andybarton Posted February 3, 2012 Share #21 Posted February 3, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) "Vulcanite" has been an imitation for years. I bet most people would prefer a little bit of real leather as a covering in lieu of some rubbish plastic covering, for the same price. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 Hi andybarton, Take a look here Vulcanite being discontinued. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
StephenPatterson Posted February 3, 2012 Share #22 Posted February 3, 2012 Andy, I really don't mind the psudo-vulcanite-vinyl covering that is on my M9-P. It looks and wears well, i.e. does not shrink/expand in heat, cold, wet, dry environments. While leather might have a better feel I'm not sure it would last as long. Leica made a big deal of the change from the grey paint M9's "sandpaper" covering when they introduced the M9-P. To take it away now is just sloppy manufacturing practices. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted February 3, 2012 Share #23 Posted February 3, 2012 True (right) and false (left) vulcanite. No leather in either. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/171914-vulcanite-being-discontinued/?do=findComment&comment=1917256'>More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 4, 2012 Share #24 Posted February 4, 2012 The rare copper telluride mineral presumably is from the planet Vulcan (where mr. Spock lives) ... Stephen, I don't know how to break the news to you but ... ... Spock's dead! Pete. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 4, 2012 Share #25 Posted February 4, 2012 so will early m9-p's now be worth more to collectors due to having pseudo Vulcanite pants on? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StS Posted February 4, 2012 Share #26 Posted February 4, 2012 That's a shocker. Stefan Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted February 4, 2012 Share #27 Posted February 4, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Stephen,I don't know how to break the news to you but ... ... Spock's dead! Pete. What a bad start to my day:( 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted February 4, 2012 Share #28 Posted February 4, 2012 "Vulcanite" has been an imitation for years. I bet most people would prefer a little bit of real leather as a covering in lieu of some rubbish plastic covering, for the same price. Not me. I don't particularly like the leather covering I've seen on Leica bodies - a bit too smooth, too thick and the fitting is often just a little sloppy. The standard covering found on the M6 and M7 is just perfect IMO but the faux vulcanite offered until now is fine too. The MP/M8 'bath mat' covering is more an acquired taste but I don't mind it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted February 4, 2012 Share #29 Posted February 4, 2012 ...the faux vulcanite offered until now is fine too... +1. It offers a better grip than the true one as well as the (snake?) leather of my M6J. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted February 4, 2012 Share #30 Posted February 4, 2012 The only leatherette I don't really care for is the "sharkskin" stuff from the MP and early M8. Too slick, IMO. I like the rougher "vulcanite" of the (black) M9s, M9-P, M8.2, etc. The M7 had a different texture but was similar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted February 4, 2012 Share #31 Posted February 4, 2012 The new stuff looks more like M6-M7 covering. It's just a slightly different embossing pattern. Evidently Leica's supplier of the Vulcanite pattern material either discontinued it or decided to raise their prices and Leica sourced it elsewhere and the new supplier wouldn't do the Vulcanite pattern at the price Leica was willing to pay. Perhaps in the future Leica will find a new source of the Vulcanite pattern and offer it as a $1000 upgrade, like they did when they deleted the sapphire LCD from the M9 and then re-offered it as an upgrade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted February 4, 2012 Share #32 Posted February 4, 2012 I'm pretty sure the M9 never had a sapphire screen in the first place. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 4, 2012 Share #33 Posted February 4, 2012 of course that's correct but perhaps he meant 'deleted it'- as in- didn't carry it through from the last model- the M8.2... just giving the benefit of the doubt is all... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roydonian Posted February 4, 2012 Share #34 Posted February 4, 2012 That is just the stupidest thing I have ever heard. The Vulcanite material is "No longer available"???...It sounds as if Leica could use some improvement in their global sourcing department. Exactly - the vulcanite-style covering is not made from some exotic material from Spock's home planet. I find it hard to believe that there is not a single factory anywhere in the world that is both able and willing to make something similar. It's more likely that Solms could not be bothered to find a proper replacement material. When the original-style vulcanite on my 9cm Elmarit crumbled, Leica told me that it could not replace this, but would have to use a black leather-style material. Luckily I was able to find a craftsman who was able to provide the right material and do an superb repair. But as Solms' original decision not to offer the M9 in silver chrome demonstrated, they are not really interested in meeting the requirements of the traditionally-minded customer. It will be interesting to see if the change of covering will have any effect of future sales of the silver M9-P... Best regards, Doug . 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share #35 Posted February 4, 2012 of course that's correct but perhaps he meant 'deleted it'- as in- didn't carry it through from the last model- the M8.2... just giving the benefit of the doubt is all... Exactly...I'm sure he meant to say 'omitted' rather than 'deleted.' On a related note, I think the decision to change the 2m frame lines from the M8.2 was a more significant issue. But, that's another discussion. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rramesh Posted February 5, 2012 Share #36 Posted February 5, 2012 It's only to be expected that Vulcanite is no longer available with the destruction of planet Vulcan in star date 2258 (2009 for most earthlings). 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted February 5, 2012 Share #37 Posted February 5, 2012 I'm feeling pleased that I decided to get my M3 covered with vulcanite now (assuming it still happens). In terms of the 1,000 EUro charge referred to above, the a la carte costs are nowhere near that, and the vulcanite itself for my M3 cost 10 Euros, if I'm reading the statement right. The labour to fit it is another story altogether - fitting vulcanite to a new camera should not incur any additional charge, as they will fit something, and presumably it's no harder to fit than leather or any other covering (?). Cheers John Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjh Posted February 5, 2012 Share #38 Posted February 5, 2012 It's only to be expected that Vulcanite is no longer available with the destruction of planet Vulcan in star date 2258 (2009 for most earthlings). But that happened in an alternate timeline and may not affect us (depending on which timeline we suppose we are in). 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted February 5, 2012 Share #39 Posted February 5, 2012 of course that's correct but perhaps he meant 'deleted it'- as in- didn't carry it through from the last model- the M8.2... just giving the benefit of the doubt is all... Yes, that's what I meant. Backpedaled or rescinded were words I was going to use but I thought it might sound like I was complaining Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
engelfangen Posted February 8, 2012 Share #40 Posted February 8, 2012 The rare copper telluride mineral presumably is from the planet Vulcan (where mr. Spock lives) so it is the latter not the former.. Ok, now I understand why my early M3 has such strange ears.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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