I don't seem to be able to clickthrough to Shintaro Yaghinuma's webpage. He is the gentleman in Japan who refinishes Leicas in black paint.It may benefit the community if anyone who knows the new web page address posts it here.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), December 03, 2001

Answers

It appears his website is down (overloaded with work?). Andrew Nemeth has his e-mail address. http://nemeng.com/leica/index.shtml#004b

-- Bert Keuken (bkkn@wanadoo.nl), December 03, 2001.

I remember looking at this website a year or two ago. As I recall, he was offering to strip and paint the M2, for $2000.

Apart from the questionable judgment of spending that kind of dough for a paint job, my concern is that someone might use this service to attempt to pass off chrome M2's as black ones. My Hove guide shows a going price of $4000 for a black M2. So there's a potential there for a $1000 profit if the buyer doesn't know s/he's not really getting a factory painted M2.

Is this an unnecessary worry?

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), December 03, 2001.

Bob, as I recall, the paint job cost a few hundred dollars.

I cannot recall if he had a special high price for M2s. Judging by the tone and obvious enthusiasm of the site-as well as Tom Abrahamsson's relationship and recommendations-I have no reason to suspect that Mr. Yahginuma's intentions are not entirely honorable and above board. A lot of people really like that worn paint and brass look, especially in Japan. A visit to a top used Leica shop such as Lemon Camera (yes, that is really the name) reveals rows of such brassed black M4s, all heftily priced.

But you are right-unscrupulous types could make a profit on black M2s.

But that's a long way from saying that that is the purpose of the service provided. After all, it is not as if he is offering to engrave Luftwaffe symbols on top plates :-)

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), December 03, 2001.

My deepest apologies, Bob. I have re-read your post.

I do not wish to imply that you were insinuating anything about Mr. Yaghinuma's motives. Clearly, your comments are about a hypothetical unscrupulous user of his service and not him.

Sorry for the storm in a teacup.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), December 03, 2001.

I had coffee with Shintaro in Tokyo about ten days ago. He's very well and still painting cameras - but is currently very busy in his work as a photographer.

-- Bryan Caldwell (bcaldwell51@earthlink.net), December 04, 2001.

Cost was $500US.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), December 04, 2001.

I'M still painting and made new site. http://homepage2.nifty.com/Shintaro/top1.html It is not finished yet. But it could be little help for you.

-- Shintaro Yaginuma (mp-3.shintaro@nifty.com), March 05, 2002.

Welcome to the forum Shintaro, your before and after photo's of the M3 on the website look fantastic.

Would you be able to share some more facts on the processes involved and maybe some more pictures?

Many thanks!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), March 05, 2002.

Bob. In response to your comment about passing off a repainted M2 (same goes for M3 or M4) as a factory original, several observations. There is an official list of Leica factory painted serial numbers that you can find in any standard Leica reference (or on Stephen Gandy's cameraquest.com website) that lists all of the "officially" factory painted serial numbers. I can't remeber the exact numbers, but this includes about: 5000 black paint M4s, 1300 or so M3s, and 2000 or so M2s. A collector would not pay the huge premium if the camera is not on the list.

Most of these black painted cameras were used by pros, so they tend to be well worn. If you see a really pristine example without significant brassing, it was either factory repainted or a private job, such as Shintaro. There are definitely examples of cameras that were not on the official lists that were factory painted; and cameras that were originally chrome, that were later sent back to the factory and converted to black paint.

The problem for these cameras is that with all of the high quality repaint jobs by Shintaro and others, it is no longer possible to tell a factory painted camera from a privately painted camera just by the quality of the paint job. As a result, you really need absolute documentation from Leica that a camera was factory painted if it is not on the list. I think most buyers are unwilling to spend more than a few hundred dollars above the price of a chrome camera for a black paint M2, M3, or M4 that is not on the list.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), March 05, 2002.