Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well, I admit I've bounced Leicas from IIIc to M6 onto concrete and had no problems at all with them save for a minor amount of cosmetic flavourings. But what is probably the ultimate "Leica-is-tough" tale is documented in LEICA PHOTOGRAPHY 16:3 (1963), in a one-page article, "Sure, the Leica M3 Is Rugged ..." on page 27. Charles M MacCrone, a NASA engineer and part-time sky-diver, became separated from his M3 at 2200 feet (670 meters, for the Canadians, Australians, and British on the List, and the other Imperially-challenged), and the M3 free-fell that distance to land and bury itself 2 1/2 inches (64mm) in clay soil. It was later recovered, and MacCrone found the only damage was a weakened viewfinder image (though the rangefinder still worked) and a broken glass pressure-plate. So, the M3 has been drop-tested from almost half a mile in the sky! Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!