Black paint finish on MP

[costa43]

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Hi all

I've been offered an MP in black paint which looks nice and mint but under strong direct light, there are a few really faint hairline marks. Invisible in normal lighting but they are lurking there somewhere. My preference with gear is always buy mint/new but I'm hesitant to buy anything new from Leica at the moment so my question is, are these hairline scratches very common place and evident after minimal use and good care? 

I'm a heavy user so will no doubt mark it up quick but it's different for me with this model as my mindset is a camera for life with all the marks made by yours truly. Probably overthinking it..

Cheers

 

[Smudgerer]

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Edited November 26, 2024 by Smudgerer

[Smudgerer]

48 minutes ago, costa43 said:

Hi all

I've been offered an MP in black paint which looks nice and mint but under strong direct light, there are a few really faint hairline marks. Invisible in normal lighting but they are lurking there somewhere. My preference with gear is always buy mint/new but I'm hesitant to buy anything new from Leica at the moment so my question is, are these hairline scratches very common place and evident after minimal use and good care? 

I'm a heavy user so will no doubt mark it up quick but it's different for me with this model as my mindset is a camera for life with all the marks made by yours truly. Probably overthinking it..

Cheers

 

I just checked my MP, and yes under strong light and looking carefully I guess I can see the same thing.............But this is I suspect what you get when you opt for Black Paint finish, hopefully I am wrong in that. But anyway it doesn't matter to me, the Black Paint MP is the only M I own with that finish and I wouldn't buy another M of any version in Black Paint much preferring the new black finish of the M11's, in my case the M11-D.

Edited November 26, 2024 by Smudgerer

[Al Brown]

Yes, it is normal.
Just do not stress about it, not worth it.

[250swb]

The MP's black paint isn't as fragile as many people think but it will get micro scratches just by putting it into a camera bag. When you have enough fine scratches you'll stop noticing them and when you get your first chip you are free to stop worrying.

[ktmrider2]

I purchased a new MP at the end of February, 2024, so nine months.  I am surprised at how soft the black paint finish is.  I have noticeable brassing, especially on the edges of the camera.  Now I have brassed black paint cameras before but that was back in the mid 1970’s when I used them professionally as a newspaper photographer and they were Nikons.  It took me a year or so with Nikon to get what Leica shows in just under a year.  

If brassing brothers you, DO NOT purchase a black paint MP.  I suspect the black chrome finish on the MA will last forever or the silver chrome version of the MP.

Edited November 26, 2024 by ktmrider2

[costa43]

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5 hours ago, ktmrider2 said:

I purchased a new MP at the end of February, 2024, so nine months.  I am surprised at how soft the black paint finish is.  I have noticeable brassing, especially on the edges of the camera.  Now I have brassed black paint cameras before but that was back in the mid 1970’s when I used them professionally as a newspaper photographer and they were Nikons.  It took me a year or so with Nikon to get what Leica shows in just under a year.  

If brassing brothers you, DO NOT purchase a black paint MP.  I suspect the black chrome finish on the MA will last forever or the silver chrome version of the MP.

Brassing doesn’t bother me at all, on the contrary, I find it aesthetically pleasing and it’s the main reason I’m thinking of purchasing this model. I was just curious to know if those hairline scratches were really easy to do as the chap offering me the camera has barely used it and besides those, it’s mint. 

I’ve heard a few people mention that the black paint is not as durable nowadays, even compared to Leica cameras of old. There’s a good chance that Leica purposefully makes them that way so people get accelerated brassing.

[ktmrider2]

I suspect you are correct.  Brassing does not bother me either.  It does make each camera unique.  A reviewer at 35mmc thought Leica made the paint super soft on purpose and used the brassing to appeal to “wannabes”.  He thought the camera ok but preferred classic bodies just for that reason.  I may pick up an M2 which is my favorite and it would be chrome

[250swb]

6 minutes ago, ktmrider2 said:

I suspect you are correct.  Brassing does not bother me either.  It does make each camera unique.  A reviewer at 35mmc thought Leica made the paint super soft on purpose and used the brassing to appeal to “wannabes”.  He thought the camera ok but preferred classic bodies just for that reason.  I may pick up an M2 which is my favorite and it would be chrome

The paint is not ‘super soft’. And I think this myth harks back to when the MP was introduced and people got their knickers in a twist when the finish was described as ‘lacquer’ and they thought it was the same resinous lacquer used in Japanese furniture making. Lacquer is paint, cars were once painted in nitro cellulose lacquer and that Leica used the term was just a normal translation of the word ‘paint’ in any other language.

[grahamc]

my 2 cents as MP owner in the last 2 years ...  yes, the micro scratches appear almost from the first us - and completely unavoidable IMO .

For deeper scratches or scuffs (inevitable also I suppose), I've given my camera a polish with THIS product (found from a post from @Al Brown) twice over the 2 years after international trips , and works wonders to lift out deeper scratches, leaving only faint hairlines and the brassing that the camera is picking up). 

I've put hundreds of rolls through my MP and even so, there's not much brassing on the top edges yet - but the rewind knob and shutter advance lever will start to brass pretty quick. other than that I have brassing on the bottom and a couple of chips on the top edges 

Looks great - I look after my gear but hate the hesitation that babying a camera brings when shooting / carrying... so MP in BP is perfect as any signs of use do add to its charm.  Win-win 

Edited November 26, 2024 by grahamc

[Markey]

For what it`s worth I have a black paint M4 and would describe the extent of brassing as minimal.

Its from the second batch .

[costa43]

7 hours ago, grahamc said:

my 2 cents as MP owner in the last 2 years ...  yes, the micro scratches appear almost from the first us - and completely unavoidable IMO .

For deeper scratches or scuffs (inevitable also I suppose), I've given my camera a polish with THIS product (found from a post from @Al Brown) twice over the 2 years after international trips , and works wonders to lift out deeper scratches, leaving only faint hairlines and the brassing that the camera is picking up). 

I've put hundreds of rolls through my MP and even so, there's not much brassing on the top edges yet - but the rewind knob and shutter advance lever will start to brass pretty quick. other than that I have brassing on the bottom and a couple of chips on the top edges 

Looks great - I look after my gear but hate the hesitation that babying a camera brings when shooting / carrying... so MP in BP is perfect as any signs of use do add to its charm.  Win-win 

Thanks Graham, hope you are well. I also dislike that hesitation and it’s exactly what you say with the BP. You know it’s going to get marked and it’s a good thing! It does relieve some of that new gear anxiety. I do like it to be minty before I start using the camera but It seems like these tiny scratches are common place.

Edited November 27, 2024 by costa43

[LocalHero1953]

The only way to get a mint camera (not 'minty', unless you lick it) is buy it new. If I am buying used then I am willing to accept signs of use (but not of abuse) - it's just part of its history, which I welcome. 

My MP BP is now two years old and has been well used but not intensively; there is no sign of brassing anywhere, but I can see a couple of light scratches. I use a half case which in theory protects all but the top plate, but if I looked carefully I could probably find fine marks from insertion and removal, and on the base plate from putting it down when changing film. I would take such marks as signs of normal use - the camera hasn't been left in a cupboard waiting for the lubricants to dry up and dust to settle. 

Edited November 27, 2024 by LocalHero1953

[costa43]

6 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

The only way to get a mint camera (not 'minty', unless you lick it) is buy it new. If I am buying used then I am willing to accept signs of use (but not of abuse) - it's just part of its history, which I welcome. 

My MP BP is now two years old and has been well used but not intensively; there is no sign of brassing anywhere, but I can see a couple of light scratches. I use a half case which in theory protects all but the top plate, but if I looked carefully I could probably find fine marks from insertion and removal, and on the base plate from putting it down when changing film. I would take such marks as signs of normal use - the camera hasn't been left in a cupboard waiting for the lubricants to dry up and dust to settle. 

You are right of course. I'm now considering a new purchase from Leica Manchester when I'm over in the UK, which is in a couple of weeks. They have them for circa £4.2k which is a great price for today. I do prefer the look of the sharkskin cover though, petty, but let's be honest, the MP is often purchased for superficial reasons!

Edited November 27, 2024 by costa43

[grahamc]

On 11/27/2024 at 5:29 PM, costa43 said:

Thanks Graham, hope you are well. I also dislike that hesitation and it’s exactly what you say with the BP. You know it’s going to get marked and it’s a good thing! It does relieve some of that new gear anxiety. I do like it to be minty before I start using the camera but It seems like these tiny scratches are common place.

Nice one Costa, I'm very well thanks hope you are to.  Best of luck with the purchase - I love the MP 

[WvE]

Oddly enough, paint flakes spontaneously started coming off my new MP's battery compartment (July 24).  

 

 

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[costa43]

10 hours ago, WvE said:

Oddly enough, paint flakes spontaneously started coming off my new MP's battery compartment (July 24).  

 

 

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Wow, surely a manufacturing fault. Are you sending it in to Leica or living with it?

[Al Brown]

10 hours ago, WvE said:

Oddly enough, paint flakes spontaneously started coming off my new MP's battery compartment (July 24).  

 

 

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Super major no-go. Write to Leica Customer Care, they are very understanding.

[ktmrider2]

Thought MP’s come with two battery covers?  Why not switch covers and have Leica send you a new one?

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[69xchange]

8 hours ago, ktmrider2 said:

Thought MP’s come with two battery covers?  Why not switch covers and have Leica send you a new one?

Only one (slotted) due to new regulations of children getting into battery compartments and swallowing the batteries. With that being said, I heard you can request for the leather cover and Leica will send you it free of charge.