Silver or black chromed lenses ?

[Olof]

The silver chromed lenses are heavier, but is their finnish also more resistant than the black finnish ?

[marknorton]

That's my understanding. The chrome lenses use brass and are chrome plated. the black lenses use aluminium and are black anodised. Anodising tends to wear, especially on sharp corners and you see this wear on the focussing and aperture rings. Leica could help themselves by rounding the edges of the finger grips.

[Iron Flatline]

The chrome lenses are a LOT heavier, I was surprised when I held identical lenses with the different finishes in my hand.

Might there be a performance advantage? Chrome reflects light better, absorbs less heat, and thus ensures less (potential) distortion? Someone more knowledgable ought to be able to tell us if there's a performance delta...

[Olof]

Originally Posted by Iron Flatline

Might there be a performance advantage.

The optical/mechanical construction is the same, so there wont be any performance difference...

[rvaubel]

Originally Posted by Iron Flatline

The chrome lenses are a LOT heavier, I was surprised when I held identical lenses with the different finishes in my hand.

Might there be a performance advantage? Chrome reflects light better, absorbs less heat, and thus ensures less (potential) distortion? Someone more knowledgable ought to be able to tell us if there's a performance delta...

Are the new chrome lenses actually still chrome plated brass? If so, the chrome lenses will be far more durable than the Alum/black anodized. Although the black surface is as hard as saphire (that is what anodized aluminum is) the problem is the substrate underneath (alum) is soft enough to let scratches penetrate the thin protective covering. Then it looks like poop

Real chrome plated brass is hard enough for the chrome to just slowly wear away...and I mean slowly. Chrome is very hard! And when it does wear away (after about 1/4 century of hard use) a very nice brass patina is revealed. Also brass makes a much better bearing surface, everything functions much smoother...no galling.

But brass is heavier. Which can be nice, aesthetically, depending on your taste in weight

Rex
..ARF!

[ho_co]

Rex--
Good to learn something about anodizing and chrome plating. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

What about durability or chemistry of Leica's "black chrome" on their bodies? Is it chrome? How do black and silver chrome differ? Is the black finish as durable as what they call "silver chrome"?


Olof--
As Rex says, the lenses mounted in brass will wear much better than the aluminum-mounted ones, at least insofar as their appearance is concerned. But I think the optical assembly is in brass in both cases, so durability of optical quality should be the same.

On the other hand, Erwin Puts' own personal lenses (as shown for example in his review of the WATE) are chrome where possible. That may of course be an esthetic judgment, but considering his interest in quality, it may also be a reflection of his judgment of the lenses' durability.

[rvaubel]

[quote=ho_co]Rex--
Good to learn something about anodizing and chrome plating. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

What about durability or chemistry of Leica's "black chrome" on their bodies? Is it chrome? How do black and silver chrome differ? Is the black finish as durable as what they call "silver chrome"?

ho-co

You have to watch out for "silver chrome" when it means silver paint. Real chrome plate is just that, chrome plated brass. Just about the most bulletproof finish you could want. Silver paint or silver anodizing over aluminum isn't nearly as durable but at least if the base metal is aluminum, it doesn't show very much.

The worst looking, wear wise, is black paint over aluminum. After the paint starts to wear away it looks like hell. That is my main complaint about black VC lenses. That's why I get the silver ones, even though the silver wears as fast as the black, at least it doesn't show.

All brass lenses and camera bodies are my ideal. after many years of use they just luck better and better in my eyes. Here a black paint body is ideal. There is nothing as aesthetically satisfying as subtle brassing on a well used, but cared for Leica body. Interesting enough the M8 has a brass bottom and top plate, the first one in years. Unfortunately, the M8 is not available in black paint. The black chrome that they are using is too durable to ever show brassing + they have to plate the brass with some silvery stuff to get the black chrome to adhear. Hence, I'm in line for a chrome model

Is that clear?

Rex

[Eoin]

Just a personal opinion, I've always prefered the chrome look of the Leicas over the black paint or black chrome. As far as the lens is concerned, I choose to buy chrome versions where available, my reasoning is purely aesthetic, no preceved advantage. The slight extra weight is not an issue for me. The black or chrome lens looks well on a chrome body, but I'm not fond of a chrome lens on a black body for some strange reason.

What I have noticed is the slightly more colder matallic feel and "clink" when moving the aperture ring with a chrome lens over the black. But other than that it's a personal choice.

[Your Old Dog]

Keep in mind that Black bodies are the mark of a professional and hence might keep you out of a lot of events you might wish to have your camera at. A chrome body might mark you as an amateur and that is good! Don't want advertising to get in the way when you are after a picture.

[ho_co]

Rex--
Very helpful information. Many thanks.

All my bodies are 'black chrome,' and although the finish wears well, I've been disappointed that the wear marks tend toward "shiny" instead of "brassy" like the older black paint bodies. Now you've explained why that is.

I was already leaning toward a silver chrome body for the M8 on esthetic grounds, and you've explained why my preference tended that direction. Thanks for the insight!

--HC