Leica M3 for $150

[rover]

What do you guys think. Should I?

To good to be true? Maybe... here is the catch/story...

So, I walk into this indoor flea market near my parent's house. I look in a display and see some lenses, find a stack of photography books, then across the table... Holy Cow, that is a Leica!!!!

Leica M3, 105/2.5 Nikkor and Leica M Meter. $150.... really.

But... it is beat, bad. Cover needs replacement, the body needs to be cleaned, the inside looks ok, but the bottom plate has some corrosion. DS M3, the shutter looks ok to my untrained eye, sounds VERY quiet, and slow and fast speeds sound different. Advance seems OK, not perfect but OK. The big kicker... the RF patch is bright and contrasty, but she don't focus. I made sure the lens was mounted correctly but no focusing, no moving of the RF patch.

I couldn't get the meter off so I couldn't see the serial number. The self timer was clocking, but not moving or firing the shutter.

She needs a full scale CLA. And what about the finder, what might be wrong.... or what may be the fix, if there is one?

I am tempted.

The lens is a user... more importantly, there is haze, maybe fungus on the elements. I am thinking more haze. The meter, if I buy the camera you can have the meter.

They had some beat cameras. 3x Nikon F, verious finders, all in beat shape, $100 to $150, Canon FTb w/2 lenses, $50, Exacta, Retina II $35, 47mm Ektar lens on the Retina II. An SRT 201 w 45/2 $50, this was in better shape. A K1000, there was a Canon 50/1.4 SSC, AE1 and lens, didn't look because the cost was $125, too much in my mind.

M3 $150, what do you think?

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

go for it. you can recoup the cost if you sell the meter and lens and possibly have enough for a cla.

 

[WalterM]

Even with the cost of a CLA, seems worth it.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I would have grabbed it, and the Retina II with the Ektar.

 

[rover]

OK, I think I will go back. Maybe I can get both for $125

 

[BTMarcais]

Seems worth it to me. (I paid 200$ for mine w/ a collapsible summicron and MR4 meter, got the shutter overhauled and the lens cleaned, and it was all ready to go at well under 400$ total by the time I was done.)

It's worth putting some money into, and should be able to be repaired.

-Brian

 

[rover]

I wish I had an M lens with me to test that finder. Raining, didn't grab a camera.

 

[BTMarcais]

I would have grabbed it, and the Retina II with the Ektar.

Me too!

-Brian

 

[ElectroWNED]

Can you please give the address? 🙂

 

[rover]

After I buy the M3

 

[bawang]

Make sure you go soon before it's gone. Quit the browser and go go go.

Bought mine for $300 with 3 lenses and after a good CLA by Youxin, used it for some time recently sold one of the lens and M3 to pay for my current M8.

 

[Mackinaw]

If I could drive to Connecticut from Michigan in 5 minutes I'd buy this camera RIGHT NOW!

Jim B.

 

[Warren T.]

what a lucky find!

you have to buy it, restore it, and use it 🙂. You and the camera deserve each other.

--Warren

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Did you buy it yet?

Pick up the Retina II while you are at it.

 

[bgb]

Go get it now! There is still time and after a cla it will be yummy, If you decide once you have it home that you don't want it someone here will take it off you hands for sure 🙂

 

[ramosa]

i think we're all in on rover's trip to get this camera and lens ... well vicariously. i always wish i'd come upon something cool like this ... but not yet.

 

[sepiareverb]

Absolutely. If the VF looks good there shouldn't be anything a CLA won't fix.

 

[Mudman]

Grab before it's gone. Hope it turns out well. might be a fun project at least. If not, I have a fellow near me that will do a CLA on the leica for around $85-100 IIRC from his pricing set up.

 

[gho]

Did you buy it? I am curious how it turns out and post some pictures if you do not mind. I like the idea of saving orphaned Leicas and putting them into good use again. For $150 the risk is very low in my opinion, as someone else here may be interested in picking it up. And if you manage to get it restored without too much hassle, I can hardly imagine that you would regret it.

 

[rover]

I didn't pick up the Retina. They were shutting up the shop as I was talking to the kind lady at the table with the cameras.

"They are all old, but all work well."

I explained that the camera I was intersted in was non functional because it can't focus. But I agreed with her that it was a nice camera and I was hoping to be able to find someone to repair it.

"I have been in the business for 50 years. The best thing is that German lenses will fit on that Japanese camera. It is an exact copy of a Leica"

I never said it was a Leica, and I was sure at this point that they never figured out how to get the meter off it to see the top and that the camera was in fact... a Leica.

I took off the lens, showed her the haze.

"What can you do on the price of this camera?"

"Well, I will take $100."

😀 😀 😀

I will have to take some photos of it when I get home.

I couldn't get the rewind post to move up, so that will need some work too.

I can't wait to get home to plug in a proper lens to see if that finder comes to life. It will be the best day ever if the adaptor is the problem with the lens, not the body.

Serial #735xxx, DS, Self Timer, no frame line lever.

A good day for me.