M3 Pressure Plate -Reply

[Dave Stedman <DSTEDM@corp.atl.com>]

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Hi!

There are actually three (3) backs for M-3's.  

The first is glass.  (I personally have never seen one.)

The second and third are metal.  The difference between the 2nd
and 3rd is the third design has more space between the film rails
and the back.  (The third has the same geometry as the M-5).

My own M-3 which I purchased new in 1957 (Serial # 885750)
has the second series.  

The change from the glass to metal pressure plate was done
very early, I believe just after the first batch, certainly earlier than
mine.

Regards,

Dave Stedman


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Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Date: Mon, 02 Jun 1997 11:33:52 -0700
From: Bert Keuken  <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us, b.k@pi.net
Subject: M3 Pressure Plate
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Dave Munroe wrote:

Subject: Question about M3 glass pressure plate

This isn't all that important, really, but I am curious.

According to several books I've seen, my M3 should have a glass
pressure plate.  It's serial no. 819xxx which makes it a type 2
M3 (ST, PV, old style shutter speeds), vintage 1956.  It is well
before the introduction of the metal plate.

I assume the plates were coated black rather than being transparent,
but it looks like black metal to me and it sounds like metal if I tap
it with my fingernail.

Should I scratch it with a key to tell for sure? :-)

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Dave, you've probably done your homework really well. But I remember
having read some M3's were retro-fitted with metal pressure plates
because glass sometimes has the property of breaking just when you don't
want it to. Therefore it's possible your M3 was upgraded at a later
point in time.
- -- 
Bert Keuken

"Never chant your mantra while eating lentil stew,
it gets your T-shirt dirty." (Neil)
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