The Leica M3 doesn’t do anything that another camera can’t. In fact, by today’s standards, it is severely lacking in features that are normally considered standard. No light meter. No hot shoe. No autofocus. No automatic exposure. Limited frame line selection (50/90/135). 1/50 max flash sync speed…

On paper then, one might ask why anyone would choose a camera that costs roughly $1,500used without a lens — especially when there are options like the Canon EOS 3 or Nikon F100 going for around $150 used and a 50mm f/1.4 for each will run you another $99?

This article will hopefully provide and answer to that question. You see, to me, the Leica M3 is the greatest camera ever made.

I’m not the first to say it, I certainly won’t be the last, and my claims below as to the why aren’t new. Still, In the words of Ordell Robbie (portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in Jackie Brown), “When you absolutely, positively, have to [shoot] every m-therf–ker in the room, accept no substitutes.”

What follows below are five, experience-led reasons to back up my unoriginal claim. I’ve provided context, backed up by examples and a bit of my personal history as a photographer, and in all honestly, the first one wraps it up pretty well.

It’s your call if you want to read further than that…

Answer #1: You take more pictures with it

First and most importantly, you take more pictures with it. The latter half of this article will be more technically driven, but the fact of the matter is the best camera is the one in your hand, taking the picture. If you’re not taking pictures, your camera is useless. All the features in the world don’t do you any good if you don’t use the camera.

I’ve owned (and subsequently sold) and used between my studio, streets, and travel: Pentax K1000, Canon EOS 1n, Canon EOS A2E, Canon EOS Rebel, Nikon FM2n, Nikon F4, Nikon FM10, Olympus OM-1, Leica R6, Contax T2, Mamiya RB67, Mamiya Universal Press, Hasselblad 500C/M, Toyo View 4×5 Monorail, Graflex Crown Graphic 4×5, Polaroid 190, Polaroid SX70, Polaroid Big Shot. I have never taken as many pictures with any of these cameras as I have with the Leica.

I used to have a studio in Los Angeles before moving to New York in 2017. I was at that studio when I got my first Hasselblad. I shot as much with it as I could in the studio and started taking it out on the street to document the surrounding neighborhood. I began shooting as much outside as I did in the studio. When I got to New York, I used the time in between running errands or taking meetings to shoot out on the street.

After a while, I found I started carrying my Hasselblad around with me less and less. It would get knocked around on the subway, I would have to slow my gait to look down through the viewfinder and compose an image, I would have to carry multiple rolls of film on me a day, or be incredibly discerning with the film in the magazine.

These are not complaints with the Hasselblad 500 CM — I would put it at the top of the list right behind the Leica — they are simply observations I made in my shooting practice. I later sold my Hasselblad to fund the purchase of my M3 and a collapsible 5cm f/3.5 Elmar LTM.

When collapsed, the lens is almost flush with the camera, making it fit in a coat pocket. I never leave the house without my Leica, even simply to go to the grocery store. Instead of making a case to myself as to why I should bring my camera, I now have to come up with a reason I shouldn’t bring it. It’s so light and compact it’s barely there and it’s got 36 frames per roll, plenty for casual shooting while going about the rest of my day.

Answer #2: Features don’t matter

The camera industry innovates for the working professional, not for the artist. If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you don’t need 1/8000 of a second shutter speed with eye-controlled autofocus and auto exposure. If you truly need those things, you know why, and you already have them.

Features like flash sync speed are also deceiving. Your camera may only have a sync speed of 1/60 of a second, but your flash fires at upwards of 1/600 of a second, illuminating your subject in 1/10 of the time. As a result, your aperture setting is going to have significantly more impact on your image when shooting with flash than your camera’s sync speed.

When shooting in the studio, I’ve found the most useful feature any camera has offered is a built-in motorized winder (which almost any newer SLR has, including the $35 Canon EOS Rebel), allowing me to continue shooting without moving the camera.

The fact of the matter is the foundational elements of photography are incredibly simple — subject, composition, exposure. Even exposure is broken into only three components — shutter speed, aperture, and film sensitivity. The factors that will impact your image making are largely up to you, not up to your camera.

Answer #3: Limitations are a good thing

Creating limitations for your practice is an essential part of any artist’s constant development. By having limitations, you are forced to reckon with what you can and cannot accomplish, how you can creatively work around what those problems are, and if they are even worth pursuing in the first place.

If 1/1000 of a second is too slow to capture your moving subjects, you can move your camera with them, creating a moment conveying the speed which was your original limitation in the first place. A faster shutter speed would only “freeze” them in space, creating a still image out of a moving object.

Leicas don’t have zoom lenses (kind of). The M3 doesn’t even have a frameline offering for anything wider than a 50mm focal length unless you use a 35mm lens with “goggles” or a wider lens with an external viewfinder. Zoom lenses are a useful tool in clutch situations, but they are not a solution for creative problems. As many have pointed out, a 50mm lens can be a wide or a telephoto lens — take a few steps back and it opens your composition, take a few steps forward and your image compresses.

In limiting your practice to a single lens you are forced to be as observant of yourself as you are of your subjects. Is this how I see? Am I adjusting how I see to compensate for my frame? If this isn’t working, would something wider help? A long lens isn’t a “portrait” lens, it’s simply preferred by studio portrait photographers for a number of technical reasons. A significant number of the best and most compelling portraits I have seen (and you have seen for that matter) have been taken with wide lenses, capturing the context and the essence of the person being photographed, and not simply their likeness.

All of this is to say — don’t think of the limited frame lines and mostly prime lens options as a detriment, think of them as refined tools. To use them properly, you have to become a better photographer, not get better gear. 

Limitations allow you to better understand your practice and your gear. Most importantly however, they free up your mental space to focus on what matters, and that’s what’s in front of the camera, and not what’s inside it.

Answer #4: Leica glass

Leica’s lenses are the standard by which the rest of the industry has been trying to keep up with since the development of the 50mm f/2 Summicron. One can procure a used Summicron for less than the price of a Canon or Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and, as mentioned above, the 50mm Summicron will likely be a more useful tool. My Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L only saw use on commercial jobs where I was a set photographer, shooting scenes, portraits, and BTS all at once. I did not have the luxury of changing cameras or lenses and had to be shooting constantly.

However, on my own sets, it was rarely taken out of the bag, and it never made an appearance out on the street or when I travelled. It’s big, it’s clunky, and most importantly, it’s optically inferior to its prime lens counterparts. Again, the photography industry innovates for working professionals, not for artists.

Vintage Leica glass is sought after by black and white photographers (myself included) because that’s what it was designed to photograph, and it was designed to be the best at it. Some of my favorite work has been created with my 5cm f/1.5 Summarit, circa 1954. In recent years, fantastic lenses have been made by third parties for the M-mount at a fraction of the cost of Leica’s options. I personally love my Carl Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Biogon.

An additional note is that since rangefinders do not have a mirror, their optical formulas can be more compact, and there is no mirror shake with each frame. That means smaller, faster, lenses that you can shoot hand held at slower shutter speeds and still get wonderfully sharp images.

Answer #5: Compact size

I can carry my M3 with a lens attached, two additional lenses, filters, 20 rolls of film, my light meter, lens hoods, and a notebook in my small camera bag (ONA Bowery) measuring 10.5 x 7 x 4”. All of this is to say, even at its most intense, my full M3 kit is still less obtrusive than carrying a messenger bag. It’s more versatile than a point-and-shoot and takes better pictures to boot. I can take all of this with me wherever I go, and if the need arises, I’m ready camera in hand; because that’s the point of having a good camera, is to have it ready when you need it. And not you, nor I, nor anyone else, knows when you’ll need it.


All of these things impacted me to getting my M3, but what caused me to keep it — to even reframe how I work and what my work looks like — is what I mentioned at the very beginning. I take more pictures with it. It’s that simple. I take more pictures, and more good pictures with this camera than all of my previous cameras.

So why would I ever replace it with something else?

~ Alexander

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20 responses to “The Leica M3: 5 reasons why it’s the greatest camera ever”

  1. Agreed with everything pretty much. That’s how I feel about mine. That said, a small slr like a Nikon fm with a Nikkor 50mm 1.8 pancake also has a similar size and footprint and takes similarly incredible shots on film. There’s cheaper ways to do it just as well. Love the brass Leica route though. Not to spam but I have a very detailed guide to them all starting here :
    http://www.chromacomaphoto.com/blog/2017/2/1/let-me-take-you-by-the-hand-and-lead-you-through-the-streets-of-leica

  2. Sorry, the best one is the M7, because it is the more precise, super efficient speed mesure used in all digital M.
    it free the photographer with the aperture priority .
    All leica are good camera but some are begter than the others.

    then you have the M4-2 , far stronger than M2/M3/M4 with steel mecanism, excellent rewind handle and quick advance lever like the M4.
    It save Leica, was design to be indestructible and exactly what people want as a bare bone leica… it is why Leica relauch it with the Ma.

    then you have the M4 . the M4-2 ancestor…often not black alas.

    I had all M, 20 of them.
    the worse is the M6J then the M6 with their not clear viewfinder and their stupid dot system…
    The Ma is not so bad except that it did not have the recess viewfinder window wich avoid finger marks.
    The Mp…is an M6 with a pad rewind lever and a bad advance one too..
    just snobish

    M2 is nice, but too long to load…M3 is ugly, and no 35mm frameline.

    and remenber, with a quick loading leica you get 40 exposures on a 36mm film:
    if you load them with just 2mm in the flower side, you get picture 0 to 39 usable!!!!

  3. Ah, but have you considered the Leica M-A ? It appears, at first sight, to be an M3. However, I’m uncertain of the frames included in the finder. Certainly no meter or battery. According to Leica, the absence of meter and battery opens up creative opportunities? Ah.

  4. It was the late Sir Henry Royce (Rolls-Royce cars and aero engines) who famously said:

    “The Quality Will Remain When The Price Is Forgotten “.

    A legacy in 2007 enabled me to purchase a Leica M3, double-stroke 1955 body. Worn. Vulcanite intact but chrome worn off in places with brass peeking through. The very essence of patina. I bought 35/3.5, 50/2.8, 90/2.8, 135/4.5 lenses. Also the SBLOO 3.5cm viewfinder and a Leicameter MC. Everything in full working condition. Taken it all over the world but as I mainly used the 35 and 90 lenses, I started just taking those two. Also I started using the Gossen Sixtomat Digital meter as it uses a single AA battery. Film is Tri-X or Ilford XP2 Super.

    My boyfriend gave me a brown leather satchel bag and I got a padded insert for a Billingham Hadley bag. This is my travel outfit. There’s room for a personal size Filofax for notes and a few odds and ends.

    Nobody notices this little old camera. Even the meter is little bigger than a credit card.

  5. “An additional note is that since rangefinders do not have a mirror, their optical formulas can be more compact, and there is no mirror shake with each frame.”
    Rangefinder cameras do not have a *reflex* mirror, however a lot of rangefinders—not all—*do* use a front surface mirror which reflects an image entering the rangefinder window towards the beam splitter forming part of the main (or focusing) viewfinder.

  6. Another point: M3 build quality. At some point during the last decade Leitz GmbH was asked what the retail price might be for a contemporary Leica with the same quality as the M3. As I recall, the answer was something above $27,000.

  7. Enjoyed the article, big fan of the M3, I bought mine during the last recession, about half what they are now.
    I use a 40mm Voigtlander on it using the outer edges of the frame to compose, works well, and at f1.4 it’s a very affordable competent lens. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

  8. w. stephen johnson Avatar
    w. stephen johnson

    enjoyed your article and appreciate your feelings towards your camera. i own and admire my m3, for what it is and for what it makes me want to be: a better photographer. for me it is the only camera i, or any other PHOTOGRAPHER could ever want and/or need. no it doesn’t have all the modern “bells and whistles” but what true visionary artist (not that i am one) needs ‘bells and whistles’

  9. I could say the same things about my Minox35 EL that was always in my (jean) pocket since 1979 until my smartphone.
    (but I still enjoy shooting film – medium format)

  10. Beautiful pictures Alexander. You make a strong argument for the M3. For the small size and reliability of your combo, its very hard to beat. I think what makes the package is the collapsible Summicron. I have a Konica I rangefinder, that the collapsible Konirapid makes it an awesome little carry-around camera. I think where these arguments fall apart is that the M3 while excellent, is relatively expensive. Of course, things of quality are expensive, but also rare.

    Let’s face it, the Leica fails the value test. At $1k + $400 for a CLA, the cost/performance ratio for the average shooter just isn’t there. Obviously, Leica doesn’t build for the mass market, so the Leica is not the camera that most people will have with them, which we all know is the “best” camera.

    The collapsible Summicron is capable of beautiful images, but try finding one in decent shooting condition for less than $500 – $600. Even fungus infested Leica glass commands over $200.

    This is insane. For the average shooter, the price of entry is $2k at *minimum*.

    If we’re strictly talking about film cameras, and rangefinder/SLR preference notwithstanding, the Contax S2 is barely larger and weighs slightly less than the M3. Paired with the Zeiss 45mm f2.8 Tessar, its a very pocketable camera. Total cost, roughly $700. Same weight, same approximate size at half the cost.

    While the quality of one’s tools is important, its not everything. To those that disagree with the notion that “the camera is just a tool”, remember – you can still take lousy pictures, even with a Leica.

  11. for sure that some of the pictures, esp streets and shadows, and the textures of stone and metal, could not be taken in digital – necessarily leica? probl not, but if it inspired you, then it worked

  12. I am agree with the writer and sroyon comment who has given to us marvelous articles about lab and dark room (it was perfect). The Leica M3 is the best for me. I love this camera, I use mostly with different 40mm lens, of course 50mm and exclusively the Leica Tele-Elmarit 90/2’8 which is a winner because his sharpness and compactness.
    I have also tried so many cameras, and to take many good pictures, the M3 is a pretty killer especially pair with good light and small lens.
    Thank you for this great article.
    Your 2 M3 are single or double stroke. Personally I prefer the single stroke of my black M3.

    1. Thank you Eric, that is very kind of you to say so!

  13. Daniel Castelli Avatar
    Daniel Castelli

    Hi Alex,
    Nice posting. I think the greatest strength of the M3 lies in the viewfinder. It was made to favor the 50mm lens.
    My ‘native’ lens is the 35mm. I’ve got a M2 and it works for me because of a quirk. I found the camera in the back on a dusty shelf in a second hand shop in rural Vermont. This is going back 25+ years. The guy who owned the shop & I bartered, and we arrived at a fair price. I got home, sent it out to be CLA’d and I was contacted by the service. They wanted to ask me who installed the M4 viewfinder in the M2. I had no idea; no external markings indicating a special edition. I surmised it was a previous owner. Now, what works for me is the 35mm frame. It’s the visual equivalent of the M3 with the 50mm lens.
    Everything you say about the M3 applies to the M2 – simple design, 3 basic controls, an almost seamless movement from eye to bringing the camera up to snap the photo without breaking stride.
    Continued good shooting, be safe in these times of the pandemic!
    -Dan

  14. Have you tried the M2? I may be be biased, but I love it for all the same reasons. As a plus I can shoot a 35mm without the goggles! : )

  15. My comment would be that “The assertion of the article is undoubtedly true for the author.” The opposite would be true for one who does macro work. Or sports photography. The camera is a tool, and while we develop attachments to them, you don’t drive a nail with a screwdriver.

    1. Daniel Castelli Avatar
      Daniel Castelli

      Hello Wendall,
      I’ve heard the phrase “the camera is a tool…” for about 50 years. I say BS.
      If you’re working construction, you don’t buy the cheapest air hammer at a discount tool store. It’ll break down. Sure, it drives nails, but it won’t be reliable; it won’t stand up to hard knocks and real world conditions. You buy a DeWalt or an equally manufactured tool.
      It’s the same with any gear. You buy quality; you get quality, you produce quality. All equipment will break and need adjustment or service sometime during it’s working life; that’s a given. Some breakdown less often.
      If you’re a weekend photographer, or a casual snapshot photographer, buy the most inexpensive camera you can get. If it’s used a total of 20 hours per year, it’ll last.
      Leica cameras (along with the Nikon F line and the Canon F-1 series) were made for demanding conditions. Many did get destroyed, but only after hard use. Most of the visual history of the world in the 20th was made on these cameras, not with a Nonameflex fitted with a 50mm Mediocre f/3.5. If I’m putting myself in danger to capture a photo, I need to know the camera won’t fail. Trust in your (good) tools. They won’t let you down.

  16. I adore my M3, the viewfinder alone marks it out as special. I never got on with my last M2, but the addition of an M5 with its glorious finder and ergonomic layout (plus that excellent meter) gave me pause. With goggled Summaron the M3 is perfect, then I bought an excellent M2 for the Light Lens 8 element Summicron replica and that works beautifully. Any of these M cameras are wonderful, but I use the M3 now for 50mm and above, and the other two for 50mm and below.

  17. Nice article, I am lucky enough to own an M3 too, and I highly identify with what you say about how it can motivate you to take more pictures. I’ve found other cameras which do that too, but to me the M3 is special. However: “It’s so light and compact it’s barely there” – compact yes, but I wouldn’t call it light for a 35mm film camera 😉

    1. sroyon: you are certainly right about the weight of this gear. The M3 body is solid brass and so are the parts of lenses not glass. However, it is this very weightiness that imparts the glorious feeling we derive when using this gear. Also, please consider that the quality of build means that the equipment is very long lasting.
      I’ve got a pair of 1950s M3 bodies and 50-90-135 lenses, the focal lengths for which frames appear in the finder.
      My step grandson is hoping to inherit this gear when I kick the bucket – (that and my Rolex, Belstaff leather jackets and my Derbyshire Peak District cottage). Keep using your M3, that way it will not seize up. TM.

 

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