Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/11/30

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: M3 No. 895671-What year?
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 1996 11:56:20 -0500

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!