Original Leica M3 Double Stroke — the first production variant of the most important rangefinder camera ever made.
The Leica M3 (Double Stroke, Chrome) is the first Leica M rangefinder — introduced 1954 and the camera that established the Leica M mount still in use today. The 'Double Stroke' requires two strokes of the film advance lever per frame (early production, pre-Single Stroke). Leica M mount.
35mm film. Fully mechanical. Leica M bayonet (the original M mount). Bright-line viewfinder (50/90/135mm frames). Double Stroke film advance. No built-in meter. Chrome finish. Leica M mount.
The Leica M3 is one of the most historically significant cameras ever made — it introduced the M-bayonet mount that all Leica M cameras (film and digital) use to this day. The Double Stroke version is the earliest production; the Single Stroke was introduced later (1958). Chrome is the classic finish.
On the used market the Leica M3 (Double Stroke, Chrome) is among the most collectible film cameras. Condition checks: mechanical shutter speeds, rangefinder patch brightness, Double Stroke mechanism. Leica M mount — the original M bayonet.