Leica MP 'a la carte' - Black chrome? Vulkanit?

[david_craig1]

I am thinking of buying a Leica MP 'a la carte'. This now appears

to be available in black CHROME with a 'Vulkanit' body cover. Has

anyone any experience of either? Is it really black CHROME?

Is 'Vulkanit' anything like the old Leica vulcanite?

 

Please, NO wisecracks about cost/value/fondling - I have read them

all!

 

Thanks.

[moritz_nienburg]

David,

 

it is the same black chrome as on the regular Leica M6,M7,R3,R4,R5,R7 etc. The vulkanit is not the same material as the old one. It is made of the same material as the usual covering of the M6,M7,R3,R4,R5,R7 etc. The texture is different. Thats all.

 

Regards Moritz

[david_craig1]

Dear Moritz

 

Thanks for your helpful comments

 

Is the new Vulcanit good to touch/look at?

 

David

[paul hart]

<Is the new Vulcanit good to touch>

 

I thought you wanted nothing about fondling?

[moritz_nienburg]

David,

 

it is great. It is on my wishlist too. I never liked the bathroom covering of the regular MP nor its off center Leica scripture on the top. My leica a la carte will be a silver chrome MP with 0,72 finder less the 75mm lines, with the Vulkanit covering and with the complete centered Leica sripture on the top. It looks almost 100% like an old M2 then.

 

Regards Moritz

[terry_rory]

You asked for no wisecracks about cost so I will just make an observation.

 

The standard black or chrome MP is 1607 UK pounds + VAT at Robert White (= 1888 UK pounds) and an M7 would be 1802 UK pounds including VAT.

 

When I bring up the UK 'configurator' screen for 'A la carte' it states that the base price ( before ANY options are selected ) is 2300 UK pounds for both M7 and MP alike.

 

So even before you begin to select options you are paying 412 pounds (MP) over the odds and 498 pounds over for the M7. (They have to be ordered and configured at 'special' dealers selected by Leica so no escaping the massive overcharge.

 

Yes you know all this (hence your request for no 'wisecracks') but this may need pointing out to other people who were not aware that the whole 'A la carte' thing begins with an overcharge before the options are selected.

[terry_rory]

I quote UK prices including VAT because you are in the UK.

[ben z]

David, if you really want an MP in the black chrome you don't have any choice other than the a la carte. But any competent Leica repairer can remove the 75 framelines for around $100 (US dollars), and you can get vulcanite-textured vinyl body covers for under $50. Come to think of it you could get a black chrome M6 classic, have the MP flare-free upgrade and remove the 75 framelines and put on the fake vulcanite for about 1/3 the cost of that a la carte MP. This wasn't meant to be a wisecrack, just a point of information if not for you then perhaps for someone else wanting the same options but lacking the (whatever it is) to buy through the a la carte.

[john_a.]

Benz, Thats exactly what I did but didn't remove the 75mm framelines. Thats a good idea. Thanks. Actually also, the rewind crank on the M6 classic is much more practical. I have an MP chrome .85. Very tempted to sell it. hint hint...

[roger_hicks1]

Dear David,

 

I have a black chrome M4P and I find it a deeply vile finish -- it wore so quickly and so badly that a Leica dealer chum recommended that I send it back under guarantee(I bought it new). I have also had several black paint Leicas including A, II, III, M3 and MP (my current main camera, as I hope it will be for decades) and there is NO question which I'd rather have.

 

As for the 'massive overcharge', this is meaningless. Either you want an à la carte enough to pay the extra, or you don't. Neither way are you overcharged. If you can't afford one -- I can't -- that's another matter but you still can't call it an overcharge. If I could afford one I'd have sonething very close to my black paint MP but without 28 and 75 frames.

 

Cheers,

 

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

[terry_rory]

No of course Roger.

 

We have 2570 pounds for Black chrome ("deeply vile" wasn't it?) and same covering with different texture.

 

As opposed to 1888 pounds for standard black finish and standard covering.

 

682 pounds extra is a veritable bargain to get a "deeply vile" finish and a different texture. (faux Vulkanite) All of which looks identical from more than a couple of metres away so having next to no extra 'Bling bling' for your hard earned pounds. (dollars)

[terry_rory]

682 pounds buys a Summicron 50mm f/2 brand new (full UK RRP) and 20 pounds left over.

[ben z]

Roger, a Leica repairman can easily remove the 28 and 75 framelines from your MP, in the USA it costs about $100. I'm not sure why you'd want to bother removing the 28mm frames though, since they're so far remote from the 90 frames and at least I really have to look for them to find them at all : )

[david_craig1]

Many thanks to everyone. David

[roger_hicks1]

Dear Trevor,

 

To anyone who is willing to pay and can afford it, it ain't an overcharge. If you don't want it or can't afford it or both, it's hard to see how that is an overcharge either. I can't quite see your problem. Twenty-five years back I decided not to buy a second-hand Rolls Royce because I wasn't willing to pay RR parts prices -- and I wasn't overcharged then either, because I didn't buy it. Consent of the victim, dear boy -- and I refused to consent.

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[roger_hicks1]

Dear Ben Z,

 

Good point. In fact, two good points. For that matter, I'm not sure it's worth even $100 to lose the extra frames. I shoot mostly 35 (where 135 doesn't matter) followed by 90 (and you're right, 28 ain't a major problem) followed by 21 (no frame) and 50 (but I could do without 75).

 

But if I did not already have an MP and wanted and could afford MY dream Leica... (Actually I'm already lobbying them for red paint...)

 

Cheers

 

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com, due for revision in the New Year)

[terry_rory]

Second hand Rolls Royces are vulgar Roger.

 

Now, a good classic Bristol or Alvis or the old Bentley Continental...(not the Audi 'thing')...

 

Anything with real class, even a 3.8 E Type roadster (at least it screams out 'bounder' proudly unlike the RR Silver Shadow/Corniches, the "Hyacinth Bucket" of the car world, whispering it behind the twitching net curtains.

 

More dignified than some bourgeois, petty middle class used Silver Shadow with a Greek Temple glued on the front where people assume (without even knowing you) that you park it outside a bungalow next to your plumbers van.

[roger_hicks1]

I've just been thinking some more about 'massive overcharging'.

 

This is in the strictest sense a meaningless statement which demonstrates zero understanding of economics.

 

It must surely be impossible to overcharge for a discretionary and indeed luxury purchase such as truffles, foie gras, Purdeys, Leicas, etc. If you don't need it, and don't want it badly enough, DON'T BUY IT. The market is the ONLY rational determinant of price for such products, and if the vendor 'overcharges' then he or she must necessarily either go out of business or reduce prices.

 

Now if it comes to a non-discretionary purchase, such as the only source of food, or a medical-care cartel, it's another matter.

 

Anyone else have views on this?

 

Cheers

 

Roger

[terry_rory]

Obviously not.

 

But I will relieve Roger of the responsibility of having the last word. (He gets too much of that in AP)

[cameron_sawyer]

"I have a black chrome M4P and I find it a deeply vile finish "

 

Steve Gandy agrees with you, but I do not. A worn black chrome camera looks dull and mottled and unfondlable but it's nice in its own way -- more functional and less conspicuous than black paint.

 

I do agree with the poster above however that there is little point to a black chrome MP. Just buy an M6 and have the viewfinder upgrade done. A well used M6 after a good CLA will be even smoother than a new MP, and the M4 rewind crank is really much more practical. And the cost will be 1/3 or even 1/4 or even less. Personally I much prefer the ergonomics of the later M6 TTL to the MP, and you have TTL flash if you care about such things. Otherwise they are functionally the same.

 

To answer your other question: no it is not CHROME. It's an anodizing process which deposits some kind of metallic oxide on the zinc (or brass) parts. It's dull black in color, and turns more dull and mottles with age and use.

[cameron_sawyer]

Concerning "massive overcharging" -- I agree with Roger. As much as we might like to think otherwise, Leicas are not tools, they are semi-handmade nostalgic toys which were already too expensive for amateur photographers on a budget. Leica AG has been losing money and has been in danger of going under. Sharply raising prices and investing into R&D is exactly what they should be doing, and they should have done it long ago. Either that, or they're gone, which can't be beneficial to anyone.

 

And Leica AG is really only overcharging those rich amateurs who want to have their cameras custom made. Those content with an off-the-shelf model are hardly paying cost.

 

Anyone objecting to Leica prices is welcome to buy a Bessa R2a or R3a which is equal or superior to Leica M functionally, at a reasonable price. For the cachet and feel of a Leica M, you have to pay extra, just like any other product of this type. It's your choice.

 

Remember also that the U.S. dollar has lost nearly half of its value since 2001. In my opinion, the price increases so far are not even enough.

[r s]

Roger, well said. I'm tired of hearing complaints about the price of Leica equipment. Can't afford it? Don't buy it.

<br>God knows there are enough people here that would be more than happy to recommend other brands.

[roger_hicks1]

Dear Trevor,

 

I absolutely agree about vulgarity *in general* but this was special: a 'rat Roller' with a Hooper body (saggy doors and all), chrome peeling in strips from the bumper, one RR hubcap and two Bentley, paintwork scratched to hell and so forth -- the second worst RR I have ever seen. I just liked the idea of a really awful-looking Rolls Royce. But a new exhaust system would have cost the same as the car. I've never been a great Alvis fan -- a friend of mine had such bad woodworm in his that he got 20 mpg on Rentokil -- and the only Bristols I am a total sucker for are 401 - 402 - 403 (and I've driven nearly 10 per cent of all 402s ever built). Then there was the Daimler DE36 I missed... Now I just run a 1972 Series III 88 inch.

 

To me, worn black chrome is more conspicuous than worn paint because it's so ugly -- but only to other sad cases like me who notice Leicas. But as you say, it's personal taste.

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[roger_hicks1]

Dear Trevor,

 

Whoops! Sorry: should have been Dear Cameron.

 

Cameron: please accept my apologies.

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[roger_hicks1]

Oh Good Grief, I conflated two letters. Apologies to both. Put it down to xqiting for q replqcement QWERTY keyboqrd qnd trying to use qn AZERTY 5French? keyboqrd.

 

As for the fall of the dollar, this hits me hard as both Shutterbug and Foto Magazin pay me in dollars. Yes, Leicas are underpriced in the USA at the moment as a result. Any other political leader who presided over such a collapse of the currency would have been given the bum's rush -- and they RE-ELECTED the cretin?

 

Cheers,

 

Roger