Black or silver – and does it matter

[AndrewDD]

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I prefer black, silver looks classic, but I find black slightly more discrete/less retro looking.

I also believe silver lens on black body looks better than black lens on silver body whatever, first world problems.

 

I was going to say the exact opposite - a black lens on a silver body looks better than a silver lens on a black body

[Agent M10]

Is this silver the same silver as the M9-P?  

Edited January 26, 2017 by pcsmythe

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[Guest]

I've never bought a new M before – in fact I've never bought a new camera before – so I've always had to make my purchases based on what was available and the best value for money at the time.

 

Now for the first time I'm thinking of buying a new M10 (unless I find one on eBay) and so for the first time I have to make a choice based on colour.

 

I'm stumped.

 

For my part I always choose Black, sub-consciously I feel it attracts attention less, however you still have the red Leica logo......... I don't like anything but black. What you choose then is your personal preference and as far I care has no effect on your photography.

[digitalfx]

I bought my first black body M in 1981 (the M4P)...since then they have all been black. 

#boring

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Edited January 26, 2017 by digitalfx

[skucera]

I wonder how long it will be until other colors are offered... space gray, shiny brass, olive drab..?.

 

Scott

[Guest]

I bought my first black body M in 1981 (the M4P)...since then they have all been black. 

#boring

 

Boring yes, but elegant to my eyes.

[JonPB]

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If anyone has both a black M10 and a black MM1, I'd be interested to learn if they appear as the same finish. (I know they're both "black chrome," but I figure nuances can change over the years.) My black MM1 is more of a dark gray than the black I'm seeing in M10 product photos. If that's the result of the finish aging, I'd be happy to take a few shots of my camera to show off what a black M10 might look like in a few years.

 

Cheers,

Jon

[derleicaman]

Here is my Monochrom I. The plain Jane, stealth look of the 'normal' MM did not appeal to me. I asked Wetzlar to do the camera for me in chrome with the classic Leica script on the top plate, and they graciously did so. My M9-P is black. I have been struggling with which way to go on the M10. Yes, the black is stealthy and I have a Leica black dot ready to go whichever way I decide to go. Decisions, decisions. If I can get the classic Leica script on a chrome one, I'd be as happy as a clam!

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[adan]

See, that's why I picked silver for my M10 - just in case I run across a nice 1960s silver 50 Summilux (often much cheaper than the ASPH). MMMmmm!

[coup de foudre]

See, that's why I picked silver for my M10 - just in case I run across a nice 1960s silver 50 Summilux (often much cheaper than the ASPH). MMMmmm!

 

I've got one of those and MMMmmm, indeed! Get an early v.2 with knurled styling -- slightly better optics but drop dead gorgeous!

[derleicaman]

I've got one of those and MMMmmm, indeed! Get an early v.2 with knurled styling -- slightly better optics but drop dead gorgeous!

The original 50 Lux on my MM1 was the design goal when I specced the lens for the LHSA MP3 special. That turned out to be a real winner.

 

Stay tuned, we will be doing something very tasty lens wise for the LHSA 50th Anniversary this year!

[coup de foudre]

The original 50 Lux on my MM1 was the design goal when I specced the lens for the LHSA MP3 special. That turned out to be a real winner.

 

Stay tuned, we will be doing something very tasty lens wise for the LHSA 50th Anniversary this year!

 

Beautiful design! It was one I lusted for but looked too late and it was nowhere to be found. You have me intrigued now... Thank you!

 

The one I was talking about was an older pre-asph (1962) -- it's an E43 as well and has lovely crazy bokeh (sometimes one or the other). It's only failing, imo, is the 1m close-focusing.

[Stonewall Brigade]

So I'm the only here using a 24K gold Kingdom of Brunei commemorative M?

[apertur]

I like black chrome (246) but it is prone to catch fingerprints etc. would silver be easier?

[Peter H]

The nice man at the shop I buy most of camera stuff from (now that the word "dealer" is out of favour) told me yesterday that the big majority of orders for the M10 that he has received, and they are encouragingly many, have been for the black version and if I want one quickly I'll find it easier if I'm happy to accept a silver one.

[scott kirkpatrick]

I've heard the same.  When the first two M10s reached my shop, the silver one went to #12 on the list.  The others were waiting for a black one.  I'm further down and immediately expressed an open mind on this issue.

 

scott

[Herr Barnack]

In my view, black vs. chrome is all about personal taste.  Black is more discreet, but chrome has a bit of an old world charm in the way of a look back to the early days of the M camera and the chrome M3.

 

True, a black M will absorb heat more than a silver M in environments where the sun is very intense; that's why Domke and Billingham (and others) make light desert tan colored bags.  When traveling in intense heat and sunlight, keep your M in the tan bag with the flap unhitched till you are ready to shoot then pop it out. Heat issue (mostly) solved.

 

Chrome is said to be a more durable finish than black paint, but the trade-off is that you won't get much brassing as a result, if you like brassing.

 

Color wise, black lenses on a chrome body look fine to me as the camera is clad in black vulcanite/leather/whatever.  The only color combination that looks awkward to me is a chrome lens on an all black body. 

 

Ernst Haas once said, “The camera doesn’t make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE.”  I expect that he would not lose sleep over whether his camera was black or chrome.  Cartier-Bresson's work was certainly not held back by the fact that his cameras were chrome.

Edited January 27, 2017 by Carlos Danger

[JamesBarry]

I bought my first black body M in 1981 (the M4P)...since then they have all been black. 

#boring

 

Love the Fogg..!

[EdwardM]

Difficult choice  

 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jdlaing]

Silver Chrome is refined. Gentlemanly.