Leica came out with some limited edition black paint M bodies and lenses recently. While they appear cosmetically attractive, are they vulerable to common use compared with their black or silver chrome counterparts? More specifically, is this paint durable to withstand normal usage before showing evident wear or rub marks? Or are these models meant to be confined for display on the show cases only?

-- Paul Chan (janpo@tm.net.my), August 24, 2001

Answers

Some people are looking forward to their black paint cameras showing lots of wear.

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), August 24, 2001.

Apparently, it is now "trendy" to have a 'brassed" Leica, that is, a black paint model with brass showing through. I've not seen anything making it OK for chrome models to be brassed. Also, there's something about the "patina" of the black paint. The camera thus becomes the end, and not the means.

I wonder what happens when the trend is over?

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), August 24, 2001.

The black paint finish is no where near as tough as the other two BUT many people prefer how they wear. So a worn black paint finish is considered "good" looking and still retains its value. A worn black or silver chrome camera is worth much less of its mint condition value than a worn black paint camera. Heck under some circumstances a worn black paint finish is worth more than a mint one! All of this has absolutely nothing to do with using the cameras as tools.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), August 24, 2001.

Brassy Leicas becoming jewelery...if the Russians would start making fake Ms with brassy finishes they'd make a fortune...

-- C L Zeni (clzeni@mindspring.com), August 24, 2001.

This seems to be the trendy thing of the moment - to most Leica owners I think the penchant for the black paint is bizarre - you can be sure that any new owners of black paint Leicas will obsess over not letting it "brass out".

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), August 24, 2001.

I think the worn-black-paint M phenomenon is similar to that in the early 70's when most camera manufacturers started making all of their SLR bodies black, because that was what the pro's used... I think some folks believe that a brassed out M4 or even an M6 will make them LOOK like they know what they're doing, or at least look like they've been doing it for a very long time, even when they don't and haven't. But, all that being said I must admit to a certain attraction to the look myself - kind of like owning a classic car that still works well... It has character.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), August 24, 2001.

John Ruskin claimed that real beauty must contain a touch of sadness.

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), August 24, 2001.

I would prefer a black paint body to a black chrome body. But at what price premium? Maybe, just maybe, $100 and no more.

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), August 24, 2001.

Dan:

Supposedly, the black-paint versions of the M6 have brass top plates, while the black and silver chromed versions have a bi-metal top plate... If this is true, it might allow me to justify about a $200 higher price tag ;-)

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), August 24, 2001.

Jim, did John Ruskin say that? I think it's true, now that I think about it. You could see it in Audrey Hepburn's eyes.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), August 24, 2001.

Bob, these are not Ruskin's exact words but he explores this idea in The Stones of Venice. Mostly he's talking about the beauty of architecture but he knows it's true in other things too. Antiques, a well worn pair of jeans, the Mona Lisa, etc

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), August 25, 2001.

A fish stranded on a sidewalk, a dropped ice-cream, the Milan stock exchange. The list goes on.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), August 25, 2001.

I happened to own and regular use two black paint bodies including the LHSA and these are the best user bodies since the M2,3. The shutter is as quiet as my M3 and the rapidwinder action is smooth as tearing silk. In comparison my zinc top M6TTL feels like and OM1. I am not sure it is worth the $1k difference but it certainly feels almost as good as sex.

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), August 26, 2001.

Ray:

I am not sure it is worth the $1k difference but it certainly feels almost as good as sex.

Exactly, what do you do with your camera?

Note ahead of time; this was a joke.

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), August 26, 2001.

Art,

I am approaching mid life crisis and can't afford a Porsche :^[

Ray

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), August 27, 2001.