ynp Posted January 27, 2014 Share #1 Posted January 27, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) I and some other friends want to give a colleague a silver M on his retirement. I took advice from his wife and she said that her husband wants a Leica M, bit he dislikes the clear top plate. He shoots his silver M4 with full script. Is it possible to order the M 240 with the full Leica script, the same or similar as on the MP3 or M9p? Thanks Sent from my iPad / Tapatalk HD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 27, 2014 Posted January 27, 2014 Hi ynp, Take a look here Leica full script on M 240. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Jeff S Posted January 27, 2014 Share #2 Posted January 27, 2014 Don't know if Solms will accommodate the script request, but for very little money you could at least consider replacing the red dot with a black one…on your own. Just don't show it to Solms. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
matlep Posted January 27, 2014 Share #3 Posted January 27, 2014 Almost everything is possible to do. Just ask Leica for an estimate. Email customer service at e-mail: cs(at)leica-camera.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcraf Posted January 28, 2014 Share #4 Posted January 28, 2014 Probably possible, but $$$. Off topic a bit, but I think that one of the reasons why Leica does not offer, and has never offered, an ALC programme for digital M cameras is that they are seen as more disposable than the film Ms. In other words, they are not viewed as 'companions for life'. They have built in obsolescence. The MM fits the bill closest so far ( and Leica has marketed it as such as I recall) provided that the components keep going (doubtful) and can be replaced (doubtful, q.v. coffee stain M8). No digital M will ever reach 25 years and still function IMHO, let alone 50. That, for me anyway, would be why I'd pay for an ALC MP or M7. It would never be obsolete as long as film is available, would be personal, would last 50 or more years and could be passed on to my children. Lovely. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannybuoy Posted January 28, 2014 Share #5 Posted January 28, 2014 He's hardly going to refuse the gift if it's not engraved is he now :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted January 28, 2014 Share #6 Posted January 28, 2014 I suspect the Leica script will come with the next iteration of the M, and current owners will be invited to upgrade, as with the M9 -> M9P. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynp Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted January 28, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Probably possible, but $$$. Off topic a bit, but I think that one of the reasons why Leica does not offer, and has never offered, an ALC programme for digital M cameras is that they are seen as more disposable than the film Ms. In other words, they are not viewed as 'companions for life'. They have built in obsolescence. The MM fits the bill closest so far ( and Leica has marketed it as such as I recall) provided that the components keep going (doubtful) and can be replaced (doubtful, q.v. coffee stain M8). No digital M will ever reach 25 years and still function IMHO, let alone 50. That, for me anyway, would be why I'd pay for an ALC MP or M7. It would never be obsolete as long as film is available, would be personal, would last 50 or more years and could be passed on to my children. Lovely. Cheers I certainly concur on this matter with you. And Leica MP would have been my preference as a gift. Our friend wants a digital Leica and I hope that it will serve him well, if not for 25 years. Thank you very much. I will try to contact Leica and find out what is possible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynp Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted January 28, 2014 I suspect the Leica script will come with the next iteration of the M, and current owners will be invited to upgrade, as with the M9 -> M9P. Let's hope you are right. I upgraded my M9 recently at a local dealer and I like the script on the top plate a lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbers Posted January 28, 2014 Share #9 Posted January 28, 2014 Im sure its absolutely possible. I know Thorsten Overgaard had his MM engraved on the topplate. Also, he has written about this and all the posibilities on his website. Nice gift! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmradman Posted January 28, 2014 Share #10 Posted January 28, 2014 Let's hope you are right. I upgraded my M9 recently at a local dealer and I like the script on the top plate a lot. If you can't get positive response form Leica make a gift of a current M240 and budget for engraving upgrade once it becomes available. If it doesn't happen your colleague will still be happy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMJ Posted January 28, 2014 Share #11 Posted January 28, 2014 Had my M240 top plate engraved the same as an M9P in Solms last October. I already had the camera & sent it to them. Cost about 300 euros with postage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynp Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted January 28, 2014 Had my M240 top plate engraved the same as an M9P in Solms last October. I already had the camera & sent it to them. Cost about 300 euros with postage. Thank you for sharing the information. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted January 29, 2014 Share #13 Posted January 29, 2014 No digital M will ever reach 25 years and still function IMHO, let alone 50. Sorry, but this is simply a ridiculous assertion to make, especially for a high quality item such as a Leica digital M. It doesn't take much effort to find electronics more than thirty years old that are still going strong. Many general aviation aircraft operate today with radios and navigation equipment built in the 1980s. The Apple Mac just turned thirty, and while the features might not appeal I am sure that there are working examples still operating. I understand there is a robust collectors market for video games from the 80s and 90s. I guarantee that in fifty years there will still be working examples of every Leica camera model produced. The collectable value of Leica cameras has been well established over the last century, which will ensure the continued viability of every model via secondary repair facilities. I have no doubt that in 2057 you will be able to buy a "NOS" M8 on ebay. Of course the box and warranty cards will probably be replicas made in China. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted January 29, 2014 Share #14 Posted January 29, 2014 I have no doubt that in 2057 you will be able to buy a "NOS" M8 on ebay. But you won't be able to buy an LCD screen for it. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted January 29, 2014 Share #15 Posted January 29, 2014 But you won't be able to buy an LCD screen for it. Jeff Sure you will, as cosmetically damaged cameras will be turned into "hanger queens" to supply spare parts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted January 29, 2014 Share #16 Posted January 29, 2014 Now that's a business strategy. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted January 29, 2014 Share #17 Posted January 29, 2014 Now that's a business strategy. Jeff Necessity is the mother of invention. Just consider that today you can have your fifty year old M3 re-vulcanized with the original baked on finish, instead of replacing with the modern stick on overlay. Sure, it's costly and time consuming as the camera has to be completely disassembled, but I know one shop in Luton offers this service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcraf Posted January 29, 2014 Share #18 Posted January 29, 2014 Sorry, but this is simply a ridiculous assertion to make, especially for a high quality item such as a Leica digital M. It doesn't take much effort to find electronics more than thirty years old that are still going strong. Many general aviation aircraft operate today with radios and navigation equipment built in the 1980s. The Apple Mac just turned thirty, and while the features might not appeal I am sure that there are working examples still operating. I understand there is a robust collectors market for video games from the 80s and 90s. I guarantee that in fifty years there will still be working examples of every Leica camera model produced. The collectable value of Leica cameras has been well established over the last century, which will ensure the continued viability of every model via secondary repair facilities. I have no doubt that in 2057 you will be able to buy a "NOS" M8 on ebay. Of course the box and warranty cards will probably be replicas made in China. Sorry, but comparing Leica components to those in aircraft is simply a ridiculous assertion to make. I'm just glad I'm not flying next week in the airborne equivalent of a digital M. 'Let's just take the battery out and get this thing going again, shall we? Oh...is that the ground approaching?' You may be right about a few M8s being around in 35 or 50 years time. But it will only be a few. And they won't work because they use batteries. Li-ions are lifed and replacements likely won't be available in 50 years; I doubt even a niche battery maker in half a century's time will produce them for a few Ms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted January 29, 2014 Share #19 Posted January 29, 2014 Sorry, but comparing Leica components to those in aircraft is simply a ridiculous assertion to make. I'm just glad I'm not flying next week in the airborne equivalent of a digital M. 'Let's just take the battery out and get this thing going again, shall we? Oh...is that the ground approaching?' You may be right about a few M8s being around in 35 or 50 years time. But it will only be a few. And they won't work because they use batteries. Li-ions are lifed and replacements likely won't be available in 50 years; I doubt even a niche battery maker in half a century's time will produce them for a few Ms. I agree... batteries are the real problem : electronics in itself can indeed endure a lot (I have a well functional HP Desktop dated 1985...) , but a battery made in a customized packaging to fit the body can be a component that no 3rd party has interest to make when M8-M9-MM-M will be antiquites... ; but .. don't despair... after all, electrical specs are clear and simple.... Voltage & Current values are in normal ranges... and the upcoming wave of do-it-yourself manufacturing through 3D printers will probably make possible , in the next years, to make a custom packaging around some standard, highly adjustable power source... after all, we can be reasonably sure that their gross dimensions won't increase in the future. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcraf Posted January 29, 2014 Share #20 Posted January 29, 2014 I agree... batteries are the real problem : electronics in itself can indeed endure a lot (I have a well functional HP Desktop dated 1985...) , but a battery made in a customized packaging to fit the body can be a component that no 3rd party has interest to make when M8-M9-MM-M will be antiquites... ; but .. don't despair... after all, electrical specs are clear and simple.... Voltage & Current values are in normal ranges... and the upcoming wave of do-it-yourself manufacturing through 3D printers will probably make possible , in the next years, to make a custom packaging around some standard, highly adjustable power source... after all, we can be reasonably sure that their gross dimensions won't increase in the future. Luigi Don't get me wrong - I don't want to seem like a prophet of doom regarding the future of digital Ms. I'd love my MM, in particular, to keep going for many, many years to come. I have no desire to replace it; it is already way better than my photographic ability. But as you agree, batteries will be the show stopper. Let's hope your optimism regarding them is well-placed. But as I said in my post early in this thread, digital Ms are, currently at least, a very different prospect than their film predecessors which could easily be a companion for generations. Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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