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Black R9...is it paint or chrome?


thebarnman

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My anthracite R9 isn't a paint or a plating, it's some sort of thin ceramic coating (which is actually a bit brittle - I've got the odd very very small chip) presumably because magnesium won't take chrome. I suspect that the black variant might also be a black thin ceramic, but I don't know for certain. My friend has a black R9, and, purely from the appearance point of view, to me it looks more similar to a matt black chrome than to a black paint. Perhaps the best thing would be to have a look at one and see for yourself. Sorry not to be able to be more helpful!

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Hi, I doubled checked it.  To be a little bit more clear, the brochure says "Anthracite finish : 10 090, Black finish : 10 091, but it does not say what kind of black finish unless it means a Anthracite Black Finish. 

 

 

Anthracite "coal of a hard variety that contains relatively pure carbon and burns with little flame and smoke."

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I  can't  help  with  your   question  however this  has  raised a question of  mine  . If  the  camera   is  black   chrome   does  that  mean the  metal is  black  throughout  ,  so  if  you  scratched  it  you  would  still  see   black  ? 

 

I  have heard  the  terms  and  not   been  to  sure  , also   I  have  a  black   Leicaflex   which is a bit   worn  and  in  places  there   is   silver  or  brass   under  the  black . I assume  this  means  it is  black paint. 

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No, chrome is a layer. Black chrome has a layer of nickel underneath so it will scratch through and in Leica land applied to brass..

AFAIK the R9 has an anodized Aluminium top.

 

Jaap, the brochure for the R9 definitely says that the top is die cast magnesium, which perhaps is why the finish is a bit of an exotic coating.

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That's interesting. 

 

"Magnesium: the chemical element of atomic number 12, a silver-white metal of the alkaline earth series. It is used to make strong lightweight alloys, especially for the aerospace industry, and is also used in flashbulbs and pyrotechnics because it burns with a brilliant white flame."

 

 

Sounds very strong!  Mine by the way is still in like new shape.  I wouldn't know if a different color shows through if and when it gets worn. 

 

So the answer is "No."  My black R9 is not black chrome, nor is it black paint; it's "die cast magnesium." 

 

So I can only imagine the closer match on the M7 would be the black chrome (not the black paint) when comparing it to the black R9. 

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