Re: [Leica] Leica M3 questions

[Bud Cook <budcook@ibm.net>]

Eric,
The frames lines are for 50, 90 and 135 lenses.  A 35 mm lens will include about
what you can see at the viewfinder's outer edge.  Note that the framelines in an
M3 are equivalent to a mounted slide.  The outer edge of the viewfinder would
correspond to a mounted slide exposed with a 35 mm lens.

Leica once made 35 mm lenses with a viewfinder attachment that expanded the M3's
finder so that the 50 mm frameline could be used for 35 mm.  These attachments
are commonly called *goggles*.

Lenses w/goggles are called RF lenses, i.e. RF-Summicron, RF-Summilux and
RF-Summaron.

All of the RF lenses are older designs.  They range in price from a few hundred
USD for an RF-Summaron to over $1K for an RF-Summilux.

Note that if you attach a regular 35 mm lens to an M3, the 135 mm frameline will
be displayed inside the 50 mm frameline.  If you attach an RF lens, only the 50
mm frameline will be displayed and it will be expanded to cover the field of view
for the 35 mm lens.

I have a nice RF-Summicron but I'm toying with the idea of getting a later 35 mm
and just living w/o the goggles.

Bud

eric chassignet wrote:

> I just recently had the chance to acquire an M3 with a Summicron 5cm f:2.
> The first roll I shot turned out to be great and I am really enjoying the
> camera. I have a few questions:
>
> - Do you know of any padded waist bag that would hold the camera and a couple
> of lenses?  I am looking for something small and unconspicuous, with an an
> easy retrieve of the camera. What do you guys use?
>
> - Manual for the M3. Being new to the rangefinder realm, I am trying to find
> out the corresponding focal length to the frames in the view finder. I seems
> that the permanent one in the finder is for the 50 mm, teh two smaller ones,
> 90 mm and 135 mm. Correct? What about the 35mm? How much do you loose on
> the neg?
>
> - The lens a some small scratches on the front element, otherwise perfect.
> In addition to flare, what is the impact of these scratches?
>
> Thanx, Eric