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Curious about wear - chrome


pico

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I recently received a chrome M2, button rewind that I suspect was a shelf queen. The entire surface is hard to describe. It has a perfect, even luster - well it did until I mounted it on a tripod which created a few bright spots on the base.

 

While I do appreciate least-used Leicas I have never owned any but black lacquer (paint) models which degenerate quickly. Fine by me.

 

The question is - do chrome/silver Leicas attain an even 'patina' or something like it when not used?

 

 

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generally they develop fine scratches before the chrome wears.  I have seen M`s  that have done 1000`s of weddings with no brassing.  A lot depends on the person using it such as one who would not protect the tripod hole with tape on a mint camera and those who scuff the top mounting a meter or add no protection around the strap lugs.  

 

Why spend the money for a mint and then not take care of it?  

 

Anyway I do not think I have ever seen a chrome one with patina  like  black lacquer develops. 

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Hello Pico,

 

Congratulations on your new camera. Enjoy it.

 

As per Tobey's good suggestion in his Post #2, this Thread: Masking tape is a good choice since it comes off & it can be replaced easily.

 

Don't forget to make the area covered by the tape larger than the diameter of the attachment platform on the ballhead (or whatever) you use.

 

A simple way is: To put the tape all of the way across the baseplate, front to back, from the camera end: As far as the baseplate is wide.

 

Unless your ballhead platform is wider.

 

Then cut out the ballhead attachment hole with an X-acto knife (or such).

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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I used chrome Leica will look like this

 

https://www.cameraquest.com/LeicaM4G.htm

 

and my first M2 looked similar, I never should have sold it.

 

As regards scratching the baseplate, this can be avoided entirely by using a proper tripod head with a quick release plate, it can't scratch the base putting it on, and it can't scratch the base taking it off.

 

 

Steve

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Whether you like a camera in a 'used' or 'mint' state is a matter of personal taste. Some collectors never use their cameras (or some of them) and once your collection gets beyond a certain size this is not physically possible anyway. Normal chrome will mark up with scratches just as painted models get 'brassed'. When Leica first introduced a chrome finish in 1933 it actually charged more for the chrome models. The first few chrome models were in a bright shiny chrome which does not mark up. I have one from 1933 and it looks like it just left the factory yesterday. I am not sure why they quickly switched to the 'normal chrome' used for many years. The reasons were probably either technical or economic. 

 

If you are using something, whether it is a camera, a car or a lawnmower, you should always expect signs of use. If this bothers a photographer, driver or gardener, perhaps some other hobby or activity would suit better.

 

William

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I tried to make a photo to show the finish, but it doesn't present well. The surface has a barely reflective luster. Where I mounted the tripod has become shiny, not scratched. I will just use and enjoy it and consider the finish an unsettled curiosity.

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I remember talking to an "official" photographer at Bunratty Castle some years ago. He used a pair of Leica M2's to take pics of visitors kissing the Blarney Stone.

both cameras were worn down to polished brass on the area round the rewind knob due to the amount of use they had. He told me that he had owned them from new and just had them serviced once a year. I can not remember the number of rolls of film he told me he had put through the cameras but the number was HUGE,

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  • 2 weeks later...

I used chrome Leica will look like this

 

https://www.cameraquest.com/LeicaM4G.htm

 

and my first M2 looked similar, I never should have sold it.

 

As regards scratching the baseplate, this can be avoided entirely by using a proper tripod head with a quick release plate, it can't scratch the base putting it on, and it can't scratch the base taking it off.

 

 

Steve

 

If you want your M4 to look like that, all you have to do is shoot a billion rolls of film with it like Garry Winogrand did in his.  :D

Edited by Carlos Danger
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