I wrote in another post in the past about how I came to want a Leica M3. In my career whenever I had a little extra cash for gear I bought what would make my job easier. When it came to cameras I bought what others around me were using. That made it easy to borrow and trade gear.
I knew about Leicas but they just weren’t on my radar. They were expensive and just not a fast-moving camera like an SLR for newspaper and later magazine work.
But the mystique of Leica was always a hum in the background. Could they be all that users said they are? Nearing retirement a few years ago I thought maybe it would be ok to check one out. I decided I wanted an early, low serial number, M3. That model, the first Leica to fuse the rangefinder and viewfinder in one window came out in 1954, the same year I entered the world. I thought it would be fun to have a camera my age.
I wasn’t in a hurry but would occasionally peruse sites to see what was offered. The first M3 was serial number 700,001. I wanted a low number but the ones that started with 700 were priced too precious for me. Those were the first hundreds. I was holding out for a low number and one that was in good shape. Those first M3’s were double stroke which was fine with me. Some had been converted to single stroke but that didn’t appeal.
After a couple years of looking I found ‘the one’ for a decent price on a reputable site and just ordered. A few days later when it arrived I was quite pleased. It seemed in great condition for the price and was number 708,626, among the first 10 thousand of an eventual almost quarter million.
After a couple rolls of shooting the shutter locked up on me. I called on a couple of the names that people say are the best for these old cameras for repair and Don Goldberg, AKA ‘DAG’ in Wisconsin said to send it on. I packed it up, headed to my local UPS store, bought insurance for it and shipped it away.
With no word after a week I checked with him and he said he never got it. Back I went to UPS. The store said they shipped it. UPS said they never received it. The lesson here is that a UPS store is a private entity and not a UPS facility. Both said it was the others’ fault, neither willing to pay me the insurance. After three weeks, fairly morose about the loss, I was scrolling camera sites again. I came across another low serial number body, even lower number in fact but not in as ‘pretty’ shape. But the price reflected that. Prompted by my depression I just ordered it.
The day before it was to arrive I got a note about having to sign for it but knew I wouldn’t be home. I asked for it to be held at my local FedEx office where it would be safe until I could get there. When it came in the next day I drove over and picked it up. Excited about it, I tore the box open at my car only to discover it held a basketball. At this point I was laughing more than crying. The situation was just crazy. I took the basketball back in and explained that it wasn’t a camera.
They said they would look into it.
Now I was out the price of two Leica’s and had nothing. But the next day FedEx called and said they found it. When the package was redirected they switched the labels. I made my way back and this time I finally had the camera.
Of course the next day UPS called and said they “found” my original camera and said to come pick it up. I ran over and grabbed it before it was lost again. Now I had two M3’s, one not working.
I shipped the original one to DAG again. This time I used FedEx and I put an Apple air tag in the box. I was able to track it and see it arrive at his shop. That was a few weeks ago. He just shipped it back to me. Of course I wasn’t home to sign for it last week. He shipped USPS. They left no note, no instructions how to get the box. I would never have known but I saw the attempted deliver on our doorbell camera. Of course there was one more trial, one more hiccup before it was in my hands.
This morning I saw on the air tag that it was back at the local post office. I was first in line when they opened, they handed it over.
Lessons here are many. Insure your package and ship from UPS or FedEx not the UPS store.
Use an air tag or something similar to track your box.
Now I have two M3’s. I guess I’ll sell one. The repaired one from DAG is so smooth, so quiet. That’ll be the keeper. Maybe the other will work in trade for a lens.
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John Bennett on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
"All’s well that ends well." - W. Shakespeare.
My M3 was made in 1956, the year of my birth.
And while it hasn’t made the trip to Wisconsin, Don *did* do a CLA on my v3 Elmarit 28mm lens.
Nice work by a nice guy.
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Kevin Lord on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
George Feucht on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Walter Reumkens on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Well, it all worked out in the end. As we say back home in Germany. All the best and enjoy the camera.
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Scott Berends on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Jeffery Luhn on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
I will add this to my list of reasons why I'm not a Leica fan. Oh boy, I'm going to get some flack for that comment!!!!
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Russ Rosener on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
I bought one two years ago. It worked well for a year, but the shutter developed capping issues. I called Sherry Krauter, a well known Leica repair person. We had long conversations that were fascinating but she NEVER did repair my camera. I tried calling her this Spring and her phone rings but no one answers. I tried mailing her a letter, but although it was delivered, no response. Finally I contacted the attorney general of my state and they claim her website was an online scam. Several other photographers who sent her Leicas to repair have had the same experience. Sadly I doubt that camera will ever be seen again.
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Comment posted: 12/06/2026
Andrew on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
Bill Brown on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
Gary Smith on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
I believe that both my Barnack iiic and my M3 were previously serviced by DAG when I purchased them locally at Blue Moon. I've otherwise been mostly lucky with my other online camera purchases and when I pack cameras up to ship I always photograph the packing process and ensure that my shipment is adequately insured.
It sounds like you lucked out in the end.
So, what lenses are you using on the M3? My 1st lens was a TTArtisan 50 and I subsequently picked up a couple of Voigtländers. I also have an M-to-E adapter so that any M-mount lenses can be parked onto the front of my Sony a7r3.
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
Scott Ferguson on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
I just shipped my #1 M3 to Youxin Ye for a CLA (insured) and the package got pulled at the local post office because the recycled box I used had the remnants of some kind of hazmat label. I had to repackage it and get it back on its way.
I actually have two M3’s and now and happily still in business with my #2 body while Ye does his magic. I will also sometimes go out with both M3’s, usually so I can seemlessly transition from color to b&w, but it was also cool to have two when I was comparing lenses side by side a couple of months ago.
But I still have ongoing shipping issues. I recently bought a lens from the UK and it is trapped in customs going on two weeks because the shipper wrote “Private Individual” on the label and some genius thought I run a company called “Private Individual” and the want all my corporate info!
The things we do for love…
Comment posted: 13/06/2026
Mandel9000 on Travails of two Leica M3s
Comment posted: 18/06/2026
Comment posted: 18/06/2026