davidjmitchell Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Many of us like to cover the Leica logos & red dots on our black M's with black tape either for safety or aesthetic reasons. Has anyone found a suitable alternative for chrome models? Using black tape on chrome hardware looks somewhat yuk & in fact draws even more attention to it. Thanks in anticipation.........but I don't want to be drawn into a "...why bother" debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bds1 Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 can't you just pull the red dot off? or is there a hole in the body underneath? you can alway get a new red dot from leica B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerry_szarek Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 In the what it's worth department, 3M makes an aluminum tape, that looks chrome like. It's space qualified (not that you would care) and is very difficult to remove once attached. If you need a part number I probably can dig it up from my files. Gerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john15 Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 I think 3M makes a special camouflage tape that was used extensively by Leica-toting photojournalists in Iraq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann_fuller Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Paint out the logo's and dot with one of those car paint touch up pens - in a suitable shade of silver. Or paint the whole camera black or sell it and buy a black body and paint out the labels and letters with permenant marker or apply black tape. Or buy the latest MP that has been pre-worn - yes it's true - a company in Japan will take your shinny new black MP and for $500 they will selectivley and individualy wear off the black paint to reveal the nice brass underneath so it looks like an old beater - for an additional cost they will also hook it up to a special mechanical hand which takes the camera through 100,000 shutter release and wind on actions so it feels run in as well as looks it. They are, although this is only a rumour, offering a M6 top plate and rewind /wind-on retrofit complete with the nostalgic flare feature in the RF. I haven't got the company details at hand but they are I think the same company who in 1986 used to charge $250 (and sameday service!) to return the then new M6 into an old M4-P by removing the batteries - at the time this was a service only offered by Leica themselves and the turnaround was 6-8 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_a Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 You might try lead tape. It's small strips meant to change the swing weight of a golf club. They have a self-adhesive backing. Being metal it might blend into the camera well. see<P> http://www.swingweight.com/using_lead_tape.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h._p. Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 >>a company in Japan will take your shinny new black MP...<< Are you sure you're not 22 days late with this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_schwartzreich Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Blow a hair dryer for a minute on the spot, then cover it with gaffer's tape and rapidly pull it off; the roundel will come off with the tape. Yes there is an adjustment port there. You can do as I did and use a needle to flake off the red paint on the roundel, then replace it with double-sticky carpet tape. I also painted out the "Leica" on the front with silver lacquer. I now have a silver-dot chrome M6. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 You can't see the logos and red dots if you're behind the camera taking photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann_fuller Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 "Are you sure you're not 22 days late with this one?" - evidently so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sl Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 I do not know about the silver tape, but, for black bodies the very best tape is Scotch vinyl #88. It is a perfect match for the leica flat black and from three feet away it is almost impossible to see. Plus, when you take it off it leaves no residue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art waldschmidt Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Does DAH go through this sort of thing?....does anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_a Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 A few months back I saw the documentary "War Photographer" on James Nachtwey. I noticed that at times his EOS cameras had black tape over the Canon logo, who was a sponsor of the film BTW. So he must have had some reason to block it out.<P> If putting tape on your camera to mask out the logo or name makes you feel invisible then go ahead and do it. It's psychological for the most part. Most people are too timid to photograph strangers so maybe this is the extra little push they need to get over that hump.<P> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry_chu2 Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Nail polish and nail polish remover is the answer. For the black bodies, paint the red dot with black nail polish. For the chrome bodies, apply the remover or acetone to the red dot. It removes the red paint and leaves behind a light gray dot that blends in nicely with the chrome finish. Then get some black lipstick and apply lipstick and nail polish to yourself and go Goth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 I used black nail polish for the red spot and a black sharpie for the engravings, wiping off the excess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_shively Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 How about Dymo marker tape? It comes in a bunch of different colors and you can change the name of your camera as often as you wish. Monday it could be a Petri, Tuesday a Topcon, Wednesday a Miranda, Thursday.... Etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 What a load of codswallop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wind.dk Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Personally I don't understand why anybody would consider a piece of tape to be prettier than the red dot, no matter how ugly you may think the dot is. But if you insist, why not just put tape all the way across the front, covering both the red dot and the entire chrome top? That way you don't have to match the tape to the chrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Maybe they should tape there faces. Lot more ugly than than any red dot on a Leica. What tape would you recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 <i>What a load of codswallop.</i><p> I really enjoy learning new words. I had never seen this, probably because I don't live in England. Great word. For anyone else that was in the dark on the meaning of this, click <a href="http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwordorigins/codswallop">here</a>.<p> Also, has anyone tried using red nail polish on their lens to make it match the red dot? Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Herbert Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 Well Jiffras, there's hope for you yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graphicjoe Posted April 23, 2003 Share Posted April 23, 2003 I'm in the load of codswallop camp. This topic keeps coming up in Leica circles and I keep marveling that it is considered important. cheers, (name obscured by gaffers tape) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_doyle2 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 I'll second the Dymotape motion! Look out here comes my Miranda R4sp w/50mm Submicron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joel_matherson Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 The whole logo taping thing is certainly one of my pet hates on the forum. I think this is one of the issues why the other brand owners feel Leica users are elitists. The world isnt watching you because you a Leica user, trust me most dont even know the brand. If a Leica wise thief is out their he doesnt need a little red dot to tell him your have a Leica in your hand. An M looks like an M even when its a M2 or 3 without a red dot. Maybe a camera hide would be in order for the more paranoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 <i>Maybe a camera hide would be in order for the more paranoid.</i><P>Yes, Joel, but black or camouflage? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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