kshapero
South Florida Man
What's the workflow like with the M3? since this would be my first foray into no meter land. I do have an external meter.
Leica M3 - DS or SS?
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DonaldJ.
Established
anyone who wants to know the differences across the production of the M3 call sherry krauter. i talked to her for about a half an hour about all the differences throughout the production of the m3, there are many minor/major changes that happened through out production.
she said the SS is a better option if to pick between the two, mine is DS, and i have to say i love it, so smooth and quiet. my m3 is from 1955
she said the SS is a better option if to pick between the two, mine is DS, and i have to say i love it, so smooth and quiet. my m3 is from 1955
sc_rufctr
Leica nuts
Don't complicate things.
I believe a Leica enters your life for a reason. SS or DS... it doesn't realy matter.
I believe a Leica enters your life for a reason. SS or DS... it doesn't realy matter.
ruby.monkey
Veteran
I can muti-stroke my SS. I couldn't single-stroke a DS.
Overall I don't really care. As long as I have my M3, I'm happy. 🙂
Overall I don't really care. As long as I have my M3, I'm happy. 🙂
Once you make your decision of the proper exposure you just point, focus and shoot. Just like your camera has AE. Once you get confident regarding exposure and set it prior to raising the camera to your eye, the work flow is quicker than with a metered camera.
Mackinaw
Think Different
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menos
Veteran
It would be similar to what I like to do normally with my M6.
I either meter, focus and frame carefully every single shot, taking much time and little pleasure or just meter with the camera from time to time, I go around a corner and the light changes in a funny way.
i then just shoot and compensate with shutter or aperture half a stop or more, according, to what I judge would be appropriate to adjust the exposure to.
Lately though, I use the M7 with AE a lot - I know, this will cripple my feeling regarding light, but it feels sooo convenient ;-)
I like to double stroke my cameras, but would miss the occasional single stroke, if a M3 DS would lock me in.
luisrq
Newbie
I had both, DS not represented for me an issue. Malcolm Taylor explained me that SS is a better choice because the parts are the same as the modern Leicas. On the other hand I've read somewhere that the DS allows correct the minimum focusing distance at 0,7m, the SS minimum is 1m.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
Either is good.
I have an M3 DS and an M3 SS, but I always double-stroke. Even my M6’s. From the time of my first 35mm camera (Pentax SLR) I have always used multiple strokes if the camera design allows it.
I have an M3 DS and an M3 SS, but I always double-stroke. Even my M6’s. From the time of my first 35mm camera (Pentax SLR) I have always used multiple strokes if the camera design allows it.
Michael Markey
Veteran
I have a`55 DS and prefer it to my `60 M2.
I too always double stroke my M cameras for some reason .
I too always double stroke my M cameras for some reason .
kshapero
South Florida Man
Old thread. I gifted myself a Black Chrome M-A back in January.
Worth a read.
https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/post/2017/05/02/leica-m3-double-stroke-buy-or-avoid
In terms of noise I don't pretend to know much about Ms as I've had little to do with them. I have serviced a couple of screw mount Leicas and with each of those the use of friction braking for the first curtain, and friction and mechanical braking for the second curtain certainly gives each curtain a different sound when it stops (the first curtain friction brake also provides some braking effect to the second curtain, when the second curtain lath bumps into the first).
One point I find interesting is that the M3 features separately adjustable friction brakes for both curtains. As I recall with the release of the M2 Leitz reverted to a friction brake only on the first curtain. Presumably, they felt it was overkill to use one on both curtains, or that it was not really necessary?
In any case, because much of the noise a focal plane shutter makes occurs as the curtains are stopping—with a silent acting friction brake retarding both curtains, I would not expect too many other horizontally running fp shutters to make less noise than a well adjusted M3. My own single stroke example is incredibly quiet, my Alpas might be in the same league, but nothing else I've ever tried is. That said I've never used a M2 or other M series...
https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/post/2017/05/02/leica-m3-double-stroke-buy-or-avoid
In terms of noise I don't pretend to know much about Ms as I've had little to do with them. I have serviced a couple of screw mount Leicas and with each of those the use of friction braking for the first curtain, and friction and mechanical braking for the second curtain certainly gives each curtain a different sound when it stops (the first curtain friction brake also provides some braking effect to the second curtain, when the second curtain lath bumps into the first).
One point I find interesting is that the M3 features separately adjustable friction brakes for both curtains. As I recall with the release of the M2 Leitz reverted to a friction brake only on the first curtain. Presumably, they felt it was overkill to use one on both curtains, or that it was not really necessary?
In any case, because much of the noise a focal plane shutter makes occurs as the curtains are stopping—with a silent acting friction brake retarding both curtains, I would not expect too many other horizontally running fp shutters to make less noise than a well adjusted M3. My own single stroke example is incredibly quiet, my Alpas might be in the same league, but nothing else I've ever tried is. That said I've never used a M2 or other M series...
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
M-A? Overpriced meh.
DS ELC I had was the best film camera I ever have. Adding 35 with goggles would be still less than meh M-A. And 28 mm Winogrand's OVF style on the top of it.
DS ELC I had was the best film camera I ever have. Adding 35 with goggles would be still less than meh M-A. And 28 mm Winogrand's OVF style on the top of it.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
... nearly 11-year-old zombie thread!
... nearly 11-year-old zombie thread!
I'd heard for years the best M3 cameras were those single-strokes w/ serial numbers one million and above; due to this long-time perception these later cameras tended to sell at a premium. However, more recently I've read the highest praises sung about those M3 cameras made between 1957 and 1958 just at the double-stroke / single-stroke transition. They had the best attributes of the earlier and the later (buddha-eared strap lugs, modern shutter-speeds, frameline preview selector, and a metal pressure plate). The only down-side is the small eyepiece - but that can easily be changed.
If you're used to ratchetting your M film-advance it really won't matter whether it's a single or double-stroke advance. Regardless, you quickly get adjusted to a DS.
Serial number range no longer seems to matter and they've all only gone up in price over the last few years.
... nearly 11-year-old zombie thread!
I'd heard for years the best M3 cameras were those single-strokes w/ serial numbers one million and above; due to this long-time perception these later cameras tended to sell at a premium. However, more recently I've read the highest praises sung about those M3 cameras made between 1957 and 1958 just at the double-stroke / single-stroke transition. They had the best attributes of the earlier and the later (buddha-eared strap lugs, modern shutter-speeds, frameline preview selector, and a metal pressure plate). The only down-side is the small eyepiece - but that can easily be changed.
If you're used to ratchetting your M film-advance it really won't matter whether it's a single or double-stroke advance. Regardless, you quickly get adjusted to a DS.
Serial number range no longer seems to matter and they've all only gone up in price over the last few years.
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