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Okay. I'm freaking out. Black Leica M2


pico

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I have mentioned before about a black paint M2, button rewind I have. Serial # 948929. I'm am older guy;  life is short for me, and I have been thinking of finding a buyer to pay forward to my life-mate,  my dear Molly of 18 years.  The camera is pristine to a level of suspicion. It seems too good to be true.

 

So how might I present it for criticism? Would photographs suffice? If not, then what else? I dearly do not want it misrepresented. Life is too short to not be genuine, honest.

 

Thank you to the experts here.

 

Very Best,

Pico

Edited by pico
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Hello Pico,

 

I think that what people here might be waiting to see & what you might be waiting to hear people ask for is: A set of pictures showing all 6 sides of the camera in question.

 

So, in order to keep the atmosphere from rising to even higher levels of suspense:

Pico,

 

Do you, by any chance, happen to have some photos of this camera that we might be able to look at?

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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I think that what people here might be waiting to see & what you might be waiting to hear people ask for is: A set of pictures showing all 6 sides of the camera in question.

 

There is where analysis-paralysis kicks in. I have no studio setting to make the photos. I have chosen to live in a tiny house which obviates even a light tent,  and the best I have is an old digital camera and setting the M2 on an old picnic bench in the back yard with harsh, direct Southern light that makes everything ugly. Perhaps that is good enough because experts can see beyond that. You think?

.

Edited by pico
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Hello Pico,

 

Don't be so modest.

 

You are an accomplished, competent, resourceful photographer.

 

Wait for a Sunny day with a mostly blue sky with not too many white clouds*.

 

Get a small table.

 

Take this small table to the DARKER side of a house or to the darker side of a wall that is directly in the Sun. 

 

Do this between about 11:00 & 15:00 CDST.

 

Put the small table against this darker side of the wall or house in the shade made by the Sun. This should be a spot with no trees, etc between you & the sky going AWAY from the Sun on the shady side that you are on.

 

Your table is now set up in natural shade.

 

Put the camera to be photographed on an off-white (not colored) piece of cloth with the cloth raised up behind it out of the picture area & over a support that is wide enough on each side to continue out of the picture area. Do the same with the piece of cloth in the foreground coming to you.

 

The camera & its surroundings now have off-white (not colored) cloth disappearing out of the photo in all directions.

 

Get the biggest & heaviest tripod & tripod head that you have**.

 

Put the camera taking the photos on the tripod head which has been appropriately positioned.

 

You are now ready to take pictures with the best lighting on the Planet.

 

Set the ISO to its lowest setting.

 

Set the aperture to F11.

 

Set the shutter speed for the first exposure for each side = 1/ISO.

 

Set the shutter speed for the second exposure for each side = 1/ISO + 1 stop of added exposure. Example: If ISO = 100, then: 1/100 + 1 stop more = 1/50.

 

Set the shutter speed for the third exposure for each side = 1/ISO + 2 stops of added exposure. Example: If ISO = 100, then: 1/100 + 2 stops more = 1/25.

 

Focus.

 

Cock shutter.

 

Using cable release (If such a thing fits on your old camera), gently release shutter.

 

Take 3 photos (1 at each of the shutter speeds) of each of the 6 sides of the Black M2. All at F11.

 

Pick the best photos.

 

Please show us your results.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

 

* Yes, I know that you are in Winona, Minnesota

 

** There has never been a tripod or tripod head made that has ever been too BIG or too HEAVY for any camera or any lens. As long as that tripod & tripod head can fit in the working space that it is needed in. But there are a lot of both tripods & tripod heads that are too small or too light. Or both.

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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When I put my M4 up for sale I agonized about the pictures...just plain close ups shot with a 90mm lens or something artsy, like putting the camera on a grey weathered board and scattering some leaves about. I ended up with a plain background, sheet of white construction paper, and converted everything to B&W...it got a lot of attention and went fast. Shot on my kitchen table with bounce flash. OTOH I tried the artsy approach in  color with a Canon LTM body I cleaned up and recovered - got good attention, but it didn't look as professional IMHO as the way I did the M4. Thie was the main shot of the M4 in my ad.

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And that is the sort of photograph that would make me very, very suspicious. Beautifully done, could be a shot for the front of a period Leica Instruction booklet, but a second hand camera needs all the scratch marks showing and not marks for artistic interpretation.

 

 

Steve

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Provenance is important too. You need to tell buyers where it came from if possible. Alternatively sell via a well-known dealer who will establish its validity and whilst they will take a cut, they will also almost certainly achieve a much higher price than you can if its genuine.

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Pictures for sale just need to clearly show the item for sale, from all sides. I don't care if the background is a kitchen worktop, desk, or whatever.

 

I get suspicious if there isn't say a photo of one aspect and assume it's on purpose to avoid showing some mark or whatever.

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And that is the sort of photograph that would make me very, very suspicious. Beautifully done, could be a shot for the front of a period Leica Instruction booklet, but a second hand camera needs all the scratch marks showing and not marks for artistic interpretation.

 

 

Steve

 

WOW -- Although I never babied it, I did take good care of it. And the rest of the photographs showed the rub marks where the meter attached, replaced door leatherette, scratches on the plastic winding lever, etc quite well. However, most buyers, IMHO also want to see a shot which says "pretty damned good -not all is bad". FWIW I also included its lifetime repair history and most recent shutter timing averages. I am a strong believer in full disclosure and in 10 years have only had 2 items ever returned to me, both due to damage or exposure to extreme temperatures in the mails.

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Hello Pico,

Please show us your results.

 

I did some deeper digging with unhappy results. This camera was sold before for a  modest amount. Further, it was repainted by Leica. Sure, it is an original of the first batch of black M2s, but refurbished by Leica. No wonder it looks too good to be true.

Edited by pico
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Hello Pico,

 

Life is not all about Money.

 

Cheer up.

 

I am sure that Leitz/Leica did a good job not only repainting the camera but also bringing it mechanically/optically up to where it should be.

 

You have a really nice camera. Sell it or Enjoy it yourself. 

 

By the way, you can still photograph it & show it to us. It is just as nice & just as interesting to look at whether it is original or repainted.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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I did some deeper digging with unhappy results. This camera was sold before for a  modest amount. Further, it was repainted by Leica. Sure, it is an original of the first batch of black M2s, but refurbished by Leica. No wonder it looks too good to be true.

A repaint by Leitz factory does not lower a dime on the value of such a beauty : and if it is properly documented, so better... any original Leitz factory doc related to a specific camera is an addon value...

Pico, pleas, find the way to post some picture !!! :rolleyes:  M2 imho is the nicest of the black Ms... (M3 is finer in chrome and only MP is the "real black", M4s are all nicer in chrome, included -2 and -P)

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Hello Pico,

 

Thanx for the photos. Nicely done.

 

Nice camera.

 

I'd get a quick load for it. It makes a World of difference when you use it.

 

Better than sliced bread.

 

Also a standard plain strap w/o shoulder pad.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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