So thats how it's done!

[huw_finney]

Just browsing the Leica lens catalogue and found this, I have wodered

how this is done in production. I hope Leica don't mind me lifting

the picture.<div></div>

[Andrew in Austin]

Definitely lay off the coffee for a couple of days before trying that one.

[nathaniel_pearson]

Ah yeah, so -that's- how they jack up the price 70%. So shouldn't the a la carte

program be offering a variety of fonts/colors, then?

[stephan_hugel]

as a natter of interest, what IS the standard font?

[terry_rory]

If I was paying over 1000 pounds for a new lens then I would expect this level of detail and care thoughout. However on my last Leica lens (1985 Canadian 50mm Summicron) some of the numbers had begun to wear away and those on an even older Minolta 50mm f/1.4 (1981) had not despite - no doubt - being machine/screen printed.

 

(Of course they may have been unequally used by previous owners.)

[johnny massey]

With perfect nails, hand-model or Leica worker?

[andrew_neuman]

If only the worker knew - that I would strip the paint off when I got the lens. ;-) I hate the clash of colours on the late model lens.

[gabrielma]

"perfect" wrinkles; I'd say Leica worker. That's a great photo btw.

[andrew_neuman]

The font might be FF DIN from Fontshop. A very nice font - if a bit too clean. Very European.

[jeremy_tok]

---<div></div>

[mskovacs]

Do you mean painting the engravings?

 

I do this all the time with a paint marker, and a piece of toilet paper soaked with lighter fluid to mop-up the excess. Never depress the tip of the paint marker directly on your piece or you risk injecting a big blob. I had never thought of a syringe but it would probably waste paint for my low volumes.

[paul_neuthaler]

...something about this thread makes me uncomfortable

[peter_white2]

If that's really the way Leica does it, it's amazing they've stayed in business as long as they have. Every Japanese camera maker used to have painted numbering in recesses on their lenses. And to be sure they weren't getting the paint in there by hand.

 

I suspect this is marketing BS.

[lawrence_bochkis]

For a company as anachronistic as Leica, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's how they do it...I find it wonderful, but rediculous.

I'd much rather have a craftsman do things by hand, but if it means driving up the costs THAT much, I'd say let the craftsman focus on the special editions for the Sultan of Brunei, and lower the cost for the rest of us!

[EricM]

"I hope Leica don't mind me lifting the picture."

 

remember the last time you did this, from getty? how about some quick html code in the future, to link us to it instead?