Jump to content

M-4 2 Green Olive..?


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have seen this Camera on Ebay a few times..when trying to research it I am coming up with questionable answers on this Modle in general that lead to a question as to its authenticity. I was hoping for some feedback from the forum...

 

Leica M4 2 Olive Green Safari with 35mm Sumicron | eBay

 

Thanks in advance..

 

Jeff

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the general consensus is that 31 M4 bodies were officially painted green by Leica as the "Bundeswehr" model. The other is the Safari M4-2 prototype. But according to Tom Abrahamsson, Leica Midland used to paint Canada bodies any color a consumer might ask for and that there were some green ones produced (not 'officially.')

 

These are the only official versions that I'm aware of:

Leitz: M4 (olive-green) Price Guide: estimate a camera value

 

Leitz: M4-2 ’Safari’ Prototype Price Guide: estimate a camera value

 

The serial number is clearly visible in one of the eBay auction photos. Have you spoken with the seller? There seems to be no provenance attached to the camera and no returns, etc.. I'm assuming you're collecting; I'd be wary without paperwork or more information from the seller. The seller's description is not very specific at all and they only say it's "green paint." Of course, any Leica can be painted green.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

It looks like a new paint job to me.

 

Look at the photo of the rear door and zoom in with the magnifying glass on the right hand vertical edge. As we know the rear doors often get chipped and it is one of the harder parts of a Leica to strip and re-paint. But on the right hand edge is an old chip that has been painted over in the green paint. And I think you can also see uneven paint build up on the vulcanite around the rear dial where it has been masked.

 

The lens looks fishy as well. If all is original the condition of the lens hood doesn't match the rest of the camera, the rear flange is a funny colour, and you can see a small dent in the barrel of the lens but with no mark in the paint, so again it makes me think it is painted over previous damage.

 

Steve

Edited by 250swb
Link to post
Share on other sites

There seems to be no provenance attached to the camera and no returns, etc..

 

It is interesting to note that for all the other items in his list he accepts returns. Perhaps he knows more than he's letting on.

 

Susie

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks all for your feedback as much as I would love to have one of these editions...(to the point of lying to myself about the little or large discrepancies) best I come here for a dose of reality.

 

again thanks!

 

Jeff

 

Some original special editions are indeed fine.. and is better to look at M6 if one likes to have one : Leica did many specials from M6, and they aren't uncommon nor indecently priced, at the right dealers' ... for instance, the M6 millenium is imho really appealing... (there is a thread about in the historical section in these days)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Some original special editions are indeed fine.. and is better to look at M6 if one likes to have one : Leica did many specials from M6, and they aren't uncommon nor indecently priced, at the right dealers' ... for instance, the M6 millenium is imho really appealing... (there is a thread about in the historical section in these days)

 

Ironically I just bought an M6 "safari" or Green M6 LNIB from Hong Kong for well less than Half of what the seller is asking for the questionable M4 listed on ebay...I tend to agree Luigi the Green M6 is nice on the eyes

Link to post
Share on other sites

That is a nice version of the TTL, though it really isn't one of the Millennium cameras which is limited to the 2000 black paints that Leica issued (and incidentally the official name is "Leica M6TTL Black Paint"; the Millennium moniker has come about since one of the reasons why Leica issued this model was to celebrate the new millennium - the other reason was that it was 75 years since the Leipzig fair).

 

It's not entirely correct to say, however as is implied on Cameraquest, that these "Millennium" TTLs generally suffer from poor paint jobs and that machining marks would be visible through the paint. I've seen that mentioned elsewhere too. In a thread over at RFF last year Tom Abrahamsson mentioned that Leica did have trouble initially to get the paint right. They must have succeeded towards the end of the "Millennium" series. Mine, a later serial number, has flawlessly applied paint. It is true, though, that it is a very different finish from the original black paint Ms and the Barnacks.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...