Leica M3
The Leica M3 was introduced in 1954. It marked a new starting point for Leitz. Untill then, they had produced Leica screw mount cameras that had essentialliy been gradual improvements of their original Leica or "Ur-Leica". Leica M cameras are still in production today. The M3 introduced several new features (at least they were new on a Leica). Two of the most interesting were the combination of viewfinder and rangefinder in one bright window and a bayonet lens mount.
Bayonet Mount vs Screw Mount
This new bayonet is called the Leica M mount and you'll still be able to mount a modern lens on your M3 thanks to it. At introduction, Leitz claimed lenses could be changed faster and framelines were set automatically.
Bright Viewfinder
When compared to a Leica IIIf, the M3 has an exceptionally bright viewfinder. It has a high magnification factor, which is very usefull in critical focusing. The M3 has a factor of 0.92x, while other Leicas use 0.85x or 0.72x. Furthermore, it was the first Leica to combine rangefinder and viewfinder into one window. Other cameras, such as the Contax II, already had this feature before WW II. Framelines for 50mm, 80mm and 135mm are shown. Note this does not include wide angle lenses.
