Leica M3 Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by:

Michael J Hoffman
( Expert)

Review Date
October 26, 2005

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
4 votes

Review 1 of 30

Price Paid: $500.00 from eBay

Summary:

This review is for the Leica M4. This is an excellent basic camera. The quality is immediately noticable upon taking hold of the camera. The solid feel inspires confidnece that this will be a tool for life. Functionality is amazing. If properly aligned and calibrated this camera will rival any modern professional level camera. The viewing system is vastly different from that of an SLR. You will like it either much better or much less than the SLR viewing system. Leica lenses and accessories retain the superlative quality of the camera.

Strengths:

A rangefinder is a somewhat specialized tool. I am a street photographer. As such, the quietness of the M4 is not of tremendous importance to me because the streets themselves are quite noisy. The shutter is nearly silent though, but the film advance is not significantly quieter than any other manually advanced film camera that I've used. In my opinion the quietness thing is much ado about relatively little. The viewing system with regard to being able to see what will be recorded on the film inside the framelines and what won't be outside the framelines is nearly unique to the Leica M system. This viewing system makes it easier for me to edit my compositions. I get more information from which to make a decision than I would by using an SLR. The camera is relatively compact.

Weaknesses:

somewhat limited application framing not as accurate as with an SLR limited range of useful focal lengths

Similar Products Used:

Minolta Hi-Matic 7s

Customer Service:

not yet needed

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Rating
Reviewed by:

92135011
( Intermediate)

Review Date
March 22, 2005

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
2.50 of 5,
2 votes

Review 2 of 30

Price Paid: $0.00 from used

Summary:

This is for the Leica M4. Bought it used from a photo.net forum member. Product is great. Fine finish and great useability. All the controls are exactly where they should be. I'm having a lot of fun taking pictures with this solid piece of equipment. Rangefinder patch is contrasty and framelines are very bright.

Strengths:

solid feel and useability From 1966, but still works great High class optics to match

Weaknesses:

flash only at 1/50 and down. Very slow

Customer Service:

never used it.

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Rating
Reviewed by:

azipuff
( Intermediate)

Review Date
June 20, 2004

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
2.75 of 5,
4 votes

Review 3 of 30

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:

This is a review of the Leica M2. This camera gives up little to a modern Leica M - in fact, it is almost the same as a new MP, minus the light meter & power drive options. Compact, quiet, and solidly built. The viewfinder is practical & the focusing patch is flare resistant, with depth-of-field markers. For some reason they are priced much less than M3s, M4s and M4-Ps and thus make excellent vintage user Leicas. Thoroughly recommended.

Strengths:

Solid build quality Excellent viewfinder & rangefinder Universal benefits of Leica M cameras - quiet, compact & high quality

Weaknesses:

Getting old & thus may require servicing Fiddly film loading No built-in light metering

Similar Products Used:

Leica M6 Leica M4-2

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Rating
Reviewed by:

agp
( Expert)

Review Date
March 4, 2004

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.33 of 5,
3 votes

Review 4 of 30

Price Paid: $0.00 from Ffordes, UK

Summary:

I finally bought an M7 about a year ago, loved it, and decided to buy a second body, for black and white. Went for the M2 from Ffordes. (I recommend them - the camera is almost as new.) I'm glad I didn't get another M7 - the M2 is the nicest-feeling camera I own. Winding on is like silk, and when I put the M7 lenses on the quality is as good. If the M2 had a built-in meter (the add-on apparently isn't very good) I'd sell the M7 and buy another M2, although the M7 is also a great camera. As it is, I bought a Gossen Digisix for less than a Leica add-on, and it weighs almost nothing, and does the job.

Strengths:

Build quality Feel Ease of focusing Quality of viewfinder

Weaknesses:

Lack of meter. Viewfinder can scratch glasses - I bought an eyeglass protector for $10 - search for them on the web.

Similar Products Used:

Leica M7

Customer Service:

None needed yet!

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Rating
Reviewed by: Heiko M
(Intermediate)

Review Date
February 5, 2004

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Review 5 of 30

Price Paid: $550.00 from ebay

Summary:

I guess I've been lucky. 550 Euro for an M2 in excellent working condition, including a 2,8/50 Elmar lens. I knew old Leicas are quite as useful and well-working than actual M7s or MPs, but I was not prepared to fall in love. What a great camera! The thing I like best about it is the viewfinder. Now I know what people mean when they talk about unrivalled brightness. It's so crisp an clear, and it helps me to develop a new kind of composition. The M2 is so smooth to handle. It's not the quietest shutter I have ever heard (as I have a Rolleiflex TLR and a digital camera), but it is quiet. The best thing is, that people don't take you serious when they see you handling such an old tool. I used to have Canon EOS cameras, and people immediately take notice, when you lift the camera with a huge lens. I have always wondered how Cartier-Bresson obviously managed to be invisible. It's easy: he used Leicas.

Strengths:

Excellent build-quality, great viewfinder, accurate rangefinder.

Weaknesses:

Film loading. But it's not a big deal to get used to.

Similar Products Used:

Leidolf Lordomat, Canon EOS 30, 50, 300

Customer Service:

not needed

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