Why would anyone do this to a Leica?

CropDusterMan · Apr 15, 2016

Why would anyone do this to a Leica?

I've never understood why anyone would try to make their camera look used, like they are
some kind of globe trotting, bullet-dodging correspondent whose cameras are victims of
the work-place. This is clearly not natural wear, and the 2nd owner admits it is fake wear.

Total poser. I am looking for a second body, and the price is right, but I'd feel like a total
douche with this thing on my person. Jeez! I guess I could hide it under a Mr. Zou's half
case.

bdial · Apr 15, 2016

A pity, the price will be "right" forever on this one.

darkosaric · Apr 15, 2016

If the price is right - buy it. If you really are annoyed with the wear - you can hide it with the black tape (I am taping my red dot and name on M6 - after always being stopped and asked "is this Leica").

Ko.Fe. · Apr 15, 2016

Why people pay thousands of dollars to have their car painted with some crappy images? I never seen anything done with taste on those. Same diagnose here. Done by, for distasteful moron. Same morons would repaint Leica from chrome to black.

ic-racer · Apr 15, 2016

Maybe some child got ahold of a parent's camera. I did some crazy stuff when I was three years old...

summicron1 · Apr 15, 2016

there's a certain school of hot rods (cars) that involves buying a 1940s hot rod, one perhaps fully restored, that costs perhaps $50,000, and then doing this same thing to it -- making it look old and beat-up. I've seen them at the Salt Flats Speed Week, and have a cousin who loves them.

Having a Leica that looks like Elliot Erwitt's seems to be a "thing." Isn't Leica even selling one that has been pre-brassed even while new? Think I saw that.

Whatever. A camera is a tool. If you want your tool to have a look, that's your right. You could argue that if I replaced the much-damaged "leather" on my M3 I would be making it look newer than it is, which would be the same thing.

Here's a link to the Leica offering, a digital version: http://leicaphilia.com/leica-to-offer-faux-brassed-leica-m/

ic-racer · Apr 15, 2016

If you want your tool to have a look, that's your right.

But you still will look like a tool owning that...

CropDusterMan · Apr 15, 2016

ic-racer said:
Maybe some child got ahold of a parent's camera. I did some crazy stuff when I was three years old...

Ya right...

CropDusterMan · Apr 15, 2016

summicron1 said:
Whatever. A camera is a tool.

Snap-on wrenches are tools too (very expensive ones)...but you won't see mechanics treating them like that.

E. von Hoegh · Apr 15, 2016

Why would anyone do this to a Leica?

Because they're an idiot? An idiot with some 400 grit sandper?

OptiKen · Apr 15, 2016

Wow! Now you can do anything you want to it and really make it your own without feeling guilty for taking a mechanical wonder and turning it into a 'collectable' set for the swap meet and thrift stores!
Think: colored/patterned Duck tape (skulls and crossbones maybe?) Flower stickers. The name of your favorite band painted where the LEICA M4 is now. Tie-dyed. Camouflage.
There is just so much you can do with it now. It won't even have to take pictures. It could just look so cool walking around with it like you've been somewhere...done something.
Then again, perhaps the second owner did it so that it wouldn't look like the camera that was stolen from the first owner.

ic-racer · Apr 15, 2016

CropDusterMan said:
Ya right...

I really did!

Kyle M. · Apr 15, 2016

ic-racer said:
But you still will look like a tool owning that...

If your really that worried about how you look to other people stop! just stop, their opinion doesn't matter. On the flip side if someone judges you based on the fake wear on your Leica then they aren't worth your time. Personally it's not something I would do because I care as much about the cosmetic condition of my cameras as the mechanical condition. But I can see where it would appeal to some and I lack the ability to judge someone based on their tastes.

CropDusterMan · Apr 15, 2016

ic-racer said:
I really did!

No way... you were a good little child!

CropDusterMan · Apr 15, 2016

Kyle M. said:
If your really that worried about how you look to other people stop! just stop, their opinion doesn't matter. On the flip side if someone judges you based on the fake wear on your Leica then they aren't worth your time. Personally it's not something I would do because I care as much about the cosmetic condition of my cameras as the mechanical condition. But I can see where it would appeal to some and I lack the ability to judge someone based on their tastes.

Kyle, don't worry mate...I am beyond caring what others think about me...this post is more about what kind of a tool would mess up a great camera.

bdial · Apr 15, 2016

I am not a particular fan of the rat rods, but I've seen lots of pictures of them done well. At first glance, everything looks random and junky, but if you study it a bit you see that it's been crafted to look that way.

Or, you can take a piece of 150 grit sand paper and just go for it and end up with what's in the OP. Given what it looks like on the outside, is there any reason to think whomever did it took any care to make sure no abrasive dust ended up inside the camera?
Certainly, tools don't need to look pretty, the M4-2 I happen to have was previously owned by a real "globe trotting photojournalist" and looks it, but the scars it carries are genuine. In using it I don't pretend I just came back from a war zone, but it's nice that I don't need to worry about adding any new cosmetic dings.

jvo · Apr 15, 2016

Thinking like a thief. ..... do I want that bright shiny fancy thing or that worn beat up piece of crap?

Ricardo Miranda · Apr 15, 2016

I believe the brassing on this one is genuine.

E. von Hoegh · Apr 15, 2016

Ricardo Miranda: I believe the brassing on this one is genuine.

And that is the point.

E. von Hoegh · Apr 15, 2016

jvo said:
Thinking like a thief. ..... do I want that bright shiny fancy thing or that worn beat up piece of crap?

Well that's a good point too. Criminals are stupid (at least the ones who get caught are); like magpies they go for the bright and shiny. Shiny things are often worthless.

Edit: I once had a pristine black Nikon F/Ftn with the 55/1.2. With the original bill of sale, case etcetera
I got rid of it at the first good opportunity, it was too perfect for my usage.

4season · Apr 15, 2016

It's cheaper than having Leica and Lenny Kravitz do it for you:

http://en.leica-camera.com/Company/...T-CREATED-BY-LENNY-KRAVITZ-FOR-KRAVITZ-DESIGN

Patrick Robert James · Apr 15, 2016

I find it ironic that you complain about the camera's condition (about which only Leica snobnescenti will care) then say you are gonna wrap it in a hoigty-toighty leather case. C'mon man!

I would use that camera. Why wouldn't I? Does it work? Yup. If I was using it and someone commented about how I treat my Leica, I would know that they aren't really worth knowing much. The fact that they care says more about them than it does about me. Besides, you could always have it repainted since it is brass. I would go with pink just to f#ck with the snobnescenti.

Something makes me think that carpenters don't go around studying each other's hammers for fake nicks.

I say snag it if it is cheap. Use the money you save on film or beer.

dugrant153 · Apr 15, 2016

Fuji knows what's up:
http://fujiaddict.com/2016/04/01/special-limited-edition-x-pro-2-announcement/

"Each camera will be lovingly dragged to work by select Fujifilm employees during their daily commute to work. The body will be dragged at least 24 miles and, if the wear isn’t pleasing, the camera will be thrown away. This level of extreme abuse will demonstrate Fujifilm’s superior ruggedness and create the ultimate one-of-a-kind collector’s item."

skorpiius · Apr 15, 2016

Personally if the price was right I'd buy it and put some black paint on the brassing.

mdarnton · Apr 15, 2016

Classical first world problem thread.

Why would anyone do this to a Leica?

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