Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/11/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>> I need help for buying an M3: >> The early M3 has film pressure plate made of glass instead of metal. >> Are these M3's considered to be less desirable? >> What is the reason for changing from glass to metal? >> Do the screwmount bodies use glass pressure plates too? >> Thank you in advance. Leslie, I don't think the glass pressure plates are less desirable. I read someplace that the reason that they changed to metal, was that under very cold and dry conditions, the glass plate can cause problems with static electricity as you advance the film. Static inside the camera body is bad, because the little electrical discharges can expose themselves on the film. I can't remember where I read this about the glass pressure plates, and I can't find it, so I don't know if it is true. I saw your message before, but I was waiting to see if someone who knew for sure would answer. Some of the new Contax bodies have ceramic pressure plates, so the glass plate is back in principal. The advantages of glass or ceramic is that the plate will stay perfectly flat, will not flex or bend, and will wear very well. I think that the Leica screw mount bodies have metal pressure plates; I looked on a IIIc, and it seems to be metal, but it is hard to tell for sure if there is glass or metal under the black paint; the pressure plate is really hard to see on these cameras. - - Paul