Hello, everybody. I've been following this site for the past couple of months now, after purchasing a used M6 and 35mm summicron (my other lens is a 90mm Elmarit-M). I'd like to know if anybody has used a newer 35mm summicron on an M3 body - is this possible? Are there any problems, other than the obvious that there are no 35mm framelines? I'd like to get a second body - M2 or M3 (I know the M2 has different framelines); the M2 is much scarcer while M3s seem to be abundant. So, would it work?

-- Ronald Blachly (theblach@swbell.net), January 17, 2001

Answers

Ronald,

You can mount any M mount lens on the M3. It will focus fine, but as you know there is no 35mm frame. You can do one of a couple of things. I used the 35mm lens on my M3 for a couple of years by using the whole frame, (out to the metal), and moving my eye around the finder to see the edges. this is pretty close to the 35mm lens, but it is a slower process and you lose the parallax correction for close focusing, (no moving frame lines). If you are serious about using the 35mm lens on the M3 you can locate a shoe mounted finder for that lens. This was a lot harder just a couple of years ago, but Cosina, (Voightlander), has reintroduced several finders which will work fine on the M3. This would essentially let you use your M3 / 35mm combination like an M6 user would with the 24mm or 21mm lenses.

My personal choice for your second camera would be the M2 if you could locate one. I am using an M6 and M2 pair with good results. If you go with the M3, it might be better to marry the 90mm to it, and keep the 35mm lens on the M6. The enlarged finder of the M3 would really make the 90mm lens more user friendly.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), January 17, 2001.

I agree with everything Al says above. It is funny how the market for old M's goes. A couple of years ago there was a glut of M2's on the market, now they are hard to find, but, there are plenty of M3's. In general, older M's are hard to find but they are there if you look around, although the prices for M2's and M3's have gone through the roof. What I would do is consider a used M6, or even M4P or M42 which are going for lower prices.

-- Steve LeHuray (icommag@toad.net), January 17, 2001.

If you are going to use a modern 35mm lens on a M3, put a piece of black tape on the rangefinder illumination window (the one next to the viewfinder). This will give you a completely clear viewfinder (except for the focusing patch).

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), January 18, 2001.

Leica does make a really nice 35mm finder for the new screw mount 35mm lenses they introduced a couple of years ago. They are usually not listed in there standard literature, so many dealers do not know they are available. I got mine from Kindermann Canada to use with the 35mm Summicron Asph on a IIIg. The finder works like a charm.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), January 25, 2001.

I own two M3's and would never buy any other Leica RF model. But the point is that one of them came with a 35 mm lens with "eyes" attached and working with it has been really easy and satisfactory: you see the proper field and don't have to attach anything else to the camera but the lens itself. I don't know if there are "eyes" still available for your lens but I think using them would be worth considering if possible. And guess what I would recommend as a second body ... Yes you guessed right: M3 of course. Have fun with your gear!

-- Iván Barrientos (ivanbarrientos@simltda.tie.cl), March 24, 2001.