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Erik van Straten · 05/09/08, 09:42 PM

No, there is no chrome under the black paint. In my opinion, it's a restored - by Leitz in the early 70's - black paint M2.
The black paint on the Leica's M2, M3, MP, IIIf, IIIg and conversed black II and III's produced from the late 50's up to 1963 or so was of a very bad quality indeed. A strange chemical effect occurred in the paint. The paint blistered off, all by itself. To correct this, Leitz developed, in about 1967, a very good black paint finish for the M4 and SL camera's. Leitz also offered in those years a very expensive service to convert chrome camera's into black (for instance, to match a camera with a Noctilux), but also to restore earlier black camera's of dissapointed owners. This service was carried out by the Wetzlar repair department. I think this M2 is an example of that service, for this M2 carries the Wetzlar repair department seal. From time to time cameras of this type can be found.
In 1972 Leitz chose for economical reasons for the very ugly "black chrome finish". To produce black paint camera's is perhaps quite expensive.

05/09/08, 09:42 PM	#23 (permalink)
Erik van Straten Benutzer Join Date: 04/28/08 Posts: 50	Re: AW: M2 black No, there is no chrome under the black paint. In my opinion, it's a restored - by Leitz in the early 70's - black paint M2. The black paint on the Leica's M2, M3, MP, IIIf, IIIg and conversed black II and III's produced from the late 50's up to 1963 or so was of a very bad quality indeed. A strange chemical effect occurred in the paint. The paint blistered off, all by itself. To correct this, Leitz developed, in about 1967, a very good black paint finish for the M4 and SL camera's. Leitz also offered in those years a very expensive service to convert chrome camera's into black (for instance, to match a camera with a Noctilux), but also to restore earlier black camera's of dissapointed owners. This service was carried out by the Wetzlar repair department. I think this M2 is an example of that service, for this M2 carries the Wetzlar repair department seal. From time to time cameras of this type can be found. In 1972 Leitz chose for economical reasons for the very ugly "black chrome finish". To produce black paint camera's is perhaps quite expensive.