Safari Lens base coat

[KFo]

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I've got the Safari version M10P and the 28&50 Safari lenses.  After some use, I don't baby my equipment, I've noticed that as the green wears off the lenses, it's black underneath.  Under the black, silver maybe...

What did these safari lenses start life as; black standard lenses?

[lawman]

On 1/17/2022 at 2:27 AM, KFo said:

I've got the Safari version M10P and the 28&50 Safari lenses.  After some use, I don't baby my equipment, I've noticed that as the green wears off the lenses, it's black underneath.  Under the black, silver maybe...

What did these safari lenses start life as; black standard lenses?

KFo - as new, did your lenses match the color of the camera exactly?  I have the M10P and the 50mm cron and find that the lens is somewhat darker than the camera. Have you noticed the same black color on the camera wear points?  I haven't used my equipment enough to show any wear yet, and I keep the camera in a half case.

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[Guest]

Given that the Safari edition is made more for collectors than war photographers, I can't tell what different colors might be under the green.
Perhaps It's better to use normal lenses for wear and tear, maybe none from Leica at all.

[jakontil]

On 1/17/2022 at 5:27 PM, KFo said:

I've got the Safari version M10P and the 28&50 Safari lenses.  After some use, I don't baby my equipment, I've noticed that as the green wears off the lenses, it's black underneath.  Under the black, silver maybe...

What did these safari lenses start life as; black standard lenses?

That is a possibility since i found that safari standard lens is aluminum barrel which usually in black

[KFo]

17 hours ago, lawman said:

KFo - as new, did your lenses match the color of the camera exactly?  I have the M10P and the 50mm cron and find that the lens is somewhat darker than the camera. Have you noticed the same black color on the camera wear points?  I haven't used my equipment enough to show any wear yet, and I keep the camera in a half case.

No they don't match perfectly.  I don't know if the 50 is actually darker, but it is different.  The lenses are about the same as one another.

The camera wears the same as other Leica.  It is brassing, quite rapidly in my opinion, but it doesn't matter that much to me.  I'm sure someday my heirs will sell this at a premium due to the organic nature of the brassing.🤣

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Edited January 19, 2022 by KFo

[KFo]

14 hours ago, mnutzer said:

Given that the Safari edition is made more for collectors than war photographers, I can't tell what different colors might be under the green.
Perhaps It's better to use normal lenses for wear and tear, maybe none from Leica at all.

Not a collector here.  I'm a user.  I just thought the Safari looked interesting when I was buying in so I went that way. 

[Danner]

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Painting aluminum raises some issues.  For one, bare aluminum oxidizes almost immediately.  Therefore, a self-etching primer is needed for paint to adhere (or maybe anodizing works too, not sure on this point).  So the black you see is most likely something applied in advance of painting, to get the safari green paint to adhere to the lens.

[lawman]

11 hours ago, KFo said:

No they don't match perfectly.  I don't know if the 50 is actually darker, but it is different.  The lenses are about the same as one another.

The camera wears the same as other Leica.  It is brassing, quite rapidly in my opinion, but it doesn't matter that much to me.  I'm sure someday my heirs will sell this at a premium due to the organic nature of the brassing.🤣

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Thanks for the reply and photos - my set looks exactly the same as yours - without the brassing (yet).  I would definitely say that you are due for a new screen protector!! i don't really see any black showing thru your 50mm lens - but it looks the same shade of green as mine. I agree that the green camera look is fantastic and the brassing just confirms that it's being used 🙂