A couple weeks ago, I went with my friend, David, to a camera show/sale. Beforehand, I had decided that I was going to buy a Leica if I found one for the right price. And I did. I bought my Leica M3 with a 50mm 1:2 collapsible lens for around $750, which is a good deal, since the body alone usually sells for a little over a grand online.
The M3 is the definition of build quality. There's not a flake of plastic to be found on this beautiful all metal beast. Though it's not a large camera, it has a nice heft to it, and sitting in your hands, it just feels
right. Like it was meant to be there all along. I remember I picked up my Olympus OM-2n after holding the M3, and it just felt... well, cheap.
So how does this beautiful camera perform? Well, that's to be determined. I've put two rolls through my M3 so far, and neither roll turned out too great. Whenever I used apertures wider than about f8, the right side of the frame would be out of focus, while the left side would be nice and sharp.
I took a close look at my lens after developing my second roll, and discovered that the lens barrel (when extended) is crooked! GAH! So now, unfortunately, I have to buy a new lens for the M3, because I don't think this one can be fixed. I think I'll make it a Christmas present to myself once I have a little more spare dough. So until then, sadly enough, I'm gonna stick this guy on the shelf. :(
Here are some shots from the two rolls I have put through my M3; one is fuji color 200, and the other is Tri-X black and white 400.
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| Service truck behind a local gas station |
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| Triple Exposure of three different windows |
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| The Office (Part 2). Notice the difference in focus on the left vs. the right side of the table. |
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| Truck Butt (Part 2) |
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| Town & Country |
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| Ace Hardware |
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| Government Building |
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| Condemned House |
Thanks for looking! I'll make a new M3 post once I get a new lens. Bye!
