Leica M3 - Variations - Strap Lugs
Does your Leica have Buddha Ears?
Leica produced over 220,000 copies of the M3 between 1954 and 1966, a 12-year lifespan unfathomable by today's disposable standards. More successful than any Leica M to follow it, the M3 was built with a number of minor variations during that time. One of these is the style of strap lugs -- early cameras built through 1959 have "Buddha Ear" lugs that feature a tapering support and rivet beneath them, whereas models after 1959 (serial #963001-) have the familiar circular lugs seen on all later Leica M models. In practice, the different styles have no impact on the camera's performance, but do determine which cases fit properly on the camera body.
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