To explore forever together
Has used several digital cameras and film cameras. As film camera, Leica M3 is my best partner. To explore more with him, now he is under overhaul now.
Trigger
During 2010-2011, I joined Dark Room Operation workshop instructed by Mr.Osamu Moriya, who is one of the most well-known B&W photography professional and artist, since I would like to get the good skills to print with Barytha fiber based paper with the serious wet processing. Then Mr.Moriya was also very much famous as Leica experts. During darkroom operation session, he talked about a lot of nice stories of Leica camera body and lens. Until that time, I used only Canon’s film camera (EOS7s and EOS1V). I was completely impressed by his stories. This situation introduced me into Leica enthusiast.
Meeting
In 2011, I bought Leica M3 at Katsumido Shashinkiten inc. in Ginza Japan. Before I purchase, I went around a lot of camera shops in almost all of Japan’s mainland, which handle used cameras from North ( Aomori prefecture) into South (Kagoshima prefecture). Then my conclusion in that time was that Katsumido was keeping the highest quality of all Leica M series as used camera. The Leica M3, which I purchased, was a little bit unique. My Leica M3 is in the serious final lot produced in 1966. In that time, there aren’t Leica Stores in Ginza and Tokyo. Katsumido was the official sole agent of Leica in Japan. After Leitz in Wetzlar, Germany finished all productions of Leica M3, finally they sent the whole sets of all spare parts of Leica M3 for the expecting repairment request from M3 owners in Japan. When I saw my Leica M3 in Show Case there, I was really surprised at the very clear beautiful aspect. Completely nothing of injury as if it is really brand new product.
“Why this product in Show Case is so clean comparing with others?” The clerk of Katsumido explained me, “Because it is assembled here recently, using all genuine spare parts imported from Germany in 1966. Our repairment experts got the training at Wetzlar, Germany, when we become the sole agent of Ernst Leitz GmbH. Thus the assembled produced quality has nothing of the problem”
After I heard the explanation, no reason why I don’t purchase.
Under overhaul
In Sept 24th, when I had the business trip from Kyoto to Tokyo, before going back, I dropped by Katsumido to bring my Leica M3. Since 2011, I didn’t face any problem. But already used over 10 years. So I asked them overhaul processing to recover the original condition.
Yes now already November. Took 2 months already. I highly guess that My Leica M3 never come back on my hand till the1st Q 2025. Yeah, I never mind. Until Leica M3 come back, I will implement the maintenance of Focomat
Recovery
My Leica is under overhaul. At the same time, my mind might be also under repair. In Jan 1st, 2024, I was in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture. This means I came across Noto Peninsula Earthquake. It was really great shock. Kanazawa city was also suffered by the earthquake. For example many elevators of buildings stopped. Some housings are collapse. My room of hotel was at 12th floor. It was a little bit hard work to go out side and come back. But it wasn’t so much difficult situation, comparing with much serious damages in Wajima, Suzu and other locations in whole Noto Peninsula. On TV of my room at hotel, I was sadly so stunned, watching all missing places, where I have had many nice memories on travels and short stay with my family and all of relative since 1960’s. Then I completely lost the motivation to take photo with my cameras. Already more than 9 months after the earthquake.
Triger was that I found out one roll of 120 film. I completely forgot about the film. During the cleaning of my room at home, the film appear from drawer. After the development of the film, I noticed that the image on film describe Mitsukejima (見附島), remembering I took the photo in 2023 before the earthquake. It is very small island. But it is just monumental, expressing the beauty of scenery in Noto area. The photo was taken before the great earthquake. So I begin to think that I should take the photo there again to catch the large difference before & after the earthquake. Actually it is completely impossible to get the same aspect of the island in photo. Because it got the serious damage by the earthquake. Even that I’m thinking to meet him again. Gradually I recover Photographing mind after I saw the image in the forgotten film.
I’m looking forward to shooting again with my Leica M3.
