TomB_tx Posted August 10, 2016 Share #41 Â Posted August 10, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Leica has used silver colored aluminum in some "brass" lenses back to the 1950s. My rigid Summicron from about 1960 has a plated brass outer barrel and aperture ring on the optical head, but the inner barrel of the head that threads into the focusing mount is clearly aluminum. The outer rings of the focusing mount (fluted barrel and locking section) are clearly aluminum, which is obvious by weight and "ring" sound on disassembly. The focus mount inner parts and helicoids are brass. This model is the classic "chrome" Summicron. (I believe the aluminum parts were phased in during the production years.) For years it was also know that the best lenses had focus helicoids where one threaded part was brass and the other was aluminum, which was claimed to provide smoother action. I'd say stop worrying about it. Go for whichever fits your aesthetic sense, and leave the materials choice to those good German engineers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 10, 2016 Posted August 10, 2016 Hi TomB_tx, Take a look here Anodised silver replacing chromed brass. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Michael Geschlecht Posted August 11, 2016 Share #42  Posted August 11, 2016 Hello Benleaman,  Welcome to the Forum.  330 grams  in brass.  255 grams in aluminium.  You can find this information & more about this & other lenses in the WIKI at the top of this page.  Sometimes it takes a while to find your way around here.  But, this is the right place to ask questions if you can't find it.  Best Regards,  Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted August 11, 2016 Share #43 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Hello Eveyrbody, Â The use of dissimilar metals in adjoining contacting surfaces as a method of constructing mechanical devices is something that goes back a long time. Â Clockmakers began making clockworks all out of iron many hundreds of years ago. They found that moving parts made of the same metal contacting other moving parts made of the same metal led to rapid wear. Clockmakers later found that alternating metals, such as having a brass wheel contacting a steel pinion, ran better & wore less. Â Alternating dissimilar metals have been a preferred choice in many circumstances in many fields since then. Â Best Regards, Â Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
benleaman Posted August 11, 2016 Share #44 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Hello Benleaman, Â Welcome to the Forum. Â 330 grams in brass. Â 255 grams in aluminium. Â You can find this information & more about this & other lenses in the WIKI at the top of this page. Â Sometimes it takes a while to find your way around here. Â But, this is the right place to ask questions if you can't find it. Â Best Regards, Â Michael Wow thanks Michael!!! All of that was extremely helpful. I'm off to check out the wiki and tomorrow morning (US) I'll weigh the "Cron" on my postal scale. Â I did find the box for my lens this evening and it would appear it is model 11882. Internetz leads me to believe it is brass/chrome. I'll see what the scale says just for curiousity's sake. Â Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted August 11, 2016 Share #45 Â Posted August 11, 2016 My engineer friends don't understand why I prefer 10,000$ Rolex to 5.99$ digital watches. They keep on telling me that the digital watches are so much more accurate. Â They are right though, I could save 9,993.01$. You do mean 9,994.01 and not 9,993.01 Â Maybe accuracy is something for you to look into [emoji317] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 11, 2016 Share #46  Posted August 11, 2016 Hello Ralphh,  It's probably better to eat on high quality, properly glazed, porcealin.  There are many types of brass that are used in manufacturing things.  250 years ago a tallcase clock in a person's home might use 6 or more different types of brass of different compositions, treated differently during their (Not the clock's) manufacture. The different types of brass do different things different ways in different part of the clockworks.  The same with the iron & steel in the same clockworks.  Just like the Windsor Chair in the same room which might have a back made of ash, spindles made of maple & a seat made of pine.  All the parts are wood. But different woods for different purposes.  Some parts aged wood, some parts green wood.  Best Regards,  Michael Actually porcelain glaze can be highly radioactive... Best to use modern ceramics or (for Leica S owners) a gold service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphh Posted August 11, 2016 Share #47 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Perhaps we should just not put our toys in our mouths Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted August 11, 2016 Share #48  Posted August 11, 2016 Reading this one might be tempted to ask what is the most important; the metal or the photography? Widening out the discussion somewhat; in my opinion, by far the most attractive Leicas ever made were those with black lacquer finish and nickel 'furniture' from 1925 to around 1936.  I have quite a few of these in my collection. I have been told, however, that nickel can be toxic. See http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/metal-toxicity-health-dangers-nickel/ .  Does anyone have a view about this. Would nickel plated Leica lenses be out of the question at this time?  William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardkaraa Posted August 11, 2016 Share #49 Â Posted August 11, 2016 The use of nickel is forbidden under the current European and US laws. I work in jewelry manufacturing and any products sent to Europe should not contain over 0.2% of nickel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted August 11, 2016 Share #50 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Only in jewelry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardkaraa Posted August 11, 2016 Share #51 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Only in jewelry. Anything that comes in contact with the skin, like coins, watches, keys, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted August 11, 2016 Share #52 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Chrome plating is expensive and not environmentally friendly because of waste. Â I used to buy chrome lenses, but now buy black. Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted August 11, 2016 Share #53 Â Posted August 11, 2016 One of my prettiest lenses is the Voigtlander Nickel Heliar 50 f2.0 from about 6 years ago. Looks like the rigid Summar of the 1930s. Did Voigtlander not sell these lenses in Europe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
4X5B&W Posted August 11, 2016 Share #54 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Chrome plating requires a coating of Nickel before the final chrome plated surface. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted August 11, 2016 Share #55 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Chrome plating requires a coating of Nickel before the final chrome plated surface. That depends on the substrate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted August 11, 2016 Share #56 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Anything that comes in contact with the skin, like coins, watches, keys, etc. Â And to think my racing motorcycle's frame was 100% nickle plated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardkaraa Posted August 11, 2016 Share #57 Â Posted August 11, 2016 And to think my racing motorcycle's frame was 100% nickle plated. It seems about 10% of the people are allergic to nickel via direct contact with the skin. A very high percentage but obviously not everyone is affected. I for instance am not allergic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted August 11, 2016 Share #58 Â Posted August 11, 2016 Thinking laterally, I wonder why Leica never made any limited editions with precious stones back in the day when they had a million limited edition items. A ruby instead of the red dot on the lens perhaps? Pearl dust instead of lowly white paint? Gold filling instead of yellow paint maybe? Â Â Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted August 11, 2016 Share #59  Posted August 11, 2016 Or like this? 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! 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/263078-anodised-silver-replacing-chromed-brass/?do=findComment&comment=3094752'>More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 11, 2016 Share #60 Â Posted August 11, 2016 I assume that that is the anti-allergenic special edition? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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