M3 Film/Frame Spacing

[dyao]

I noticed that the frame spacing is very very thin on my DS M3. It's much fatter on my M4-2. Is this a sign that something's wrong, or were M3's just built this way?

Top is M4-2, bottom is M3.

 

[Pirate]

My M3 DS is the same way. Mine is a 1955 so it may be just the gearing on the DS's.

 

[coelacanth]

I remember my DS-SS converted M3 had short spacing and so does IIIf. I think it's just how older Leicas were designed.

 

[dyao]

thanks guys - guess I'll have to be super careful with the scissors....

 

[kdemas]

That is quite a bit tighter, interesting.

 

[sc_rufctr]

What lens are you using?

The Super Angulon gives you very narrow spacing between frames.

 

[Doug]

Peter makes a good point, beating me to it! A wide lens will "peek" under the film gate opening to allow a slightly larger image, while a long lens has the light striking the film more perpendicularly for a slightly smaller image frame. But certainly different camera bodies can easily have different frame spacing too.

 

[coelacanth]

What lens are you using?

The Super Angulon gives you very narrow spacing between frames.

Good point and very true. Even my 28mm gives noticeably tighter spacing than 50mm on my IIIf, which got tighter spacing compared to newer Leicas in the first place.

 

[dyao]

What lens are you using?

The Super Angulon gives you very narrow spacing between frames.

35mm on the m4-2, 12mm on the m3. Guess it doesn't help that I'm using such a wide lens!

 

[dh-photo]

35mm on the m4-2, 12mm on the m3. Guess it doesn't help that I'm using such a wide lens!

Don't think it'll matter about which lens you use. My double stroke M3 also had super thin spacing between frames, and I've shot it with 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses. I think that's just the way they were designed, and perhaps after getting feedback from users asking for more spacing between frames, Leica must have adjusted this on later M's.

Can anybody with a single stroke M3 comment on how much spacing they have between frames?

Best regards,
David

 

[Pirate]

I only use a 50mm CV Nokton and my spacing is that tight.

 

[Leica All Day]

I have a single stroke Leica M3 and the spacing is tight....sometimes I have to cut my negatives a little different but I am ok with that...

cheers, michael

 

[johannielscom]

This is most interesting. I was under the impression that my M3-DS needed the frame spacing settled but I have shot the SA 21/3.4 with it lately. So, maybe it's not all that urgent after all.

Tomorrow I'll shoot a short roll with a 50mm lens on the camera, see what difference that makes!

 

[zauhar]

My M3/SS (1959) has very irregular spacing. Now that I have a 21mm SA, it has been more of a problem, since on at least one roll adjacent frames just touched. As I expressed on another thread, I will wait until it's too much of an issue, then send to Sherry.

Randy

 

[paulfish4570]

very thin spacing on my IIIf. if my hands weren't a bit shaky, it would not matter ... 🙂

 

[rodt16s]

I have the thin spacing on an M3 (1957), my M2's (1958) and M4 are quite normal. It's the same narrow spacing with the 21SA no matter which body, a pain to cut and gives the scanner a headache.

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Wide angle lenses tend to give a bigger negative. The downside is narrower spacing between frames.

Every Screwmount Leica and Double Stroke M3 I've handled had narrow frame spacing. If you have the chance to compare the film gate on an M6 and double stroke M3 you will notice the DS M3 is slightly larger.

 

[StaaleS]

I have a single-stroke M3 and the frame spacing is a bit tighter than your first example but nowhere near as tight as your second.

 

[johannielscom]

Thing is, I emailed Youxin Ye about this frame-touching last weekend and he told me the transport gearing on a double stroke M3 is fixed and cannot be adjusted. It basically requires replacement once it wears down so far that frames start to touch.

All other M's including the single stroke M3 can be adjusted, but not my early 734xxx series... Just my luck.

But after reading this I'll go for a 50mm test run tomorrow. Maybe I'm still within acceptable limits after all 🙂

 

[Vics]

My M3 #936xxx is normal spacing just like a Nikon SLR.