Let's see your Leica M

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Yes, my M3 is the same. The frame selection lever on the M3 was added late '55. Mine is an early '55 without the lever, just like that black one.
 
That is a very early M3. The slotted screw in the rewind gives it away. Nice paintjob too.I would suspect it is in the 702xxx - 703xxx range.
 
That camera looks great. Which kidney did you use?

buzzardkid said:
^^ Close!

Here's the details. My M3 started out as a chrome M3, 734xxx range, 1955. Double stroke without preview lever. When I got it, it was in parts. Badly scratched top plate removed to get to a busted gear in the transport. It sold through eBay from an Italian professor. Ad in Italian, no PayPal. I was the only bidder: EUR 100.

Dechromed the camera and painted it myself: paint flaking galore. I started over, replacing parts with original BP spares.

Original spare part black paint top plate, unengraved. Cost me a kidney but considering rarity, two kidneys and a lung would have been in order <;^)
Original spare part shorter Double Stroke lever was as expensive as any other black paint lever the seller had, since rarity was unknown. I got lucky.
Lever retaining ring, accessory shoe and shutter speed dial maybe are aftermarket, but paint on them is identical to the other parts.
Bottom plate is probably an MP spare plate, paint was much thinner on that.


Original back door with glass pressure plate and original vulcanite, the rest of the camera is covered in GripTac.
Click to expand...
 
great story, great work and great camera Johan!
buzzardkid said:
^^ Close!

Here's the details. My M3 started out as a chrome M3, 734xxx range, 1955. Double stroke without preview lever. When I got it, it was in parts. Badly scratched top plate removed to get to a busted gear in the transport. It sold through eBay from an Italian professor. Ad in Italian, no PayPal. I was the only bidder: EUR 100.

Dechromed the camera and painted it myself: paint flaking galore. I started over, replacing parts with original BP spares.

Original spare part black paint top plate, unengraved. Cost me a kidney but considering rarity, two kidneys and a lung would have been in order <;^)
Original spare part shorter Double Stroke lever was as expensive as any other black paint lever the seller had, since rarity was unknown. I got lucky.
Lever retaining ring, accessory shoe and shutter speed dial maybe are aftermarket, but paint on them is identical to the other parts.
Bottom plate is probably an MP spare plate, paint was much thinner on that.


Original back door with glass pressure plate and original vulcanite, the rest of the camera is covered in GripTac.
Click to expand...
 
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