This is not a question, more an experience. I don´t like red dots on Leicas. So when I got my chrome M6 a couple of years ago, the first thing I did was I took off the red dot, which is simple to do. It´s only fixed with adhesive tape. I removed the red color with acetone, painted it black, wiped it over so the silver logo came through again, and fixed it. I think the M6 looks much better this way. What I want to tell you is that each time it had to be served (twice since I bought it) it came back from Solms with the black dot replaced by a new red one! Seems like they don`t want ´personalized` M6s around.

-- juergen schliehe (juergen.schliehe@t-online.de), November 03, 2001

Answers

Response to They don´t like black dots at Leica´s

Was the camera under warranty when you sent it in? Canon's and Nikon's that are personalized in anyway (even something as simple as the above) risk a very real chance of having the warranty voided. (personal experience).

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), November 03, 2001.

Response to They don´t like black dots at Leica´s

Relax, it is nothing personal. The "red dot" hides an access to the vertical rangefinder adjustment. It is standard practice to not to put the old "red dot" back on. You would not want your newly serviced camera to have a its "red dot" fall off so Leica replaces it with a new one. They have rolls of "red dots" just like rolls of stickers that children can buy.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), November 03, 2001.

Response to They don´t like black dots at Leica´s

My LHSA black paint M6 has a black dot. If I send it in for servicing will it come back with a red dot?

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), November 03, 2001.

Response to They don´t like black dots at Leica´s

The current issue of "Photo Techniques" shows a DS M3 with the red Leica logo on their front cover as well as on page 31. Funny or misrepresentation?

-- Hans Berkhout (berkhout@cadvision.com), November 03, 2001.

Response to They don´t like black dots at Leica´s

Leica has a supply of "black dots" for the LHSA cameras but they will not put them on any other camera. This is in keeping with their policy of not releasing parts for the special edition cameras into general circulation. The camera on the cover of Photo Techniques is Bob Shell's personal camera. He got a "red dot" from Leica and stuck it on his M3 DS. I have no plans to do the same to my M2.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), November 03, 2001.

Response to They don´t like black dots at Leica´s

when leica services your camera, they have to destroy whatever 'dot' is on there to get at the screw underneath. they then replace it with a brand new factory dot that goes with whatever model camera you have.

so if you have some kind of custom dot on there like a pink one for instance, there is no way around it being destroyed when serviced.

-- Tristan (tristan@tristantom.com), November 06, 2001.