Leica M3 - Leatherette replacement

Film photography has been a hobby of mine for the past 10 or so years. In college I took a film photography / darkroom course and had the privilege of having a great, engaging professor. I don’t know if it was the photography, the tranquility of the darkroom, Mr. Pisciotta, or a combination of the three, but I was immediately hooked. I have spent the last decade with a camera on my shoulder and converting my bathroom into a temporary darkroom and back into a bathroom again.

I am one of those people that loves machinery and craftsmanship, so naturally I was attracted to Leica cameras. Especially the Leica M3. In addition to a large bright viewfinder, they are built like tanks and are mechanical perfection. The film advance is buttery smooth and the shutter button breaks crisply, not unlike a tuned 1911 pistol.

I much prefer older cameras that are purely mechanical. I hate when things are too easy and I enjoy the pursuit of learning to meter light by eye. What I particularly love about the Leica M series cameras is the fact that they are rangefinders. This is a very particular method of focusing that is very different from the more popular SLR cameras. In short, when you look through the viewfinder, there is a patch in the center with the image as it is, and a ghost image slightly out of alignment. As you turn the focus ring on the lens, the ghost image becomes in line the with image you are seeing signifying perfect focus. This method is quick and precise. When using an SLR, I often find myself passing focus and then bringing it back into focus because I’m just not sure how clear the image is actually going to get.

In preparation for my trip to Japan, I decided to give my camera a makeover. It is in fine mechanical condition, but the original Vulcanite covering was cracking and needed to be replaced. I decided to replace the leather with an Italian camouflage leather, one of my favorites. The pattern making and cutting was a difficult task, but I think the result was definitely worth it.