I read somewhere on this forum that it is not possible to focus below 1.0 meter (for instance with the latest 50 summincron). Well, I got a new 50mm summicron and I can focus up to 0.7 meter without any problem and the 50 mm frame is adjusting down to 50mm. I have a later M3 (1964), so maybe earlier ones cannot focus below 1m. Any information?

-- Angelique (abischop@earthlink.net), September 27, 2001

Answers

Though it originally wasn't within M3 specs, apparently it's a simple (relatively) external adjustment to permit closer focusing (look up inside the camera and you'll see a little piece of sheet metal with a quarter twist in it which limits close focus). Perhaps yours has already been modified.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), September 27, 2001.

That's what I thought, but the Camera had the original "L" seal before a cla was performed.

-- angelique (Abischop@earthlink.net), September 27, 2001.

Angelique, I don't know what you mean by "the 50mm frame is adjusting down to 50mm." I assume you're pleased that it does, though. Are you talking about the parallax correction continuing to work all the way down to minimum focus? Regarding the minimum focus distance, I have just never, ever, seen anything in print that I can recall, that would suggest that there's any difference in minimum focus on various models, or various versions of the M3. I tried looking for it in the Leica manual, in Eastland, and in Theo M. Scheerer's book on the Leica system. Not a word. I think the differences in minimum focus lie more with the lenses than the cameras. Leica does make occasional changes without telling anybody, of course. But if they changed anything about the M3 focus I've never seen it discussed. Maybe you have just dispelled a myth.

Regards,

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), September 27, 2001.

M3's originally were rangefinder coupled to 1 meter.If you focused a newer lens closer than that, the split image will just freeze about 1 meter. Many have been modified to allow the split image to couple all the way to .7 meter, or very close to it. I detailed the procedure in a thread that should be somewhere in the archives (ha ha, try to find it). M2's and M4's and all later cameras were coupled all the way to .7 meters from the factory.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 27, 2001.

I meant down to the minimum focusing distance (and not down to 50mm ...which does not mean anything). What I can say is that it is working and I am pleased. I will check the accuracy of the parallax correction, maybe down to .7m it is no more accurate...

-- Angelique (abischop@earthlink.net), September 27, 2001.

It depends on the camera. Some M3 cameras cannot be adjusted to focus down to 0.7 metre. I have heard reports of being able and not be able to adjust both early and late cameras. Why? I do not know as I only have used and worked on 0.72x cameras.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), September 27, 2001.

John, they all can be adjusted down, but some come just shy of the .7 meter mark, mostly earlier cameras from what I can tell. I had a talk with Sherry Krauter about this, and she confirmed it.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 28, 2001.

OK Andrew, here it is: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=004LL9

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), September 28, 2001.

Thanks for the info Andrew.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), September 28, 2001.

When I had my M adjusted by Leica they told me that some of the M3s (and M2s) can only be focused down to 75cm or so. I asked that they make it 70cm but they didnt want to push it that far. They said it depends on the camera - some can, some cannot. So my M2 goes to about 73cm now...

-- Russell Brooks (russell@ebrooks.org), October 01, 2001.

My early beat up M3 7xxxxx focus all the way down to 67cm or so in the latest 50/2, but my latter M3 1,058xxxx only gets to 78cm or so, both were modified by me thanks to some post read here, and it is true, tring to make my latter M3 focus closer is risky, to much stress in the mecanism, acording to my fingers.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), October 01, 2001.