Bill Blackwell 
, Apr 20, 2006; 09:21 p.m.
Since the lively discussion on PN regarding the subject (see the
link below), I have been researching the issue.
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Fo7q
In any case (contrary to the information I received - and passed on -
initially) there is indeed gold in most, if not all, M3/2 RF
beamsplitters. Don Goldberg ("DAG") has even recanted to me his
earlier assurances that what we were looking at was deteriorated
Canadian balsam against silver plating.
However, the next thread on the subject indicates Leica USA has
provided information that would seem to once again contradict the
notion of gold in the early M RFs (see the link below).
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00G283&tag=
The interesting thing about this is Leica USA never sees the actual
coatings because they never repair prism units of their own M
cameras.
The picture below clearly shows gold plating on a prism from an M3
RF. We can be sure what we are looking at is gold plating because
the old Canadian balsam has been thoroughly cleaned off.
Leica converted to silver in later RFs.
Hopefully this settles the issue once and for all.
Who cares? I simply want to be sure information available to those
who are looking for it is accurate.
From an M3 RF - clearly showing a gold plating layer
Bill Blackwell , Apr 20, 2006; 09:23 p.m.
Yep, it's gold!
Lee Hamiel , Apr 20, 2006; 09:24 p.m.
Thanks Bill - Interesting ...
Alan Wilder 
, Apr 20, 2006; 09:57 p.m.
Andrew Nemeth , Apr 20, 2006; 11:50 p.m.
Finally!
Allow me to uncorrect my recent standing corrected :?)
I'll update the FAQ topic ASAP
Torben Daltoft , Apr 21, 2006; 12:44 a.m.
We can be sure what we are looking at is gold
Dan Flanders , Apr 21, 2006; 01:14 a.m.
Even if it is genuine gold, at the current price per ounce there is probably less than a buck's worth involved. The real cost is in the setup for depositing it on the prism. The cost would more likely be in the tooling if it was different from that for depositing silver, or perhaps aluminum.
Richard Williams , Apr 21, 2006; 10:51 a.m.
As I understand it, the prism coating was replaced by mithril around the time
the strap lug protectors were introduced in the M6 'classic' (the
earlier Wetzlar M6 had used a thinly deposited film of Pu-239, use of
which almost certainly contributed to viewfinder 'flare' in these
cameras).
Jordan G. , Apr 22, 2006; 12:26 a.m.
Is there anyone old enough, and not yet senile, that can remember looking through a brand new M3? Was the rangefinder image clear or yellow?
