about the M8.2 Black Paint

[620max]

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Hi Everyone, I am a new guy into this family

I like black Leica so much, I just sell my "black paint" M9 and now looking for a M8.2...

because I find some reasons to use M8.2 better than M9...

 

but I am a bit confuse with the M8.2 "black paint", is the M8.2 have two difference "Black paint" style?

why I saw some M8.2 are in "Glossy" painting (usually brassing) ? but most of them are "Matte" black (usually newer and the feeling seems the M9 Black paint)?

 

are they two versions? or they are in two used condition?

or one is the original and the other is updated from M8?

 

Thanks

Max.

[jcraf]

Welcome to the forum.

 

There was only ever one black finish on the M8.2 - black paint, complete with black Leica dot. Which allows the camera to develop a nice patina with brassing. It is reported that the paint on the black M8.2 is tougher than that on the black MP film camera. I don't know if that is true, but nevertheless, I have seen some black M8.2s with significant brassing.

 

A very nice camera all round, the M8.2, especially in black!

Edited January 18, 2014 by jcraf

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[jaapv]

If an M8 is matte and has (usually) a red dot it is an original M8, not an M8.2. In use the differences are marginal, the images are identical and quite a few of them have been updated to have the same functionality.There is no discernible difference in reliability either.

[lct]

Contrary to the original M8, the M8.2 is a black paint camera with a quieter but also slower shutter, a sapphire LCD screen more often affected by "coffee stain", and more accurate framelines at medium to long distance. If your sample is matte i.e. black anodized instead of black painted, it is probably what we call here an "M8u" i.e. an M8 updated (see attached file).

LeicaM8_Upgrade_Concept.pdf

[ryuzaki]

I want to know more about the M8u, is the M8u's hot shoe also marked as "M8.2", and also the leather can be "updated"?

Edited January 18, 2014 by ryuzaki

[k_g_wolf ✝]

The M8-hot-shoe is not changed/ engraved, but you can tell easily from the diamontshaped/ saphire engraving on the bottom of the rearscreen in case the camera has been updated by LEICA.

 

And usually it has no 1/ 8000 sec.

 

Leather can be updated. Not too cheap ...

 

 

Best

GEORG

[lct]

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[620max]

Hi everyone, thanks so much for your reply, please see the picture below, I copy from the google and mix in one picture,

This four cameras are also M8.2, but why they look difference in Black, left side two look so "glossy", and right side two are more "Matte", are they difference?

are they difference in used condition so the paint being "glossy"? or Leica make two difference black paint M8.2 at two periods?

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[Photoskeptic]

I've never given the finish much thought myself. Indeed I had to pull my 8.2 out of the bag to check! I'm just guessing here but it appears as if the camera on the left has been polished to give it a sheen.

[dunkelblau]

It IS confusing, and often photographs of camera bodies can add to the confusion as depending of the lighting and skill of a photographer it is not always clear, if a camera body is painted or anodized; in any case it's not enough to 'look at the shiny'.

 

Leica produced two black versions of the M8 Modell:

 

M8 (original M8):

 

- black anodized body (not PAINTED but CHEMICALY TREATED to turn the metal surface into a matte black) Looking at it you can tell: this is not painted, it's the material itself that is being black.

- very finely grained leatherette, like a rough sandpaper

- red Leica logo

- fastest shutter speed is 1/8000th (check the shutter dial)

- ONE engraving on the hot shoe indicating the serial number

 

M8.2 (second version with 3 changes relevant to the functionality of the camera):

 

- 1: quieter shutter, fastest shutter speed is 1/4000th (check the shutter dial)

- 2: non-scratch Sapphire glass on the lcd screen (check for the 'this-is-a-sapphire-glass-Lozenge on the lcd screen)

- 3: Viewfinder with differently sized frame lines, considered to represent more exactly what your sensor is going to record when you focus to medium and fare distances (no tell tale sign to judge wether your camera has this other than looking through the view finder)

- body is PAINTED in a shiny black. Paint wears off at the edges with use = 'brassing'

- leatherette has a coarsely structured surface (like classic Leica Cameras or the black M9 usually have)

- black Leica dot

- TWO engravings on hot shoe: 'serial nr' and 'M8.2')

 

Those are the two black M8 Modells SOLD by Leica.

 

However:

One could have their M8 upgraded by Leica to have all three functional improvements of the m8.2: quieter shutter with 1/4000th as fastest speed, Sapphire glass, Viewfinder.

Or you could have only one or two of the upgrades done and then have for instance an M8 with an M8.2 shutter(dial). Or with a sapphire screen cover but the original M8 frame lines. Those M8 are often being called 'M8u' ('upgraded')on the internets.

Leica wouldn't however upgrade the cosmetic properties of an M8 in the process: the body remains anodized (and therefore matte black), the dot remains red, the leatherette remains findely grained. SOMETIMES however Leica seems to have at least swapped a red dot for the black one if the customer so wished.

 

But Users could change their leatherettes and Leica Logos without Leicas help (I did), so there might be some - very few - Original M8 with black dots and rough leatherettes. Aesthetically they get close to an M8.2 (except for the shiny black lacquer) but functionally they are solid M8.

 

So when judging what you see on a picture, check the following:

A: M8.2 engraving on hot shoe? Its an M8.2, it has all the upgrades and a shiny black color.

 

Else it's a M8 without any, with some, or with all the upgrades to an M8.2; check shutter dial, check for diamond/lozenge-shaped sign on lcd screen, check viewfinder.

Edited January 18, 2014 by dunkelblau

[k_g_wolf ✝]

Do youself a favour and get a white one, not so many choices ...

 

... regards

GEORG

[lct]

White or Safari. Another special series?

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[620max]

thank you very much for your very detail information provide, to shown the difference between the M8 and M8.2! thanks.

I post this photo is from four different users, I think they are true M8.2 (not M8u), at least their hot shoes are showing "M8.2" , black dot, and their leather is classic coarsely surface, but the "black paint finishing"......

 

just want to tell you guys about my confusing:

Last week I saw a M8.2 at my local shop (actually I was selling out my M9 at that moment), I am interested with M8.2, so I take up that M8.2 to try, I am sure that one is marked M8.2 on its hot shoes, and the sale told me that is original M8.2 not the M8u, but that M8.2's surface is a "matte" Black paint (not shiny) 100% is not as the picture above (right side), that black paint is more like the M9's finishing...

Because I saw the M8.2 at eBay before, just love the shiny Black not sure why their M8.2 not shiny, so I went out the shop, havn't bought yet...

 

i can't found any information on internet about that... so, do you guys have any more ideas?

[620max]

White or Safari. Another special series?

 

The safari version is very cool~

[jcraf]

I am sure that Leica Solms would be able to tell you what the camera left the factory as, if you supply the serial number to them. In other words whether it left the works as an M8 (and was subsequently upgraded to M8u) or as an original M8.2.

 

That might help you in your agonising over this particular camera!

[dunkelblau]

Last week I saw a M8.2 at my local shop (actually I was selling out my M9 at that moment), I am interested with M8.2, so I take up that M8.2 to try, I am sure that one is marked M8.2 on its hot shoes, and the sale told me that is original M8.2 not the M8u, but that M8.2's surface is a "matte" Black paint (not shiny) 100% is not as the picture above (right side), that black paint is more like the M9's finishing

 

 

That's what I was trying to explain: if it says 'M8.2' on the hot shoe, then it is the PAINTED version and NOT anodized. And there's only ONE painted version of the M8.2, and it IS shiny (yes, I know, I know, there is the White One and the Safari One, both painted and shiny as well but you won't find those casually offered in a store, thank you very much).

 

Go back to the store, have another look under different light.

 

Unless it is a home pimped model of course. Someone could have taken an M8.2 apart, sandblasted the top and bottom plate, have it anodized and then reassemble it. But that would be futile, wouldn't it?

 

(returns to his It's-Saturday-evening-Glass of wine, shaking his head and mumbling incoherently)

[Frase]

M8.2 does look a bit more glossy than the M9 but there is not much in it, not sure why you would sell an M9 for a M8.2 when the prices are not that far apart I could understand selling M9 for M8 for the extra cash.

A lot of these really shiny M8.2 and M9 have been polished with piano polish you could try that.

[620max]

M8.2 does look a bit more glossy than the M9 but there is not much in it, not sure why you would sell an M9 for a M8.2 when the prices are not that far apart I could understand selling M9 for M8 for the extra cash.

 

A lot of these really shiny M8.2 and M9 have been polished with piano polish you could try that.

 

 

 

hi, one of the reason is I want to try IR photograph, recently I found the the M8 is great to shoot with IR photograph than the M9 and any DSLR, So I want to find one, but I think the M8.2 is better, because I like the black paint Leica (brassing by years to used) and the silent shutter, and I realise the ASP-H is not too bad than I thought, compare with the Canon DSLR, I feel good with the "1.33 crop factor", in fact I mostly shoot with film, full frame is all the time with me. that is why I don't mind to downgrade the my M9 to M8.2.