Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/12/01

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Subject: Re: M3 No. 895671-What year?
From: Reg Ronaldson <reg.ronaldson@zetnet.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 1996 10:26:42 GMT

Just looking at the pressure plate in my M3 No. 748 303.

It doesn't look like glass. It is matt black in a "frame".

- -- 
Reg Ronaldson         Norwich
                      Norfolk
                      England    



In message <1.5.4.32.19961130165620.0083c1dc@roanoke.infi.net>
        Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net> writes: 

> Brian

> You ask about the glass plate used in the M3 cameras.  These were supposed
> to promote film flatness, as you suggest, but were found in dry conditions
> to promote static-electricity effects which streaked the film, and so a
> metal plate was substituted at 844,001 in '57.  The M2, not introduced until
> '58, always had the metal plate.

> I've had a slew of M3's with the glass plate and have never had any problem
> with static electricity.  I'm not certain that the change wasn't made to
> reduce production costs, as Leitz was starting to feel a fiscal crunch by
> '57 (one that has gotten worse and stayed bad thereafter).

> Marc

> msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
> Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!