.
So, uhm, no.
 
Chris101 said:
Yeah, but who can afford eight Leica lenses?
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Dear Chris,

An early start helps. Frances and I currently have 1x35, 2x50, 1x65, 1x75, 2x90, 1x135. Only 8, it's true, but you need to add in 1x21 (stolen) and quite a few others (35-50-90-135-200-280-400) sold because I didn't really care for the results or (in the case of 280-400) mistakenly believed that an F was better than a Viso.

I bought my first Leica lens (50 Elmar, whch I stilll have) in '69 or '70.

Admittedly we also have several Voigtländer (21-28-35-50-90) and all too few Zeiss (18 and 50). But a lot depends on your prioritities.

Cheers,

R.
 
I originally bought the M3 (bought here on RFF) to use with my 21/3.4 Super Angulon since that lens wouldn't work well with my M6.

In addition to the Super Angulon mentioned above, I use the following lenses with my M3:

50/1.5 Carl Zeiss Jena (bought from Brian Sweeney)
8.5/2.0 Nikkor

I came close to buying a 35 with goggles but decided not to since I have a 35 I use with my M6.

Recently I've given thought to buying the 135 but haven't taken the plunge yet.

Ellen
 
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