Black Paint Leicas

[RDW]

You will maybe find it hard to believe but the Leica game is not for the very rich... 10-20K is not what any Middle-class person would call “insane”.

I think I'd have to be earning at least a million a year not to think that was insane just for a different paint job. Especially as chrome looks better...

 

[NB23]

I think I'd have to be earning at least a million a year not to think that was insane just for a different paint job. Especially as chrome looks better...

And what about you having a broader vision. Like let’s say you buy one today and you sell it with a profit in two years. Sounds too crazy?

The funny thing I have noticed over the years is that, to the above, a poor guy will answer “Yeah right, I’m not stupid enough to do that LOL” while a guy with more sensibility would answer “not a bad idea at all. Play a little, sell with a profit. My hobby financed itself out”.

Which one are you?

 

[faberryman]

And what about you having a broader vision. Like let’s say you buy one today and you sell it with a profit in two years. Sounds too crazy?

The funny thing I have noticed over the years is that, to the above, a poor guy will answer “Yeah right, I’m not stupid enough to do that LOL” while a guy with more sensibility would answer “not a bad idea at all. Play a little, sell with a profit. My hobby financed itself out”.

Which one are you?

You sound a little like Marie Antoinette to me. I think the "poor guy" you refer to above probably doesn't have the money, as little as it may be to you, to play the game. There are some people like that you know. Maybe they have to make do with a chrome Leica. Lower financial investment, lower financial return, same image quality. In the shallow end of the pool, the rate of return on K1000s has been pretty good over the past few years too. Since sharpness is so bourgeois, maybe the image quality is actually more desirable.

Speaking of image quality, you don't hear as much about Leica lenses as you do about Leica bodies. Maybe people can't afford to buy Leica lenses after they buy a Leica body, so they don't dwell on it. Sort of like Yoda waving his hand and saying "These are not the lenses you are looking for" and so the Leica enthusiasts repeat "These are not the lenses we are looking for" and move on to another thread talking about Leica lenses. So do you think chrome Leica lenses or black Leica lenses look best on a black paint Leica? I am sort of one the fence about it. I think you should have vintage lenses on vintage bodies so that means chrome lenses, but I think the black lenses look better on a black paint body. I am not sure whether the chrome lenses or the black lenses are appreciating faster, so I would have to do a little research before deciding. I seem to remember that Leica has done some black paint lenses too. Maybe those are the ones to get. So much to think about when you are making these investments.

 

[250swb]

I'd be curious to know what the Leica factory would charge. Unfortunately, I don't think they'll give you an estimate until they have the camera in hand.

Leica won't strip the chrome off which is essential for painting the camera black, and paint won't stick to chrome. It could be questionable that Leica join in creating replicas of their own cameras with mismatched serial numbers. How long before cameras start appearing as 'the missing link' with serial numbers very close to a BP batch?

It is easy enough, if you know what you are doing, to strip the chrome and nickel coat off at home and do your own repaint (no not with sandpaper!), but given the price BP Leica's are fetching pretty soon the whole arena is going to be swamped with look-a-likes with no provenance.

 

[RDW]

And what about you having a broader vision. Like let’s say you buy one today and you sell it with a profit in two years. Sounds too crazy?

That's not a broader vision, that's just speculation for profit. It doesn't make paying 20k for a camera just because it has a scruffy brassed paint job any less insane. Of course, buying insane things sometimes makes a profit, as any early holder of Bitcoin can tell you.

It could be questionable that Leica join in creating replicas of their own cameras with mismatched serial numbers.

They wouldn't be replicas, they'd be Leicas. Leica isn't responsible if some people are prepared to pay silly prices just because the factory applied the paint 60 years ago rather than last Tuesday. Perhaps if this became commonplace the bottom would indeed drop out of the market and the speculators would get what they deserve.

 

[George Mann]

Perhaps if this became commonplace the bottom would indeed drop out of the market and the speculators would get what they deserve.

You may be on to something that enterprising entrepreneurs that are tired of these insane price trends could latch on to, and make a small fortune doing it.

 

[NB23]

Anyone got a BP Leica in here? Would be nice to see what you got

 

[wjlapier]

I’d love to see how that M7 looks these days. Maybe my biggest regret letting that one go.

 

[Huss]

Anyone got a BP Leica in here? Would be nice to see what you got

 

[NB23]

I’d love to see how that M7 looks these days. Maybe my biggest regret letting that one go.

I used it a lot for 2 Years and then I started to shuffle it with all my other cameras. It’s one of my favorite cameras but I decided to relax my way of using it after it took a scary fall right on the rewind lever. Only the lever got bent and I had to dremel/shave it a little bit underneath over a span of about 90 degrees so it could turn without friction on the top plate, but nothing else got damaged, not even the rf. I was extremely lucky I guess.
I will post a photo as soon as I can

 

[NB23]

Beautiful. How’s the lens?

 

[Saganich]

At some point about 15 years ago I decided never to sell any of my M bodies or lenses unless it was life or death. Prior to that decision, I sold an M6 0.85 and Cron 36 ASPH for peanuts compared to current prices. I did purchase a BP MP in 2003 or 2004 as a replacement for the M6...got lucky on that one.

 

[reddesert]

You will maybe find it hard to believe but the Leica game is not for the very rich... 10-20K is not what any Middle-class person would call “insane”. And the Very rich don’t lose their time with Leicas. What for, there’s a Helicopter on the roof of their Yacht waiting for them. Leicas are for the passionate.

That depends on your definition of "middle class." US $10-20K is a lot for a hobby item (vs a necessity or a professional tool). That's into the territory of a smaller car, boat, or year of in-state university tuition. You may get your money back out of a Leica in a way that wouldn't be true of a car or boat, but I think you have an unusual idea of casual purchasing. (For comparison, median US household income is about $68K/year.)

 

[cliveh]

I have a 1934 black Leica II with a 50mm 3.5 Elmar and both camera and lens have recently been cleaned and serviced. I even treated the case with Neatsfoot compound to soften and restore the leather. I think this is the most tactile and well designed camera (for it's time) in the history of photography.

 

[NB23]

I have a 1934 black Leica II with a 50mm 3.5 Elmar and both camera and lens have recently been cleaned and serviced. I even treated the case with Neatsfoot compound to soften and restore the leather. I think this is the most tactile and well designed camera (for it's time) in the history of photography.

Show us your camera!

 

[Huss]

Beautiful. How’s the lens?

From a mechanical standpoint the lens is shockingly well made. If you were handling it with your eyes closed, you'd think it was a real Leica 35 8 elements. The build is that good. I picked the brass option as it was unique and made it less of a replica as Leica did not offer that finish.
Optically it is nice - not super sharp, but smooth rendering with nice contrast. I think it is better on B&W than colour.
What really was remarkable was the original price point - about $500 - to the first round buyers. That is a lot less than a 35mm Voigtlander f2, but built much nicer. Even the all brass lens hood was super cheap.
Now of course, the price has gone up at least 100%.

I'll post pics taken with it when I can, for some reason flickr is not working for me at the moment.

p.s the super shiny finish has nicely dulled as the brass was not sealed.

 

[madNbad]

whoever bought my M6 TTL Millennium in 2017 for $2500 certainly got a deal.

 

[Huss]

Light Lens Lab 35mm 8 Elements , MP, C200






Same get up but with Kentmere 400

 

[NB23]

That depends on your definition of "middle class." US $10-20K is a lot for a hobby item (vs a necessity or a professional tool). That's into the territory of a smaller car, boat, or year of in-state university tuition. You may get your money back out of a Leica in a way that wouldn't be true of a car or boat, but I think you have an unusual idea of casual purchasing. (For comparison, median US household income is about $68K/year.)

there is upper and lower middle class. Look at me for example: I drive used cars, Helps me with other things, so there’s that.

 

[NB23]

whoever bought my M6 TTL Millennium in 2017 for $2500 certainly got a deal.

View attachment 289812

Whaaaaaaaa?
I sold mine too around 2013... the camera I swore to never sell. Especially since I shot my son’s birth with it. But I ended up finding the camera too kitchy: taller top plate, red dot... but the paint is really soft on that M6 millenium. I brassed it like crazy within 2 years. Took me 10 years to brass my MP equally to the Millenium model...

 

[NB23]

Very nice. Have fun

Light Lens Lab 35mm 8 Elements , MP, C200






Same get up but with Kentmere 400

 

[NB23]

From a mechanical standpoint the lens is shockingly well made. If you were handling it with your eyes closed, you'd think it was a real Leica 35 8 elements. The build is that good. I picked the brass option as it was unique and made it less of a replica as Leica did not offer that finish.
Optically it is nice - not super sharp, but smooth rendering with nice contrast. I think it is better on B&W than colour.
What really was remarkable was the original price point - about $500 - to the first round buyers. That is a lot less than a 35mm Voigtlander f2, but built much nicer. Even the all brass lens hood was super cheap.
Now of course, the price has gone up at least 100%.

I'll post pics taken with it when I can, for some reason flickr is not working for me at the moment.

p.s the super shiny finish has nicely dulled as the brass was not sealed.

rub it with white vinegar for a proper patina

 

[madNbad]

Whaaaaaaaa?
I sold mine too around 2013... the camera I swore to never sell. Especially since I shot my son’s birth with it. But I ended up finding the camera too kitchy: taller top plate, red dot... but the paint is really soft on that M6 millenium. I brassed it like crazy within 2 years. Took me 10 years to brass my MP equally to the Millenium model...

I bought it from KEH in 2012. It showed up in the presentation box with all of the documentation, I don't think it had ever been used. It spent the next five years in a half case with a 35 Summicron ASPH almost permanently attached. Played around with a Visoflex III and it took a trip to Solms for a factory upgrade. Our deck was falling apart and needed to raise some funds so it and all the other Leica gear went to new owners. I ended up with a M4 as a consolation prize.

 

[wjlapier]

Here ya go. A II I believe.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have seen and hold two black M4 ELC. At single place. They were slightly trashed and needed CLA. I looked at them and see zero difference from mine black M4-2. Except mine has usable hotshoe.