Funny M3 serial number

The bigger 'M3' signals the body was made in Canada. For some reason the Canadian M3's have abigger typeface on the 'M3' than on the rest.

Might be that the Canadian factory used a different typeface than the German factory for the serial number as well, not sure about that. If they weren't this might indeed be a replacement top plate, not sure on that either.

It's apparent that we need somebody who actually knows something here :D


EDIT Sean beat me to it. And his link shows that the mystery is already solved: all Canadian camera's shown there have several differences in configurations of the serial number: a space xxx xxx versus xxxxxx, spacing between the 'M3' and the serial number, and there obviously are two different typefaces used, for instance observe the number '7' in those serial numbers, it differs.
 
It does not look like a Leica (Germany or Canada) engraving. Probably a replacement top-plate at some time (they were blank, no serial number engraved). The bigger distributors had their own engraving machines and would remove the old top-plate (and were supposed to destroy it) and re-engrave the correct number on the new top-plate.
This engraving is a bit strange - the M3 is larger than even the Canadian usual one and it is too sharp edged to be right. You can actually see the "cut" through the chrome. Leica would supply templates for the correct type face - this looks a bit hobbled together.
 
I'm certainly no expert but, what about the rewind knob in the 3rd. picture? The center post looks much smaller than usual with just one red spot. And the flat head screws, one between the eyepiece and the flash socket and the other at the far right?

The 98.4% feedback value for the seller is not encouraging either.
 
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Early M3s had that style of rewind. They also had four extra screws holding on the top plate; two front, two rear.

Here's an early M3 I painted some time ago showing the two rear top plate screws, still in chrome. And the single dot rewind.

3614039692_b4e97e13bf_z.jpg


And the two front plate screws.

3614039620_15ed1a937a_z.jpg
 
This might be a dumb question, my m3 has different shutter speeds on the dial.

1 - 2 - 4 - 8 - 15 - 30 - 60 - 125 ... is it a single vs double stroke thing?

Cheers :)
 
oskar.marus said:
This might be a dumb question, my m3 has different shutter speeds on the dial.

1 - 2 - 4 - 8 - 15 - 30 - 60 - 125 ... is it a single vs double stroke thing?

Cheers :)
Click to expand...

It is also a sign to know your M3 is single or double stroke. With these speeds, it is single stroke type.
 
freeline said:
It is also a sign to know your M3 is single or double stroke. With these speeds, it is single stroke type.
Click to expand...

Actually it is not, the scientific shutter speeds (1-2-5-10...) changed to the geometric shutter speeds (1-2-4-8...) in the double stroke line.

Here's the reference: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/Leica/Leica-M3/1954-60/index3.htm

Don't ask, I LOVE my M3 to the extent I had to go read the history about it...:D Actually everyone loves their cameras... Don't they?
 
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