[Leica] M3, very low rangefinder patch brightness

[h_arche at yahoo.com (H. Ball Arche)]

CRR did a great job rebuilding the RF in my M3. It's unlikely that they 
could get to re-silvering yours in time for you to oick it up at Christmas - 
They're always very backed up.


----- Original Message ----
From: Peter Cheyne <geordiepete211 at yahoo.co.uk>
To: lug at leica-users.org
Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 3:02:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] M3, very low rangefinder patch brightness

I have been using an M6 for just over a year and today I bought an M3.  My 
M6 has a lovely, contrasty RF patch.
The M3 is in very nice condition, but when I put lenses on it, I see that 
the RF patch is very ghostly in comparison to
the VF image.  I am disappointed because I expected it to be easy to focus 
my 50mm and 135mm lenses on the M3.
Right now my M3 can be used to focus only contrasty edges of subjects, and 
is almost impossible to focus on a person's
eye.

I understand that the RF patch might have faded over time.  My M3 was made 
in 1955.  So I have two questions.
1.  Is the low brightness on the M3's RF patch due to its fading over time?
2.  How can this be repaired? (And at what cost?)
I live in Japan, but will be going to the UK for Christmas, so perhaps a 
company I have heard of (CRR?) in Luton
might be able to repair the RF for me.

Thanks for reading,

Peter

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