chris c Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 It seems the debate rages on Black vs Chrome when choosing a Leica M body. I myself have been attracted to the black but harbored concerns about longterm appearance. I had the opportunity to speak with a experienced Leica Rep about this concern and here is what it came down to. Most Preferred by North American Market: Black 3:1 Chrome is more popular in Asian markets for the "Classic Leica Look" Wearing of various finishes: Black Paint: Great wear characteristics which when worn will "Brass" Black/Chrome: The more Common Black available on M6 or M7. Does not matter which body it is on even though one has a Zinc top plate (M6) and one has a Brass Top plate (M7). They WILL both wear white before they wear brass. Black Chrome is the finish and it will pass through the whitening phase before it wheres to the base metal. Chrome: Well it doesn't really wear or reflect wear until it hits brass or zinc. Finally: The whitening (for lack of a better term) of the black finish is not age related but strictly wear related. It will not oxidize etc over time and turn white. It wears a shade lighter. This haven been said, and given the truth that Silver/Chrome Lens don't look good on a black body I am doing the patriotic thing and joining the 2/3 of my fellow Americans in going black....As they say after going black you will never come back....We will see... PS: Wearing White does not imply that the camera will turn white but will lighten from the pitch black to a muddled black so many of us are familiar with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbroom Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Original questionThis haven been said, and given the truth that Silver/Chrome Lens don't look good on a black body -- chris calabro I Personally think silver lenses can look cool on a black body. i have a DR dummicron on my m4-p-daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 IMO the second most beautiful Leica is a black chrome M6 with a late LTM f:3.5/50mm Elmar. UmmmmmMmmmmm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas_green1 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I kinda like the looks of my champaign colored Bessa-T with a collapsible champaign chrome 50mm Summitar and a Russian 5-turret multi-focal finder. That Camera/lens/finder combo looks like something out of "A Clockwork Orange" and NEVER fails to elicit comments and curiosity when I am shooting with it in the field Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_kastner Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Ahhh, an old subject I love. Chrome lens on chrome, or black on black is great, black on chrome is okay, and chrom on black is perverse, but what I really like is black anyhow/anywhere for the simple reason that I can see and read the numberings/printings better on black than on chrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul hart Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I have a chrome Elmar (latest) on my black paint LHSA M6TTL, just to be different...it harks back to the Barnack Leicas of the 1920's and 30's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob soltis Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Titanium looks nicer than chrome, but it still scratches. My second M6 is black. Choice for M7 will be black, unless there's a Titanium model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feli Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 One of each. Problem solved, except now you are broke. ;-) feli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_. Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 As some wise one said on this forum a while ago: "If you buy black, you'll wish you had bought chrome. And if you buy chrome, you'll wish you had bought black." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsbc Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 My experience is Chrome is more resistant to scratches (I don't mind bright marks so much). Also by your logic, Chris, you should opt for the chrome body since both black/silver lens look good on chrome bodies. Personally I agree with Bill that SOME silver lens look gorgeous on blackbodies, but this is very model specific. You must be careful about the pairing. Chrome collapsible on a black IIIf is also very handsome. That said, I prefer BLACK modern lenses since they are lighter (and some like the Trielmar only comes in black). Which means I should opt, for max utility and good looks in the morning after, for a chrome M-body. Johnson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_hoffman Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Those Chrome lenses are too darn heavy, being brass underneath. So, it's black all the way, especially if your M6 is around your neck all day. The weight makes quite a difference.... www.stevehoffman.tv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkie Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 I think chrome/silver lenses can look great on a black body and looks better than a black lens on a chrome body. JMPO [just my personal opinion]. the saying that once you go black you never go back -- doesn't that apply to ermm, something else? *AHEM* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_kastner Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Hard to say, Sparkie, haven't ever tried it out yet. (Ahem .) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_. Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 I thought the whole idea was to take pictures. "It's the photos, stupid." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_lehrer Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Vikram Yes, it's like discussing as to which coutouriers dress looks better on a an actress, when we should be discussing her performance in a play or film! "It's the performance, stupid" Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_. Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Jerry, I must confess that I spent a non-zero amount of time pondering the chrome vs. black issue. After all, when one is presented with a choice one is presented with an element of uncertainty, and possibly confusion. A feature suddenly becomes a benefit, and is endlessly debated (I'm sure Leica is laughing all the way to the bank). Of course there are endless circle jerks amongst the collector types (equipment polishers), debating the nuances of black chrome vs. black brass, three lugs vs. two lugs, and so on. I guess that's what separates the men from the boys, or in this case, the users from the collectors. The M7 is a good case in point. The chrome only comes in the 0.72 magnification, whereas black is in all three. Best regards. Semi-boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas k. Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 I bought what they had at a good price...And the two times I've bought new trucks, I just took what was on the lot with the eqpt I wanted, color be damned. What difference could it make in the end result? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray_moth Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 I think both black and silver bodies look attractive. When I ordered my M6TTL .72, I asked for a silver-chrome body but the dealer could only get black-chrome from his Hong Kong supplier so that's what I ended up with. I was quite happy with a black .72 but, a month later, when I ordered a .58 body, I asked for and got a silver body. The reason I wanted the cameras in different colours was so that I could easily tell which is which. Since I use a Motor-M with both, the silver one is mostly black anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 When I was in my 20's I thought black cameras looked cool. That was 30+ years ago. Most of my Leicas are chrome, some of my lenses are black, and I no longer give a damn. It's the great glass and reliable bodies that keep me in the system. Most folks under 30 don't recognize the things as cameras anyway. The don't have softly rounded contours with a bulge or two, huge optics, and the unmistakeable look of plastic. I had one young lady, after telling her that it was indeed a camera, ask why there was no LCD screen on the back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkie Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Yeh, me neither Michael. Curious now.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david j.lee Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 what...??? no panda lovers here??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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