Elegant tape solution for covering red dot on silver M

[lct]

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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.

 

Haha! must me the reason why i don't want an M10 then. I will reconsider if Leica appoints me as a sandwich man .

[earleygallery]

 

That's what I used to say, too. Eventually, I did cover the red dot—and never got approached and asked about my Leica by strangers again. Before, it did happen ... not very often but occasionally. Having the logo covered does make a difference.

 

My lllf doesn't have a red dot but a lot of people notice it and ask about it. 

 

My R3 does have a red dot and I've only ever had one person ask about my Leica when using it. 

 

I also have a Nikon F2, one time I was using it at a music festival someone asked about my 'old Leica'. 

 

Go figure!

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[fussgangerfoto]

Taping over logos and brand emblem is always an ugly solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

 

 

^^^^^ Pithy and a most brilliant summary of this discussion.

 

Any thief knowledgeable enough to know the value of a Leica kit is also likely to know that Leica makes plenty of bodies without a logo or that nervous owners put cover up their logos with tape.

[willeica]

My lllf doesn't have a red dot but a lot of people notice it and ask about it. 

 

My R3 does have a red dot and I've only ever had one person ask about my Leica when using it. 

 

I also have a Nikon F2, one time I was using it at a music festival someone asked about my 'old Leica'. 

 

Go figure!

 

The same here, James. When shooting with an LTM model or an early film M (not a red dot in sight) I am often asked by (generally older) people " Is that a Leica?". When using more recent models with a red dot ( its presence or absence does not bother me) I have never been told by anyone " I recognise that Leica from its red dot".

 

In my country people talk to strangers all of the time. The way we put it is " there are no strangers, here just friends you have not met".  Lots of them could be " Leica Friends". I met one of my best friends in photography through both of us toting Leicas, me on the way out of a classic car show and him on the way in.

 

 

 

William

Edited February 11, 2017 by willeica

[Herr Barnack]

I am at a loss to understand the logo taping obsession that some M users have. 

 

Is it based on a fear that thieves are knowledgeable enough about Leica prices to target M users?  It seems to me that if thieves are that knowledgeable about M camera and lens values, they will also recognize an M camera with the logo taped over.  Once in a great while there actually may be a thief who is well versed in camera and lens values, but I am thinking that such a thief is exceedingly rare.  The general public is clueless about Leica as another thread revealed.  There was a man on a TV game show who lost $50,000 USD because he said he had never heard of Leica cameras.

 

Another possibility is that M users will be condemned by others as supposed "rich assholes" for owning an M camera and lenses.  Is that what causes people to tape over the red dot??

 

Once in a blue moon, I will have someone on the street ask about my M camera.  99.7% or so of the people I cross paths with on the street could not care less about my camera.  The 0.3% who do ask are other photographers, who have been a delight to talk with for a couple of minutes.

 

I don't think the Leica logo is ugly or too big.  If you compare it to the logo size on Nikon and Canon DSLRs, it is really pretty small compared to those.  What's ugly to my eye is squares of tape plastered on an M camera that have become ragged around the edges.

[cp995]

My IIIf is the best Camera to get into contact with others.

Never experienced something like this before ...

Edited February 11, 2017 by cp995

[wlaidlaw]

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I had an odd encounter last November with an elderly gentleman on the Brighton Sea Front. I was using my 1950's Reid and Sigrist Model III-2, with a 11819 Series V LTM Anniversary Summicron. He came up to me and in a rather military style voice said: Jolly good to see someone using a Leica. Model IIIC isn't it?" I replied: "well actually it is a British built Reid and Sigrist" His response was: "Bloody nonsense. I know a Leica when I see one" and strode off before I could show him the top plate which clearly states "Made in Leicester, Eng." Should I stick a red dot on it to keep Leicaphiles happy? 

 

Wilson

[adan]

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

 

I'd say that those who really need some therapy - are the ones gossiping about other people's personal camera decisions.

 

Some historical perspective: Back in the 60's (possibly earlier) black Leicas were not that easy to come by (e.g. total production run of the M2 was 76000 silver cameras and 5400 black, per Laney). So - IF you were a photographer who thought a blackened camera would draw less attention (see silver vs black M10 debate), whether as a street photographer, or if you were working in places where there might be nasty people shooting at you (jungles of SE Asia, Prague 1968, etc.) - covering your entire silver camera with black tape was the cheap, easy solution. One saw a fair number of these, among working photographers:

 

http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00A/00Aw9J-21589984.jpg

 

It wasn't to disguise the brand (who cared?) It was to hide the bright shiny surface. Same reason commandos blackened their faces and weapons (today it would be camo paint). Leica especially produced blackened M3s (also modified in other ways, as the M3D) for David Douglas Duncan, who specialized in going places where bullets flew.

 

Now - having a "black-taped professional" camera did then become a fashion statement, just like "aviator" sunglasses, for folks who'd never piloted a plane in their lives. Guilt by association. I recall one of those cartoon posters - from about 1980 - of what the "well-dressed" art director should wear. Which included the de rigueur "black-taped, plain-prism Nikon F." Students, who were lucky if they could find and afford a beater silver M2, taped them black to show they intended to become a famous photojournalist in dangerous, far-away places - even if they didn't have the chops yet.

 

Fast-forward a bit, and we get the M4-2, M4-P, and M6, where black becomes the norm - except for that darn shiny red circle that makes a nice aiming point right over the heart (if your camera hangs that way for rapid access). The same way some Soviet prison garb had big red circles painted on the front and back of the torso - an aid to the guards: "Aim HERE".

 

A little black - something - covers that last residual spot.

 

I started out with an early-run M4-2 - no red spot (and worn black chrome - used, 2001). I liked the fact that it looked like an industrial tool, and not a flashy consumer product. When I taped over the logo on later black cameras, it was mostly to retain that industrial feel.

 

Now - obviously - leaving a silver camera silver, but covering the logo, doesn't achieve the "low-visibility" goal. Just makes a modern Leica look a bit more like an M2 or M4 (working tool), rather than an M9 Titanium (male jewelry).

 

When it comes to sticking tape on a Leica, Nick Ut's opinion counts a lot more with me - industrial tool, remember?: https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2693/4179496170_39f582edd5.jpg

 

Or in Don McCullin's words, "I use the camera like I use a toothbrush. It does the job."

Edited February 11, 2017 by adan

[willeica]

I had an odd encounter last November with an elderly gentleman on the Brighton Sea Front. I was using my 1950's Reid and Sigrist Model III-2, with a 11819 Series V LTM Anniversary Summicron. He came up to me and in a rather military style voice said: Jolly good to see someone using a Leica. Model IIIC isn't it?" I replied: "well actually it is a British built Reid and Sigrist" His response was: "Bloody nonsense. I know a Leica when I see one" and strode off before I could show him the top plate which clearly states "Made in Leicester, Eng." Should I stick a red dot on it to keep Leicaphiles happy? 

 

Wilson

 

I have a Reid with RAF markings. Something like that would really answer the 'Major' type you met. I suspect he walked away because he knew you had him on a point. Military types don't really like losing battles.

 

I am with Adan on the 'tool' analogue. When I am using any camera, whether a Leica or any other make, I treat it as a tool. I don't believe in 'deification' of any camera brand, even though I have a substantial collection of vintage Leicas.  To me they are just 'things'. There much more important things in life. For what it is worth, I don't tape up my screwdrivers or my power drills or any of the other tools in my shed.

 

William

[earleygallery]

The same here, James. When shooting with an LTM model or an early film M (not a red dot in sight) I am often asked by (generally older) people " Is that a Leica?". When using more recent models with a red dot ( its presence or absence does not bother me) I have never been told by anyone " I recognise that Leica from its red dot".

 

In my country people talk to strangers all of the time. The way we put it is " there are no strangers, here just friends you have not met".  Lots of them could be " Leica Friends". I met one of my best friends in photography through both of us toting Leicas, me on the way out of a classic car show and him on the way in.

 

 

 

William

 

I know Dublin well William! One of the most relaxed cities in the world. 

[kaethe]

For the red dot obsessed, here is an iPhone photo of the M10 and M9 dots.

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!

[@ndy_ellis]

Looking aty that image maybe I should come off the M10 waiting list and get a new iPhone 

[hollisd]

Looking aty that image maybe I should come off the M10 waiting list and get a new iPhone 

 

Careful what you wish for. —iPhone bokeh 

[bocaburger]

It must be a sign the M10 is a perfect, faultless camera...4 pages on taping over the red dot

[dunhoy]

Ignore the bloody logo and get out more for goodness sake!

[satureyes]

I have found that taping over the dot on my Q and the script on my M-D did nothing to dissuade people from hassling me about my cameras. It simply makes them ask if the camera is a Leica. And LEICA MEN — yes, in the full Ken Rockwell sense — feel absolutely no compunction about talking to you about your camera as you're in medias race shooting pics of skate rats or pretty girls or whatever.

 

Other Leica owners are the most irritating part of the Leica ownership experience. It's pretty much as bad as having a motorcycle in terms of conjuring unwanted male conversation partners. Dot or no, with tape or without, you are in for a world of pain. The only consolation is that you will learn a lot about the ability of this or that lens's ability to make the red of an apple pop against the red of a firetruck, or what the sweetest aperture is on the 2nd-gen 'Lux 35 ASPH.

This.

[satureyes]

I doubt whether users of Canon or Nikon (or other brands) tape over the emblem. But being an M240 owner/user I do understand how prominent the red dot is, and how eye catching it is when you want to remain discrete on the street.

Actually sometimes we have to. Mainly because of sponsorship deals where we shoot.

Sports and events folk cover up branding all the time especially if it's a televised event so the camera manufacturers don't get free advertising.

 

The stupid thing is that it's so damn obvious. They cover the writing on the shoulder straps too but it's so obviously canikon

[digitalfx]

Actually sometimes we have to. Mainly because of sponsorship deals where we shoot.

Sports and events folk cover up branding all the time especially if it's a televised event so the camera manufacturers don't get free advertising.

 

The stupid thing is that it's so damn obvious. They cover the writing on the shoulder straps too but it's so obviously canikon

 

 

yea, that Leica logo is as big as Dallas...I can see how that would be a huge problem when an event is televised

[satureyes]

yea, that Leica logo is as big as Dallas...I can see how that would be a huge problem when an event is televised

Perhaps not to you but with sponsors, PR and marketing people it's very important.

 

Even in the bars at events they have to tape over the soda fountain logos. Happened during the London 2012 Olympics. Venues were selling Pepsi but they had to cover the logo on the taps because Coke were a partner.

Edited February 16, 2017 by satureyes

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[digitalfx]

Perhaps not to you but with sponsors, PR and marketing people it's very important.

 

Even in the bars at events they have to tape over the soda fountain logos. Happened during the London 2012 Olympics. Venues were selling Pepsi but they had to cover the logo on the taps because Coke were a partner.

 

 

I was being facetious....I have a team thats sole job is to cover logos,

But honestly...we don't bother with tiny logos that cant possibly be visible unless they are going to be included in closeups.