Black M11 finish

[davidmknoble]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

First, I’ll be clear, this is not an athletics question.  I shoot a lot out on the coast in the sand and salty wind.  Brass has always played better on the coast than aluminum.

Now that the M11 has been out while, I am curious from those that have used it hard, how the aluminum top has done and the durability of the paint.  For example, the SL paint wears off fast.

Thanks for sharing!

[elmars]

Don‘t worry. The M11 is the most durable of all we know from M cameras. I have no signs of use after more than 1 1/2 years. Search for Jono Slacks experiences. He used his M11 very hard. 

[Segal]

One year in, no cases, about six weeks of travel - not a scratch.

[Harout62]

This is by far the best finish they have ever had on any Leica M  1 year and 4 months not a scratch. 
but on the other hand I do kind of miss the braising patina I got with the Mp240, Somehow a black M camera with some brass looks amazing.

[GFW2-SCUSA]

Good question, David, I have wondered the same as I am in Charleston also ( though not on Folly ). I hope more will chime in. At some point the finish will get nicked or worn and then the salt will become a big factor.  

[dkmoore]

I’m not coming at this response with a scientific enough approach but many boats are made of aluminum and last for 30+ years in salt water. Obviously people take proper precautions and clean off salt with fresh water when they can. 
 

Aluminum is highly resistant to corrosion and even forms a natural barrier if corrosion starts to occur. 
 

My unscientific guess is that you’d have to use your black M11 for multiple decades for this to be an issue (maybe??) if you are taking reasonable care of your camera (wiping off sea spray) after shooting. 
 

it’s going to take a lot to even get through this paint to begin with. It’s insanely tough. 

Edited April 21, 2023 by dkmoore

[Pyrogallol]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

More likely you will get grit, sand and salt around the edges of the controls rather than damage to the larger surfaces of the camera.

[digitalfx]

love the new finish...mine also still looks new nearly 1.5 years later.

[THEME]

How's everyone's M11 LCD screen, if not protected? Holding up well?

[hdmesa]

17 hours ago, THEME said:

How's everyone's M11 LCD screen, if not protected? Holding up well?

It holds up well until you scratch it 🙃

I've never scratched an LCD screen but somehow managed to scratch the screen of one of my previous copies of the M11. I was more careful after that. I think my knife's clip on the outside of my pocket was the culprit.

[hmzimelka]

I live in the coastal town of Swakopmund, Namibia, which has one of the highest rust factors in the world. We have high sulphur content in the air and that accelerates rusting and oxidation at an unbelievable rate. No problem with the M11 so far after 14 months. I've had an old Nikon D810 develop a bit tiny bit of oxidation of the body shell and at the exposed screw heads after some four years.

I'm not concerned about cameras in this climate. Far more worried about the life of other equipment such as tripods, bags, cars, etc. 

Also, being a coastal and desert town, an LCD screen protector is a must. I find the M11 LCD gets micro scratches easily. I wouldn't call it any more scratch resistant than the normal Apple Watch crystal, which scratches on a whim. I use the Expert Shield Glass protector. 

Edited April 23, 2023 by hmzimelka

[bkphoto]

I’ve read several threads on the topic but haven’t seen many long long term black finish reviews. 
 

How is your black M11 holding up?

[MyLeicaWorld]

Well, the paint seems to hold up very well for ages but the only paint that started to scratch is the frame paint of the lcd screen.. just like the old m digital cameras ..

[bkphoto]

Thanks Al - I guess I’m curious for those that have (almost) owned for 2 years what their experience has been like. 

[marchyman]

Is the M11 finish the same used on the M 262 and Q?  If so my experience says the finish is quite durable.  After 7 and 8 years of use those camera look almost new when I bother wiping the fingerprints and blowing off the dust.

[hdmesa]

48 minutes ago, marchyman said:

Is the M11 finish the same used on the M 262 and Q?

Have no idea what the M262 was, but the Q is anodized black. The M11 is a new formula anti-scratch paint sprayed on so as to leave a textured surface. The same paint is used on the new M6 but with a smooth finish.

[elmars]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb marchyman:

Is the M11 finish the same used on the M 262 and Q?  If so my experience says the finish is quite durable.  After 7 and 8 years of use those camera look almost new when I bother wiping the fingerprints and blowing off the dust.

It is an extremely durable varnish from the military sector that was first used by Leica on the M10 Safari.

[Rob L]

Here is a fun fact, I wonder if anybody else has had a similar experience. I have an early M11 and the paint is like very fine emory cloth, feels great but rubs off skin particles and they embed in the paint as a white haze. Wipes away, but kind of annoying. My new M11M does not do this. The finish texture is a bit more coarse but at the same time less abrasive as if it had a second clear coat over the top?

[Photoworks]

4 hours ago, Rob L said:

Here is a fun fact, I wonder if anybody else has had a similar experience. I have an early M11 and the paint is like very fine emory cloth, feels great but rubs off skin particles and they embed in the paint as a white haze. Wipes away, but kind of annoying. My new M11M does not do this. The finish texture is a bit more coarse but at the same time less abrasive as if it had a second clear coat over the top?

Have you considered the affordable Leica skin moisturizers?

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Rob L]

Makes it Worse!