Re: [Leica] Price of an M3?

[Martin Howard <howard.390@osu.edu>]

Juan J. Buhler wrote, in part:

> I have a friend with a stuck M3. He wants to sell it, and I'm
> considering making him an offer.

Oh dear, we learnt nothing from our previous question? ;) ;)

I'd be conservative and figure that the repairs are going to set you back
about $250-$350: it may be that it just needs some CLA (which alone is
around $200-$250), but I'd plan for a rebuild of the shutter mechanism and
then be pleasantly surprised if it's something cheaper.

Collectors pay a premium for M3s with s/n in the 1.1 million range, but this
is obviously not a collector's camera, so it shouldn't apply to this.

The black stuff (usually called "vulcanite") is often chipped around the
baseplate mounts.  You can either leave it as it is, or have it replaced
with the modern stuff that comes around an M6.  The connoisseurs swear blind
that the old stuff is better, but I have never been able to tell much of a
difference, and if pushed, would probably admit to liking the newer M6
version better.  Replacing it on the back door is no problem.

Difficult to say what the "bright streak" in the rangefinder patch is.  If
it's separation or desilvering it's gonna be expensive to repair.  Can you
give a better description of it?

Absence of the "L" seal only means that the camera has been serviced
sometime after leaving being bought -- which is a good thing, assuming it's
been done by a competent repair person.

M3s from dealers in EX condition or thereabouts seem to be around $795,
$895.  One option would be to ask your friend if you could send the camera
to a repair person and get an estimate on how much getting it back to fully
working condition would be and then give him a price when you both know what
the problems with the camera are.  Check the Leica Answers page for
addresses: http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~leica/repair.html

As for the lenses, you want to check them for fungus or haze.  Get a small
flashlight and shine through the lens.  You're definately going to see stuff
in there, but as long as you don't see anything organic, or a milky-white,
uniform haze, you should be OK.  [Eh, brainfart -- I just check your message
again and you say you've made test shots with them.  Forget what I just
wrote!]  Both the 'cron and the 35 summaron are nice lenses: Which Summaron
is it, the E39 mount or the earlier A36?

As for reasonable prices, get a copy of Shutterbug and browse the ads in the
back.  Make an estimate of the condition of the lenses and see what
comparable stuff goes for and use that as a basis for making an offer.

M.

- -- 
Martin Howard                     | It's not who you are, it's who they
Visiting Scholar, CSEL, OSU       | think you know that counts.
email: howard.390@osu.edu         |        -- Anonymous namedropper.
www: http://mvhoward.i.am/        +---------------------------------------