Project M3

[Martin Horne]

So my new/old M3 finally arrived this morning from Eamonn in New York (Thank you – it’s a beauty!).

Being a perennial fiddler I’ve decided to treat it to a new Asahi coat and while I’m at it would like to repaint the film door and the retaining ridges either side of this. The plan is to strip them down and repaint on the bare metal. Any tips on this or on paint? Black gloss stove enamel has been recommended.

The chrome work is dint, ding and scratch free apart from some small bright marks but I’d like to give it a clean – again any tips would be welcome.

I’ve also noticed when test focussing on text that there is a small misalignment when focussing. Vertical alignment seems fine but when focussing on text the words don’t completely superimpose, rather they are slightly above one another, if that makes sense. I assume that a CLA would cure this?

The CLA will probably come when I’ve finished fiddling. CRR can’t take the camera until July earliest so any other UK recommendations with a shorter wait time would be appreciated.

Finally is there a site anywhere with a step by step pictorial guide to film loading!!

😱

….and aren’t the bloody things heavy!

 

[merciful]

If text is not superimposing correctly, that's vertical mis-alignment, isn't it? That's what was wrong with my M2, and it's quickly fixed by fiddling the little screw right at the top of the lens mount until the images align perfectly.

You won't need a visual guide to film loading if you're willing to burn one roll of crap colour film, just rehearse a few times the steps:

- film into spool
- open back door
- drop in film and make sure it engages sprockets
– wind on the littlest bit with door open and see that rewind knob is turning
- close it all up and wind/fire twice

 

[Martin Horne]

Thanks!

Thanks!

Cheers merciful you're probably right! I may have been lying down when I posted..

Thanks for the tip. It's now sorted.

What a great place this is.

 

[merciful]

Excellent, glad to help. A great place, indeed.

 

[abenner]

I'm sure merciful knows what he's trying to say, but be careful about which screw you're talking about. I believe the vertical RF adjustment is accessed by removing the screw seen near the center of the top front of the body, between the tiny RF window and the frameline illumination window. The screw that you see there is removed, and then an inner screw can be accessed which adjusts the RF vertical alignment. I think there's a different screw "right at the top of the lens mount", if you're looking with no lens on the body.

 

[merciful]

I'm sure merciful knows what he's trying to say, but be careful about which screw you're talking about.

Thanks for clarifying, you're quite right. (You'd think I could have picked up the M3 that's sitting right beside me.)

 

[Martin Horne]

Here it is...

Here it is...

... a good few days hard labour but I think it was worth it. New Asahi cover and stripped and repainted back door. A good clean up and here we are...

 

[Austerby]

I had my M3 CLA'd by Leica in Milton Keynes - they did an excellent job, though it did cost £250. It is as new now, a vast improvement so I'm happy with what it cost. Malcolm Taylor is another recommendation - he advertises in the back of Amateur Photography regularly and is worth phoning for a chat about what's possible. If I'd been aware of him I'd have probably sent my camera there than to LMK, but I'm very happy with what they did.