jaapv Posted November 3, 2009 Share #1 Posted November 3, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I must say I am quite -and unexpectedly- happy with the durability of the black coating. After six weeks of serious use it is considerably less damaged than chrome would have been, just some marks on the edge of the baseplate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 3, 2009 Posted November 3, 2009 Hi jaapv, Take a look here Durability of black paint. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
thrice Posted November 3, 2009 Share #2 Posted November 3, 2009 I find this reassuring after changing my order from grey to black. I must say even if the grey was as durable and readily available as black I have managed to fall in love with chrome lenses on black bodies... gofigure. I still like chrome lenses on chrome bodies the best but chrome on black paint is the next best thing. I've enjoyed your M9 photos Jaap, and I hope it continues to perform for you for the forseeable future. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelfocus Posted November 3, 2009 Share #3 Posted November 3, 2009 I must say I am quite -and unexpectedly- happy with the durability of the black coating. After six weeks of serious use it is considerably less damaged than chrome would have been, just some marks on the edge of the baseplate. Do you notice the black paint on the M9 looks very different from the M8.2. It's not as shiny or delicate and seems to be a more modern finish. It seems to also have something of the matt appearance and precision of black chrome and you notice particularly around the M9 engraving on the front. I haven't had mine long but it somehow feels more resistant - the paint feels harder (although not as grippy). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted November 3, 2009 Not really- I don't have an 8.2. It looks and feels quite similar to the coating Shintaro put on my M3, but it is far more scratch-resistant. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted November 3, 2009 Share #5 Posted November 3, 2009 Do you notice the black paint on the M9 looks very different from the M8.2. It's not as shiny or delicate and seems to be a more modern finish. It seems to also have something of the matt appearance and precision of black chrome and you notice particularly around the M9 engraving on the front. I haven't had mine long but it somehow feels more resistant - the paint feels harder (although not as grippy). The M9 seems more durable than the M8.2 I had - but it's still going to wear. WHY there wasn't a black chrome option I can't begin to imagine. That was such a good finish. My 10 year old M6TTL is as good as new - my M9 will look battle-scarred in a few months... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted November 3, 2009 Actually I am not too happy with the rather dull "worn" look some black chrome M8 cameras have, especially at the M8 logo area. I prefer bright chrome, although that scuffs easily, but this paint is a good alternative imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Sfeir Posted November 3, 2009 Share #7 Posted November 3, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Black chrome may be nice, but it is not a good choice for sensitive equipment. Indeed, black chrome heats up very rapidly in sunny weather as it is a so called "selective" coating with high absorption of visible light (solar radiation), and low emission in infrared. This ends up with a green house effect on the camera. Some of the best solar thermal panels use black chrome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleskin Posted November 3, 2009 Share #8 Posted November 3, 2009 For $7000 USD, I think real silver chrome like I have on my M6 would be ideal. Back in 1991, when I bought the M6, I could get black or silver chrome. My M6 still looks like the day I bought it (I paid $1,750 back then, so adding silver chrome today at $7,000 USD is not going to break Leica financially). GIVE ME CHROME!!!!!! GIVE ME CHROME!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted November 3, 2009 Share #9 Posted November 3, 2009 My black M9 arrived yesterday. It went directly from the box into a Luigi Crescenzi halfcase, and the only other way it will go, is into a Luigi Crescenzi full case. A couple of months ago I met a black Leica II from 1932, and it was in near-mint shape. Its eveready case was not. The old man from the Age of Eveready Cases Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EarlBurrellPhoto Posted November 3, 2009 Share #10 Posted November 3, 2009 WHY there wasn't a black chrome option I can't begin to imagine. That was such a good finish. Cost-cutting, I imagine. Chromium plating (done properly, as on other Leica cameras) is a time-consuming and expensive process, black chrome plating especially so. Not to mention there seems to be some weird cargo cult that worships black-painted cameras, so perhaps Leica thinks paint is an acceptable alternative...! Aye, I suspect you're 100% right. I'm afraid we professional users with practical concerns are hopelessly outnumbered To-wit: My black M9 arrived yesterday. It went directly from the box into a Luigi Crescenzi halfcase, and the only other way it will go, is into a Luigi Crescenzi full case. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share #11 Posted November 3, 2009 Aye, I suspect you're 100% right. I'm afraid we professional users with practical concerns are hopelessly outnumbered To-wit: It used to be that aspiring photo-reporters attacked their black-paint Nikons and Leicas with sandpaper to look like seasoned veterans. I guess times have changed:rolleyes: Does a pro really care for a few scratches on his camera? That seems more like a fondler amateur thing to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsonkirk Posted November 3, 2009 Share #12 Posted November 3, 2009 Why worry? Aren't Leicas are like Velveteen Rabbits: the more wear they show, the more love (and photos) they're absorbed? My M4 wasn't even broken in until some brass showed through. Kirk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted November 3, 2009 Share #13 Posted November 3, 2009 For $7000 USD, I think real silver chrome like I have on my M6 would be ideal... Bought a car lately? A person I work with has a new Highlander and had to pay $80 each for the roof struts that let you put stuff on the roof rack. Carpet covers are also extra. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted November 3, 2009 Share #14 Posted November 3, 2009 Aye, I suspect you're 100% right. I'm afraid we professional users with practical concerns are hopelessly outnumbered To-wit: If Robert Capa could use an eveready case, so can I. But he was of course a softskinned amateur compared to you. The old man from the Age of Real Leather Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted November 3, 2009 Share #15 Posted November 3, 2009 It used to be that aspiring photo-reporters attacked their black-paint Nikons and Leicas with sandpaper to look like seasoned veterans. I guess times have changed:rolleyes:Does a pro really care for a few scratches on his camera? That seems more like a fondler amateur thing to me. Any pro craftsman cares for his tools. The old man from the Age of Real Leather (my Grampa was a blacksaddler) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted November 3, 2009 Share #16 Posted November 3, 2009 For $7000 USD, I think real silver chrome like I have on my M6 would be ideal. Back in 1991, when I bought the M6, I could get black or silver chrome. My M6 still looks like the day I bought it (I paid $1,750 back then, so adding silver chrome today at $7,000 USD is not going to break Leica financially). GIVE ME CHROME!!!!!! GIVE ME CHROME!!!!!! But how much have you used your lovely M6? My chrome M8, after 3 years use, only had one scratch on the top plate . . . .but it was worn smooth at the corners and edges right through the chrome, it looked fine, but certainly not new. My black chrome M8 had no scratches on it . . but it wasn't black any longer! It was a nice shade of grey. The black paint on the M9 is not scratched either, but the brass is showing through on the corners by the cutaway, and in the middle at the front, this is bound to grow. It is still black though It seems to me that if you use a camera, then it's inevitably going to look used. I really don't think there is any way around it. I don't know whether Leica were cost cutting, or simply ringing the changes, but I think each finish has it's compensations (and down sides too). as for the luigi case . . . it makes the camera too fat, simple as that (for me anyway) I do like his neck and wrist straps though. My idea of TLC is not to wear jackets with metal zips, and not to bung cameras in bags with loose lenses, it's not too hard to avoid scratching it, but when I'm shooting I usually have it in my hand - often for hours on end, and it's impossible to avoid rubbing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted November 3, 2009 Share #17 Posted November 3, 2009 [ ... ] as for the luigi case . . . it makes the camera too fat, simple as that (for me anyway) I do like his neck and wrist straps though. My idea of TLC is not to wear jackets with metal zips, and not to bung cameras in bags with loose lenses, it's not too hard to avoid scratching it, but when I'm shooting I usually have it in my hand - often for hours on end, and it's impossible to avoid rubbing. I wear 8 1/2 size gloves, and while the M9 or M8 do not really need to get any fatter, I have no problems with the cases. They have no handle in front, just the slight swelling. I do often wear my cameras by their straps, and the ease of mind that the cases provide is a blessing, when you have other things to mind besides your camera. Like clambering up a mountain, for instance. The Blacksaddler's Grandson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted November 3, 2009 Share #18 Posted November 3, 2009 I wear 8 1/2 size gloves, and while the M9 or M8 do not really need to get any fatter, I have no problems with the cases. They have no handle in front, just the slight swelling. I do often wear my cameras by their straps, and the ease of mind that the cases provide is a blessing, when you have other things to mind besides your camera. Like clambering up a mountain, for instance. But if it's only a half case, it's always going to be the lens that gets bashed first! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted November 3, 2009 Share #19 Posted November 3, 2009 But if it's only a half case, it's always going to be the lens that gets bashed first! .......... unless some thief fancies a Luigi 1/2 case; then it will be Lars that gets bashed first! (sorry Lars, couldn't resist ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlancasterd Posted November 3, 2009 Share #20 Posted November 3, 2009 WHY there wasn't a black chrome option I can't begin to imagine. That was such a good finish. I have to disagree quite emphatically - the black chrome finish I had on an M6 in the mid-1990s wore very quickly despite the camera getting only very light use. Moreover the black chrome was applied over a zinc alloy which showed through as a dull mid-grey on worn edges and looked awful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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