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Had a silver M10 before and went for a silver M11.

However,  it took me 20 minutes to decide between the black and the silver. 🙂 I really prefer the weight of the black one and also that it probably draws less attention. However, the black demo model already showed slight wear at the hot shoe edges and some very faint shiny 'scratches' I was not able to wipe away.

A funny advantage of the silver models which no-one mentioned so far: In portrait sessions it acts like a small silver reflector and you can often use this reflection in the eyes of the model to exactly focus at her eyes. 😀

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Having done a little shooting with the 10-R today for the first time in months, I'm glad I went with the black body.  First thing I said to myself was 'dang... this thing is really heavy.'  The M11 feels just as solid, but noticeably lighter. 

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Bought a silver M11 a few months ago directly from Leica because all my Ms since the M9 have been silver…and it was available (not in that order😉).  It’s lovely.  But that new matte black body with its 20% weight reduction called me like a siren in the night. So I just bought a black M11, too.  Surely I will eventually sell the least favorite body. That is, if one emerges. 😏

 

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On 5/29/2022 at 6:44 PM, hdmesa said:

I’m glad I ended up with the black since it’s sunny 310 days of the year here in NM, USA. The other day I was out shooting with my silver CV 75 1.5 and nearly blinded myself with a direct reflection of the sun off the lens barrel. I blurted out, “Bloody hell!!” in a British accent and then couldn’t stop laughing at myself.

OTOH, black objects heat up like crazy in the sun!

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Now that I’ve spent time with both the black and silver M11 models my choice would be black for the following two reasons.

1.  Unquestionably, the silver makes a lovely object to look at.  It’s the classic iconic image of a rangefinder camera.  But it might be just a bit too precious. Although my Ms have been silver since the M240 they’ve also not been used as workhorses the way my M8 and M9 were, both black.  A black rangefinder just begs to be carried and used all the time.  A silver rangefinder begs to be polished.  This is especially true for the new tactile matte finish n the black M11.  It’s truly wonderful.  Soft but rugged.  Hard to put down.  Ready to rock.  It’s a tool, not a trophy.

2.  The black model’s significantly lighter heft is…well, significant!  No, nobody’s getting shoulder surgery from carrying a silver M11, but the black model’s lightness delightfully reinforces the black model’s gestalt as a tool.  It’s a real throwback to the earliest digital Ms and even to my (black) M7.

So after having one of each for a while that’s my opinion.  Your impression may be different.

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Never polished my cameras in 30+ years but my silver M6J, M8.2 and M240 look still new and my old M3 looks younger than my black, now greyish M4-2 i must say. Not that i cherish my gear but i don't like scratches so i would never buy a black paint body if i can avoid it. I have no experience with the special black paint of the M11 though admittedly :cool:.

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31 minutes ago, jdlaing said:

M4

The M4 was sold in two versions silver (10400) and black (10402). The silver was the regular one if memory serves. Was my first M body in 1971.

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1 hour ago, lct said:

The regular M3 was silver (10150) and was sold as special model in black finish (10309) on special order only AFAIK.

I believe Shwarz is black in German. There looks to have been more than one.

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2 hours ago, lct said:

The M4 was sold in two versions silver (10400) and black (10402). The silver was the regular one if memory serves. Was my first M body in 1971.

Pico, a departed member, had two black paint M4’s.

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1 hour ago, jdlaing said:

I believe Shwarz is black in German. There looks to have been more than one.

As i mentioned above, the black M3 was a special model. I will retrieve the relevant Leitz catalog if you wish. 

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Excerpt from the Leitz catalog of May 1964:

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