The Immortal Leica M3: Predecessors and Progeny

Homage to the Immortal Leica M3
July 22, 2020


Homage To The Immortal Leica M3: Predecessors and Progeny of the Most Influential Rangefinder 35mm Camera ever Aug 9, 2019 By Jason Schneider

In the pantheon of 35mm Leica cameras over the past century the Leica M3 of 1954 stands supreme. Only the prototype Ur Leica of 1914, the first production Leica (model A) of 1925, and the Leica II (model D) the first screw-mount Leica with built-in coupled rangefinder, marked comparable turning points in Leica history. The Leica M3 is a masterpiece of integrated design that took the rangefinder Leica to an unprecedented new level of sophistication and performance and propelled the photographic industry forward as other leading camera companies responded to the challenge it posed. Ironically, were it not for the M3, a camera that set the standard and defined the limits of what was possible in designing an interchangeable lens rangefinder 35mmm system, it’s doubtful the rise of the 35mm SLR, the DSLR, and the mirrorless camera would have occurred as rapidly or rolled out in the same way.

To read this entire article published on the International Leica Society (LHSA) website please click on or copy and paste the following link: https://lhsa.org/2019/08/homage-to-...most-influential-rangefinder-35mm-camera-ever
 
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BillBlackwell said:
This flies in the face of everything I've read and concurred with Leica experts over the years. The actual denotations, at least as I've come to understand them, are obvious and confusing at the same time.

The "3" in M3 had nothing whatsoever to do with those screw mount models preceding it. Rather, the "3" in M3 referenced its three framelines (50/90/135). The "2" in M2 was a reference to "less than" M3 although it also had three framelines, as the M2 was a less expensive "entry-level" model. The "1" in M1 was "less than the M2" and had no rangefinder focusing. The "4" in M4 was a return to the frameline reference (the M4 had 4 framelines - 35/50/90/135) and was the next level-up above the M3. The "5" in M5 referenced the "next level" - or order-up. The M6 had 6 framelines (you get the idea) and was next in-line.

From that point forward the number references the next model up - until the M240, which was to start a new M numbering system, but Leica abandoned that.
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I agree. Three framelines. And "M" is for "Measuring" (actually for the German word that means the same and also starts with M.) This was a reference to what Leitz called its "measuring viewfinder" meaning the framelines that indicated the coverage of each lens.
 
BillBlackwell said:
This flies in the face of everything I've read and concurred with Leica experts over the years. The actual denotations, at least as I've come to understand them, are obvious and confusing at the same time.

The "3" in M3 had nothing whatsoever to do with those screw mount models preceding it. Rather, the "3" in M3 referenced its three framelines (50/90/135). The "2" in M2 was a reference to "less than" M3 although it also had three framelines, as the M2 was a less expensive "entry-level" model. The "1" in M1 was "less than the M2" and had no rangefinder focusing. The "4" in M4 was a return to the frameline reference (the M4 had 4 framelines - 35/50/90/135) and was the next level-up above the M3. The "5" in M5 referenced the "next level" - or order-up. The M6 had 6 framelines (you get the idea) and was next in-line.

From that point forward the number references the next model up - until the M240, which was to start a new M numbering system, but Leica abandoned that.
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This is my understanding also.
 
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