Leica M3 with Leica LEITZ SUMMICRON 50mm f/2 RIGID Silver

This single-stroke M3 is paired with a very clean rigid 50 Summicron f/2 and comes with an original leather case.

Body SN: 1070564 (Build year 1963)

Lens SN: 1895711 (Build year 1961, 1,200 were made)

We photograph each individual camera that we sell and the photographs are part of the listing.  Inspect photos for information about condition.  Please note that this leather case has its original strap and the leather is very weak at one connection.  We are leaving it up to the customer to choose to keep the case and strap in all-original condition as a memento, or work with the leather craftsperson of your choice to upgrade it to a sturdier condition.

The Leica M3 is a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Ernst Leitz GmbH (now Leica Camera AG), introduced in 1954. It was a new starting point for Leitz, which until then had only produced screw-mount Leica cameras that were incremental improvements to its original Leica (Ur-Leica). The M3 introduced several features to the Leica, among them the combination of viewfinder and rangefinder in one bright window, the bayonet lens mount, and the rapid film advance lever. It was the most successful model of the M series, with over 220,000 units sold by the time production of the M3 model ended in 1966.

The M3 has an exceptionally bright viewfinder when compared to any previous or subsequent model, including the modern M9. The M3 has a high magnification factor of 0.92×, which is useful in critical focusing, and especially with long lenses (subsequent Leicas would use 0.85×, 0.72× or 0.58×).

The rigid Summicron 50mm f/2 was the new alternative to the older, collapsible Summicron 50mm f/2.  If you are a new Leica shooter, we recommend seeking out some of the strong opinions about rigid vs. collapsible.  Both lenses have their loyal followers as their characteristics are different.  The rigid (this lens) is generally considered to have superior resolution to the collapsible, and it is more durable. 

You can read about our camera return policies here.