or some other metal. i have never seen either camera with wear down to the brass -- i.e. through the chrome/black chrome.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), April 22, 2002

Answers

answered my own question as to m4-2; they have brass bodyshell components. what about m4-p??

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), April 22, 2002.

Roger:

M4-Ps switched to the M6-style zinc near the end of the the line - but MOST are still brass. I belive you can tell by whether the RF window glass in front is deep-set (brass) or nearly flush (M6/zinc).

Query - do the last, zinc-topped M4-Ps still have the "Leitz" script stamped in the top?

The double-chrome coating on black-chrome cameras seems to have a wear- ratio to black paint of at least 10:1 - it take 10 years of wear on the chrome to reach as deep as 1 year's worth of wear on paint.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), April 22, 2002.

the zinc top plate m4-ps do have the logo. it apparently is cast into the zinc plates instead of being stamped as with the brass.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), April 22, 2002.

Andy, The 'Leitz' script is on the top plate of the last M4-P's, a feature that I think makes mine look far more atractive than my M6TTL, with the blank 'special edition' space. The last ones also have the plastic strap protectors, single sync socket, and rubber eyepiece.

-- Steve Barnett (barnet@globalnet.co.uk), April 23, 2002.