M3 focusing issue

[ronw]

Greetings,
I've been shooting with a fantastic M9 with a 50 summilux and 35 summicron for a few months and just love it. Loved it so much I decided to start shooting film again and found a nice example M3 DS that is in great condition and suppose to have had a cla form KeH before the last own took delivery on it when he purchased it a year or so ago.

Here is my question:
When i put a loaner 50 summitar on it it seems to focus just fine to its closest 1m focusing distance.
When i put on either my lux or cron on it that is able to focus down to .7m each, the M3 has an issue where the rangefinder stops its movement but the lenses focusing barrel is able to still rotate farther. basiclly the range finder works from ~0.9m to infinity but not the initially 0.7 to 0.8m. is this inherent to the M3 or does it need something simple to fix or a full cla again.


thanks

 

[Dan Daniel]

The close focus limit of the M3 is, as you have found, .9m. So after you go past this point, the lens's cam is no longer engaged with the rangefinder mechanism.

 

[ruby.monkey]

The M3 focuses down to about 1m as standard. Many were subsequently modified for a 0.7m closest focus, and I would think any half-way competent repairman could do this for your M3.

(Edit: um... what Dan said)

 

[ronw]

Thanks gentlemen, that is good to know and I will look into someone hopefully local who can make this modification. leaving on trip to Glacier in 1 week but I doubt i'll need close focus there 😉

 

[ronw]

called 3 places locally bay area and surprisingly no one knows about this despite "doing this for 50 years" so i guess local may not be possible.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Seawood Camera? They have a close relationship with a good repair person.
http://www.seawood.com/

Keeble and Shucket can't recommend someone?

Email Youxin Ye and see if he can do a quick one with express mail?

 

[sc_rufctr]

Why not just leave it alone?

.9 - .7 ??? 😉

 

[leicapixie]

Why not just leave it alone?

.9 - .7 ??? 😉

I wouldn't bother till you need a RF adjustment or whatever.
I have an M3, 50mm Summicron Collapsible.
It focuses to 1m.
I have used friends Summicrons that focus closer..
Never worried about having adjustment done.
Enjoy the camera.

 

[mdarnton]

Just FYI--I'm not recommending that you do this yourself--the thing that needs changing is the little strip of metal with the quarter twist in it at the back of the RF camming mechanism visible in the camera with the lens off. Notice that it bumps up against a small roller-looking thing with a screw in it. This is what limits the close distance. To make the lens focus closer, you bend this strip slightly, letting the main large roller in the front move forward a bit more. It's a simple thing, but in doing this you can't twist the bearing that the whole mess rides on even a little or you'll mess up the RF mechanism. So, simple fix, but don't do this at home. I'm surprised the shops you talked with haven't figured this out in 50 years. :-(

 

[JustPlainBill]

Hi Ron,
Welcome to photographing with a film Leica! The M3 viewfinder is legendary for the 50 mm lens. You may want an accessory viewfinder for your 35mm Summicron. Another way to get a 50mm lens that focuses closer is to buy a Dual Range Summicron. My DR Summicron focuses down to twenty or maybe nineteen inches on my M2. You might also find it useful to add a 90 mm or so lens to your kit.
JustPlainBill

 

[sleepyhead]

My DS Leica M3 body has had this adjustment, and I enjoy having the possibility, for example, to use my 28mm Summicron on the M3 and have it focus accurately down to 0.7m.

 

[ronw]

thanks to all for the warm greetings and info. just to report back, seawood nor keeble would do it but I called Mr. Ye and he was extremely helpful and educated me on how the cam worked with the lens and essentially how mdarton described the engineering above.
i'll put a test roll of film thru and if all is good, i'll be going all film with the M3 and the Rolleiflex 2.8 to Glacier next week for 2 weeks of camping/hiking/road tripping 😀

 

[sleepyhead]

thanks to all for the warm greetings and info. just to report back, seawood nor keeble would do it but I called Mr. Ye and he was extremely helpful and educated me on how the cam worked with the lens and essentially how mdarton described the engineering above.
i'll put a test roll of film thru and if all is good, i'll be going all film with the M3 and the Rolleiflex 2.8 to Glacier next week for 2 weeks of camping/hiking/road tripping 😀

Enjoy your trip! Sounds great

 

[LarsAC]

The M3 focuses down to about 1m as standard. Many were subsequently modified for a 0.7m closest focus, and I would think any half-way competent repairman could do this for your M3.

(Edit: um... what Dan said)

Thanks a lot for the hint. Didn't know this was possible.

I think my M3 DS needs to see a service anyway since the patch does not move anywhere below 1.2m focus distance.

Lars