Inquiry: M7Ti long-term scratch resistance and durability?

[enboe]

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Good morning all.

 

I was just reviewing a thread and saw feedback from one owner/user that they M7 Titanium, released in 2004, was easily scratched and required refinishing after only one year.  Have others used their cameras and had similar experiences?  I am considering a purchase, but would want to use the camera semi-regularly, and want something at least as durable as silver chrome.

 

Thank you for your feedback.

Eric

[NB23]

Did he show pictures?

 

I persobally wouldn't care. Yes it shows patina, if I judge by my beautiful 35 lix pre-asph Ti, and that's a plus.

[skucera]

Looking at my hardness table, titanium is softer than aluminum, and chrome plated brass can be twice as hard as titanium.  In Rockwell hardness values, titanium is 35, 6061-T6 aluminum is 40, and chrome plating is 65-71.  I don't have values for black baked enable or "black chrome" finishes.  BTW, this matches my experience with titanium and aluminum Apple laptops... the PowerBook G4 with a titanium shell got more scuffed than my slightly newer PowerBook G4 and MacBook laptops with aluminum shells.

 

So... the lesson here is that titanium is exotic because it is expensive and hard to form, and it is very resistant to corrosion, but it doesn't wear well.  So if you buy a titanium Leica, treat it like an expensive collectible, and also get a camera made of long-wearing materials for everyday use.

 

Scott

[Matlock]

Looking at my hardness table, titanium is softer than aluminum, and chrome plated brass can be twice as hard as titanium.  In Rockwell hardness values, titanium is 35, 6061-T6 aluminum is 40, and chrome plating is 65-71.  I don't have values for black baked enable or "black chrome" finishes.  BTW, this matches my experience with titanium and aluminum Apple laptops... the PowerBook G4 with a titanium shell got more scuffed than my slightly newer PowerBook G4 and MacBook laptops with aluminum shells.

 

So... the lesson here is that titanium is exotic because it is expensive and hard to form, and it is very resistant to corrosion, but it doesn't wear well.  So if you buy a titanium Leica, treat it like an expensive collectible, and also get a camera made of long-wearing materials for everyday use.

 

Scott

 

I would agree with that. I have a Parker T1 pen, made of titanium (another one of those wonderful solutions to a problem that never existed   ). I don't think the pen had ever been used but the cap has left a mark on the body. Yes, if you get a titanium M7, keep in a cabinet. ​