Elegant tape solution for covering red dot on silver M

[otto.f]

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I don't know about you hollisd but I use my M typically for travel and street and mostly in countries where people hardly have heard of the idea Leica at all and may wonder why you are having so much trouble with not taking pictures with your phone. This is such a special brand that people who do know, will recognize your camera in an instant and fall over your tape and ask you why you did harm to the esthetics of this wonderfull camera, 'I'm a Leica guy myself you know... '.

Most comments are however in the sphere of: what a nice old camera you've got there, is that for film? Do you develop yourself?

[edw]

I welcome folks who want to chat about cameras on the street. I just ask them to hang out a few minutes and let me finish what I'm doing before we talk, if I'm in the middle of shooting something. It's never been a problem, and I've met a number of good folks that way. 

 

On Monday I dealt with a guy who started talking to me on the subway car, followed me out of the station at my stop, and wanted to come with me to Gourmet Garage.

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[ramarren]

On Monday I dealt with a guy who started talking to me on the subway car, followed me out of the station at my stop, and wanted to come with me to Gourmet Garage.

 

 

You close the conversation and walk away. I've had to do that once in a while. It's not hard. 

[jmahto]

Tell me how to do this with the M240 and i'll vote for you

There is whole thread for M240.

 

In this thread there is a reference to another thread where the technique of using thumb pressure is described. Watching TV is optional.

[edw]

You close the conversation and walk away. I've had to do that once in a while. It's not hard. 

 

If only I had known before; thank you!

[lct]

There is whole thread for M240.

In this thread there is a reference to another thread where the technique of using thumb pressure is described. Watching TV is optional.

 

Yes been there thanks and that's what i did for my M8.2 but what about the M240? Are there silver dots available for it? Just curious.

[jmahto]

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Yes been there thanks and that's what i did for my M8.2 but what about the M240? Are there silver dots available for it? Just curious.

I don't think so. Just paint it yourself. 

[lct]

My painting skills are laughable i'm afraid... Thanks for sharing anyway.

[mikemgb]

Does anyone know where I can buy a red dot for my M2 to cover with tape?

[Stonewall Brigade]

I'm the opposite.  I'd wear one of those nice Leica tee shirts.  I don't see the value of hiding the Leica tag verses having an expensive Sony 7, Fuji X-Pro2 graphite, etc.  Not more afraid of a thief just because I have a Leica.  I'm much more afraid of dropping my Leica.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Stonewall Brigade

[Jeff S]

  Not more afraid of a thief just because I have a Leica.  I'm much more afraid of dropping my Leica.

 

That's what insurance is for....everything not covered by the warranty.

 

Jeff

[cookedart]

 

I go the more extreme route and strip the red paint off the leica dot. It's silver underneath. Done this to both an M240 and an m6TTl pictured here. I buy spare red dots in case I want to sell the original or return it back to normal. (It's just a sticker, after all)

 

More neutral picture:

Edited February 9, 2017 by cookedart

[Guest )-(]

^ That looks good. What do you use to remove the red paint?

[adan]

Only had one silver M with a red dot previously (M8) - I used silver duct tape, cut down to a circle just larger than the dot, rather than square. Can't say it was elegant - but from more than 3 feet away it did look more like an M2/M4.

 

BTW - cookedart, I like the little stick-on transparent nubby on your front control button.

Edited February 10, 2017 by adan

[cookedart]

^ That looks good. What do you use to remove the red paint?

I believe it was acetone. Most paint thinner will do, I'm sure, since it's metal underneath. I made sure to protect the area around the dot (with tape) in case it would affect the chrome but found it wasn't actually necessary. You can of course remove the dot and reapply (some have said you can just dip the entire dot in acetone overnight and it will loosen the paint) but I would rather keep the original adhesive on the dot if at all possible. I believe I used QTips and toothpicks mostly. It does take some time to do, however.

 

BTW - cookedart, I like the little stick-on transparent nubby on your front control button.

Yes I got a bunch of them off of ebay, they were tiny furniture stick on rubber bumpers. I haven't had to reorder in the 4 years since I got the m240 since it came in a pack of 20 or so, but can look up what the manufacturer was if you're interested. It feels better on the m240 than the m10, but I think overall its still better than the raw button which is too hard to find by feel in my opinion. One thing I should mention is the adhesive eventually gets yellow so I replace it every few months.

Edited February 10, 2017 by cookedart

[digitalfx]

I expect that DAG (Don Goldberg) will produce black dots to fit the M10, as he has for prior digital Ms.  

 

edit....I just checked in with him and he thinks the M8/M9 dots may be the same size (the M240 dot was bigger), but he hasn't had an M10 on hand to compare.  Does anyone know if the size is the same?

 

Jeff

 

 

 

I don't think he makes these...but one I bought from him several years ago fit fine. It was probably the M240, as that would have been the last time I ordered and I bought several at the same time.

[Jeff S]

I don't think he makes these...but one I bought from him several years ago fit fine. It was probably the M240, as that would have been the last time I ordered and I bought several at the same time.

 

I believe he paints them himself (using the originals), but I might be wrong.  I had a discussion with him years ago, but forget the details.  I'll ask him again if I order another dot for my M10.

 

Jeff

Edited February 11, 2017 by Jeff S

[wlaidlaw]

 

 

BTW - cookedart, I like the little stick-on transparent nubby on your front control button.

 

3M make them in all sorts of sizes and colours, including transparent. They are called "Bumpons" I use them all the time, as I have very arthritic fingers and am missing the tip of my right index finger. Particularly useful for the front button on the M and the SL. I also use one on the shutter button on the SL, as I don't have a lot of sensation on the remaining tip of my right index finger, the Bumpon gives me an immediate reference point that the finger tip is in the correct place to release the shutter. 

 

Wilson

 

PS Sorry about the poor quality photo. This is using wifi from my C112, as the USB-C dongle to read from the SD card is in the wrong place and of course my new MBP does not have an SD card slot - Thanks a lot Apple - a really useful alteration! I bet they failed to talk to any customers before they made that decision. 

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[ShaunD]

I don't really get this covering the small red dot thing maybe this is some form of reverse snobbery and I can't believe that a bit of sticky tape on the tiny logo makes you that much more inconspicuous, if I am taking street photos with a 35mm lens I am pretty close to my subject already.

 

Maybe the tape could draw attention to you in its own right.....has anyone had someone ask them "what's all that ugly tape stuck on your camera for?"

 

If its about deterring people from talking to you about your camera does this avoidance of conversation stop there or do you stick gaffer tape all over other items such as the 3 pointed star on your Mercedes etc. so admirers can't recognise it?

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[willeica]

I agree with Shaun. The question is 'why'? People who stick tape over red dots don't need an M10. They need therapy of some kind.

 

William