Chrome vs black lenses

[chris_raney1]

Is it the concerted opinion of you wiser heads that Leica lenses--new or

used--are smoother and more durable when they're constructed of chromed brass

instead of painted or anodized aluminum? It really wouldn't bother me if my my

sought-after lens bargain didn't match the color scheme of my newly found M4-P.

[canfred]

Not correct, actually focusing helicals are always made from brass , only the lens body is aluminium. Chromed lenses wear better since chrome is more

abrasive resistant. Aluminium lenses are lighter so your choice should be just restricted to this.

[ronald_moravec1]

The focus helicals are half brass, half aluminum because of the natural lubricity of the two material as I understand, but are both the same in both the same in annodised black and chrome finished lenses.

 

Black lenses are lighter because of the aluminum outside. Chrome are made from heavier brass outside. Not much difference in weight for small lenses, but a 90 Summicron is much heavier.

 

Chrome plated brass will stand up to handling wear much better just as bright chrome cameras hold up better than black chrome. Chrome looks a bit odd on a black camera, some say ugly, but black looks nice on either.

 

Chrome is an environmentally nasty process with toxic waste and also expensive which is why fewer and fer lenses are being offered in chrome. Also inventory costs are lower with just one type.

 

All my latest lenses and cameras are chrome, 50 2.8 and 90 4.0. Both are now discontinued. I have some chrome lenses 50 years old that look as good as new. Can`t say that for black even those that received my gentle care.

[john_wayne4]

Black lens look great new, but if you want a lens that will cosmetically hold up you have to go chrome. Case in point, I have a Zeiss ZM 50 f2 in black that's a few years old and the black paint has already started to chip. My chrome and titanium lens that are years, decades, older look as if they just came off the production line (both Zeiss ZM and Leica). If your M4-P is black, I still recommend a black lens because then you'll have a very discrete street shooter. In the end, the weigh difference in the lens really isn't a issue. The question is, do you want durability or a non-assuming lens? For instance, if your walking around in the city shooting candidate photos the only choice is black. Good luck...

[didier]

I had an interesting

chat with the Leica

Shop seller in Paris

this week-end on

that very topic.

He says : apart from

the looks, there is

no reason not to buy

black : black is

lighter, which is

useful, but also

safer and

mechanically more

durable, precisely

because of its

lightness :

 

. a heavier lens

will more easily

need mechanical

adjustment precisely

because the weight

on the lens barrel

will be greater

 

 

. if falling on the

ground, a chrome

(heavier) lens will

touch ground with a

higher speed than a

black one and

therefore risk more

from the shock,

 

 

 

I love chrome

lenses, but my

chrome Summicron

90AA is sooo

heavy...

 

 

 

cheers

 

 

Didier

[jtdnyc]

<if falling on the ground, a chrome (heavier) lens will touch ground with a higher speed than a black one and therefore risk more from the

shock>

 

I think Galileo might disagree with the shopkeeper.

[icuneko]

If you say black lenses are inferior are you a racist?

[canfred]

Actually lenses are almost always clear not black.

[mohir_ali]

More mass = more energy = more damage

[didier]

Thanks Mohir for explaining the shopkeeper's point ;-)

[steve_bellayr]

Other than chrome being just slightly heavier. There is no difference. 99% of all the people you will meet in life will not have heard of a Leica camera. More often than not when they learn that you are using a film camera they will think of you as an anachronism. On this question the combination that you choose for yourself will be correct.

[msitaraman]

Having owned both sorts, I'm strictly a black lens guy now. Lighter is definitely better. If, like H-CB, you want to carry a spare lens in your coat pocket, black is much much better.