Leica logo cover (Hide the red dot)

[lct]

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On 10/29/2022 at 7:26 AM, Al Brown said:

[...] But be SURE that taping over the logo is a myth and it will NOT make you any less obvious. [...]

Depends on people perhaps? For me and people around me the red dot does make a difference in that it looks like a vulgar sign of bragging rights i.e. the opposite to what a Leica camera is (was?) supposed to be. Matter of generation too i guess. For some oldies like me this ridiculous thing was an unwanted gadget on my M4-2 but i could unstick it fortunately. Since then i could avoid it on all my M cameras but the M240 and M11 hence those ugly gaffer tapes i'd prefer not to have since people ask me why i use them now . 

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[SrMi]

In my experience, people who recognize the red dot would also recognize the camera without the red dot.

[lct]

Just now, Al Brown said:

Hmmm, but Leica camera IS the red dot, it even has it in the logo…

Hehe for youngsters like you i guess . Just kidding. The red dot was new on my M4-2 in 1980 or something and even Leica did not stick to it, so to speak, in that it was easy to unstick from the vulcanite of the camera.

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[MikeMyers]

Long ago, I would put black plastic electrical tape over the huge "Nikon" on my DSLR, which was black, and nobody seemed to pay it much attention.  I doubt anyone recognized it as anything more than a larger camera.  When I got my M10, I took a small piece of black plastic electrical tape and covered up the red dot.  Maybe people realize what it is, maybe not, but the red dot was like Rudolph's big glowing nose - it just screamed LEICA.....    but maybe I'm the only one who heard it.

Unfortunately, last night, while watching yet another episode of Red Dot Forum, Josh explained that tape was not such a good idea, as it might have damaged the surface under it.  This was two or three years ago, so if anything was damaged, it's too late.  

I like to blend into the background, and not stand out.  The only people that notice my camera ask it's a film camera.  Overseas, nobody pays much attention to my cameras, one reason I like to use my Fuji X100F.  But to be honest, I'm usually using my Nikon DSLR.

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[nicci78]

Don’t be ashamed. 
Be a proud owner of a Leica. Show your red dot 🔴 ! 
Why putting ugly as hell tape or no name cover up ? 
 

Official black dots were very nice. But sadly not available anymore. 
However plain red dot is still second best. 

[MikeMyers]

12 minutes ago, nicci78 said:

Don’t be ashamed. 
Be a proud owner of a Leica. Show your red dot 🔴 ! 
Why putting ugly as hell tape or no name cover up ? 
 

To me, the pictures are what counts, not the camera.  The camera is just a tool.  I like rangefinder cameras, and there no longer is any choice, so I've got my Leica.  I'm not in any way "proud" of it, and more or less than I'm "proud" of the other tools I own and use.  It's what I can do with the tools that counts, not the tool.  But that's just me.  I've also got an M8.2, but my M10 can do things the M8.2 struggles at.  Many of my lenses are Voigtlander.  I buy what I can afford, and usually buy used.

If I did want to show off, my camera would be silver, not black, with one of those huge f/0.0001 lenses mounted.  

 

When I think of Leica, I think of this:

(Read the story here:  https://gmpphoto.blogspot.com/2020/10/horst-faas-dean-of-vietnam-war.html

 

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Edited November 1, 2022 by MikeMyers

[nicci78]

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Actually what I want to say, is that the red is not the problem. 
With or without it, it won’t make your camera more or less thief worthy. 
Same as silver or black finish. It won’t matter. 
 

Leica is an unknown brand for the majority of people. 
Red dot or not, they won’t notice. 
 

Savvy thief will recognise one at a glance. Black taped or not. 

[orcinus]

On 11/1/2022 at 10:20 PM, nicci78 said:

With or without it, it won’t make your camera more or less thief worthy. 

It's not about "worthyness" it's about attracting attention.

It's also not just about thieves, it's about subjects as well.
I've had a street vendor in Marrakech point at me and exclaim LEICA loudly while i was trying to blend into the crowd not a week ago.

I am not making this up.

Do you think a completely black, unmarked matte camera would've drawn his eye the same way?

 

Quote

Savvy thief will recognise one at a glance. Black taped or not. 

That is not how pickpockets and street thieves operate.
They don't shop for brands.
They steal what catches their eye and looks expensive.
The less of an eyesore and more generic the item, the less likely it will get stolen.

Savvy camera thieves are a myth.

Edited November 5, 2022 by orcinus

[frame-it]

48 minutes ago, orcinus said:

It's not about "worthyness" it's about attracting attention.

It's also not just about thieves, it's about subjects as well.
I've had a street vendor in Marrakech point at me and exclaim LEICA loudly while i was trying to blend into the crowd not a week ago.

I am not making this up.

Do you think a completely black, unmarked matte camera would've drawn his eye the same way?

also

depends on which part of the world youre in

when im carrying my fuji's or infrared sony/canon R..Koreans [possibly the most xenophobic people on the planet] Look at me like i emerged from a septic tank or gutter

when i carry the SL2S or M5 or M3 or even iiic/iiif they look at me like im some celebrity and even smile for a street pic.

 

 

[frame-it]

@nicci78 thinks my post is funny or im joking..?

[MikeMyers]

9 hours ago, orcinus said:

Do you think a completely black, unmarked matte camera would've drawn his eye the same way?

Nope, if the camera looks boring and old, therefore inexpensive, potential thieves might ignore it, in favor of something that "looks" expensive.

That glowing red dot, and camera color that is so shiny it implies NEW, would attract more attention.  A huge "NIKON" written in white letters on the prism would have the same effect, advertising $$$$$.

[orcinus]

15 hours ago, frame-it said:

@nicci78 thinks my post is funny or im joking..?

I do too, the "septic tank" remark cracked me up pretty good.

[frame-it]

1 hour ago, orcinus said:

I do too, the "septic tank" remark cracked me up pretty good.

you're obviously not in a country full of racism and xenophobia...the world is quite big you know.

[nicci78]

South Korea is not necessarily more racist as a country than any others. 
They did dislike Japanese stuffs for historical reasons. 
Such things happens when a former aggressor country did not apologise properly. 
Japan still has a huge stain from their two last centuries of inexcusable behaviours. 

Germany found peace and did not carry such bad image.

People from France, UK or even Russia are very confortable to buy made in Germany products. 
However in China or South Korea, they would rather buy anything else, if possible. Hence why almost every Japanese smartphone companies never took of outside of the archipelago. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by nicci78

[orcinus]

19 hours ago, frame-it said:

you're obviously not in a country full of racism and xenophobia...the world is quite big you know.

You're mistaking amusement for denial.
Nobody is claiming your statement was invalid or wrong.
It's just funny.

[jto555]

Getting back to covering the logo. If you are going to be a target for thives you would be marked long before the thief has a chance to even read the logo.

 

In the ideal world (and one still with thives?) you could buy a well used secondhand M240. If it looks worn and brassed a thief less likely to steal it. They would get very little money for it. Who on this forum really wants to buy a well worn camera?

 

 

[jaapv]

No problem here. All my cameras look well worn anyway. 

[frame-it]

looks quite nice all silver

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[McGirton]

On 11/1/2022 at 10:10 PM, MikeMyers said:

If I did want to show off, my camera would be silver, not black, with one of those huge f/0.0001 lenses mounted.  

 

When I think of Leica, I think of this:

(Read the story here:  https://gmpphoto.blogspot.com/2020/10/horst-faas-dean-of-vietnam-war.html

 

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Look at this show off with his silver cameras! /s

[1945 Mouton]

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