laurent_berta Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 Hi people I own a chrome Jupiter-3 that seems to work fine with my M6. but the M6 is black, and the Jupiter is really flashy when mounted on the M, I really don't like how it looks and how it makes people look at it (for me, Leica M must be a synonym of discretion). So I would be interested by converting this lens to black paint. I'm almost sure the lens is made of brass. do you believe I could do it ? do I need to disassemble the lens, remove the chrome plating and paint the lens or can I do it without disassembling the lens elements ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h._p. Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 I blacked up an old Pentacon FM SLR by dismounting all the chrome parts, putting them in an electrolytic bath to strip the chrome then spraying it with car paint. It didn't look that good when it was finished and I had a lot of trouble whiting up the engraving. God alone knows how you'd manage the tiny engraving on a lens. Besides which, Russian lenses are so cheap. My black Jupiter 8 cost me £14 (and turned out to be reasonably good). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent_berta Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 Hi Harvey I have a black Jupiter-8 too, but I don't like the fact that the aperture ring turns with the MAP ring, and it opens "only" at f:2 whereas the Jupiter-3 opens at f:1.5 with an aperture ring independant of the MAP ring. And my Jupiter-3 is much better synchronized with my M6's rangefinder than the Jupiter-8 (don't know why). A black Jupiter-3 is rare and relativly expensive, si I'd prefer to convert my chrome lens to black paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles_stobbs2 Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 You could probably buy chrome top and bottom plates for the M6 so everything would match, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent_berta Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 I really don't like chrome M cameras... when I have the money I will buy a summilux but the jupiter lenses are here before I have the $$$. so my M is black and always will be :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis_couvillion Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 A nice mauve or subdued peach may go well with the black body. Acccessorizing with a matching strap also might work. ;>) (just kidding, Laurent) Regards, Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 Are you sure that your own self-awareness of your mismatched outfit with a cheap (but excellent) Russian lens isn't what causes people to notice you. When you're actually pointing the thing at somebody about the only thing they can see of the lens is the glass anyway. Back when Leitz made mostly chrome lenses with removeable hoods the outside of the hoods never came in matching chrome, the straps were always black, the cases were brown! How can a self respecting photographer put a black vulcanite covered camera in a brown case? Go take some pictures and stop worrying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent_berta Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 "A nice mauve or subdued peach may go well with the black body. Acccessorizing with a matching strap also might work. ;>) (just kidding, Laurent) " uh, you're kidding ? I tought It would be a great idea... lol :) Al: don't worry I make pictures anyway :) but I believe you're right ans wise, as the old jedi Yoda :) I believe I'd better take my M with its chrome lens (after all, SLR are often chrome with black lens... why could'nt I use the "negative" of this configuration ? :) ) and shoot without having such existential questions... thanks all :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just eric Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 i have recently decided to change the color of my camera also. There is a site where a guy has repainted his russian screw mount stuff. I have the bookmark at home. I believe Fargo or micro tools has a lacquer stick made to fill in the lettering on cameras that comes in 9 colors.( maybe mauve, too). Anyway the site says he stripped the cameras down and repainted using an airbrush. i'll contact you tonite with the site. eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent_berta Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 thanks Eric but I believe I already know this site. I have also already converted a chrome FED 2 to black paint, but, as lens is mechanichaly more complicated, it seems to be more difficult Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 The Jupiter-3 was made in black; in the alot of the 1970's and 1980's models. Whether you actually get one that focuses correctly depends on luck. The older 1950's and 1960's versions of Russian lenses have been better lenses; in the small samples I have used. The 1980's Jupiter-8 50mm F2 was also made in black <BR><BR><IMG SRC=http://www.ezshots.com/members/tripods/images/tripods-141.jpg> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 Laurent, I'm glad you have a good sense of humor! If you really want a camera people will notice and comment about check outwww.cameraleather.com. In addition to a variety of textures in plain black pre-cut replacements for your M6 you can get genuine snake and lizard skin in some unbelievable colors! I recovered one of my bodies in black, very easy and looks great. Check out their website. I guarantee you that with one of those bright colored snake or lizard skin coverings nobody will notice what lens you're using. If you want an oddball 90mm black paint lens get an old 90mm f/1.8 Angenieux. Makes the Summmicron Aspheric seem cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent_berta Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 'just wanted to show you how my M looks with both the jupiter 3 and the 8.<br><br><center><img src="http://www.telemetre.org.free.fr/dl/M6_jupiter3_1.jpg"></center><br>that's the Jupiter-3<br><br><br><center><img src="http://www.telemetre.org.free.fr/dl/M6_jupiter8_1.jpg"></center><br>and here is the Jupiter-8<br><br>I like the look of the 8 very much but the 3 is better, so... lets mount the 3 and let's shoot...<br><br>Al, I think I will paint my M6 in purple with a turcoise snake covering. that would be wounderful. :) lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shambrick007 Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 �I'm almost sure the lens is made of brass. do you believe I could do it ? do I need to disassemble the lens, remove the chrome plating...� - Aren�t all Jupiters in aluminum barrels, not brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent_berta Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 maybe Sheldon, I can be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_lehuray1 Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 Laurent -- you should also put black tape on the Leica logos on the M6. And why do the M6 pictures look so fuzzy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 I have to get my wife's URLs for interior decorating forums off my computer. They seem to have morphed with the photography forums. Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralph_barker Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 <p>I'd vote for the mauve or peach approach, Laurent, with matching beret and soft release, of course. That should be far more discreet than say <a href="http://www.cameraquest.com/TAnotcoll.htm">Tom Abrahamsson's "Jerry Garcia Purple Haze M4 Commemorative"</a>. ;-) </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob F. Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 It's only a thought, but maybe a premium spray paint with really good adhesion properties could just be sprayed right over the chrome without stripping. I'm not sure which brand might be best, but the idea of using epoxy paint comes to mind, along with a brand name of xynolite, or zynolite, or something like that. Maybe just a very light film of paint sprayed from a distance would kill the chrome shine without loading the lens with too much paint. Risky, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veronica_lodge Posted May 22, 2003 Share Posted May 22, 2003 <img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=1507566&size=lf"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veronica_lodge Posted May 22, 2003 Share Posted May 22, 2003 Das Yupiter,3 ist in klar aluminum und schwarz; Nein Messing (brass)....<img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=1507566&size=lg"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent_berta Posted May 22, 2003 Author Share Posted May 22, 2003 "Laurent -- you should also put black tape on the Leica logos on the M6. And why do the M6 pictures look so fuzzy?" the pictures are poor because I took them with a cheap digital cam, just to show the my M looks. for the black tape on the leica logos, why not... I don't own a Leica because it's a Leica, but because it's a great camera :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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