Lenses: Silver Vs Balck finish

[wlaidlaw]

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In this case, I don't think the silver/brass should have somehow interfered, probably the black one you did check must have been some kind of a "lemon".

 

The leather strap is the Luigi's deluxe strap.

Luigi Crescenzi @ Leicatime in Rome... a great artisan.

And he's a gentleman too!

Piero, you could easily find him at Leicatime Luigi Crescenzi : leica cameras leica compur mp elmar 250 reporter leicavit!

ciao

 

I used to think Luigi's stuff was over-priced until I finally bought a strap. It is "last a lifetime" quality and therefore in real terms, is actually cheap. I have now bought a few bits and pieces from him and they are all gems. I particularly like the M8 battery/SD card holder, which comes in matching leather for the straps.

 

Wilson

[wlaidlaw]

Hi is that a rubber foot you can buy from home center? I mean thumbs up!

 

I am the guilty party. Philippe saw one of these rubber grips on my M8 when I had lunch with him a couple of months ago, so I sent him a couple when I got back to the UK. I have a whole sheet of them. If you are in Europe, I would be happy to send a couple to you. They make the M8 much more secure to hold, particularly for those of who are not youngsters and have stiffer hands. They are great for holding an M8 over your head with one hand. If you want to get some yourself, the best ones are made by 3M and called Bumpons. From some experimentation, I find the best size is 20mm x 20mm x 8mm. They are usually for sale on eBay under the heading either "rubber feet" or Bumpons. They cost me £3.50 for a sheet of 16 of them.

 

Wilson

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[piero]

I have been looking for them yesterday... after I saw your picture...

I have been using self adhesive neoprene type material as anti skid but your 'Bumpon' is cool!

Thanks for the info, I'll search 3M catalogue, or the e_bay!

[Philippe D.]

Yes, it's fantastic and hold very firmly (good glue). A must if you use a grip on your M8.

Thank You a lot again Wilson.

[Philippe D.]

Ciao Maurizio,

I'm just one another of those silver addicted men

So it makes two of us.

BTW, you can't stay with this plaster over the red dot

 

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This way it looks OK on a silver chromed body i guess

 

 

and it is easy to do.

[LeonardT]

This thread brings up another issue. How much longer will Leica produce chrome lenses? The new leica 08/09 catalog only lists the 35mm Summicron, 50mm Summilux and 90mm macro available in chrome. I see high volume dealers like Popflash only list these 3 in chrome as well. The main Leica site also shows the 50 Summicron and 28 Summicron in chrome but nowhere do I see the 35mm Summilux Asph or a couple other lenses I know were offered in chrome.

 

Len

[wlaidlaw]

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This thread brings up another issue. How much longer will Leica produce chrome lenses? The new leica 08/09 catalog only lists the 35mm Summicron, 50mm Summilux and 90mm macro available in chrome. I see high volume dealers like Popflash only list these 3 in chrome as well. The main Leica site also shows the 50 Summicron and 28 Summicron in chrome but nowhere do I see the 35mm Summilux Asph or a couple other lenses I know were offered in chrome.

 

Len

 

Len,

 

I understand that the last 35 ASPH Summiluxes in Chrome were made around the end of September/beginning of October 2006. Mine has a factory label on the outside of the outer brown card box saying Sep 06, so it must be one of the last. Sadly, I would not be surprised if "factory efficiencies" dictated the end of all Chrome production. From reading between the lines of some of Dr. Kaufmann's pronouncements, I don't think we are going to see many special editions, LHSA or otherwise in the future - chrome/titanium/black paint/pink stripes with leopard skin print leather, etc.

 

Wilson

[mustafasoleiman]

This way it looks OK on a silver chromed body i guess

 

[ATTACH]114845[/ATTACH]

 

and it is easy to do.

 

Easy to do? Could you please elaborate?

I agree the "cerotto" (tape) is a bit... you know...

[Philippe D.]

Easy to do? Could you please elaborate?

As to remove the white (or black) paint of the M8 (and so on), you need acetone and a bit of skillfulness.

- Take some ear cotton tabs for the engraving.

- A glass and a tooth brush for the logo.

 

Here a set of pictures explaining clearly the process

Customiser la pastille rouge d'un M

 

(if you need, take a French-English dictionary, but a guess the pictures speaks for them self)

[luigi bertolotti]

Now I hope one thing - that the Summilux 21 will not come in silver - The thing is like a magnet already, and in silver probably irresitable. I will sue for custody of the camera gear...:D

 

The reason for I hope they will NOT do it in Silver...

[Mauribix]

I used to think Luigi's stuff was over-priced until I finally bought a strap. It is "last a lifetime" quality and therefore in real terms, is actually cheap. I have now bought a few bits and pieces from him and they are all gems. I particularly like the M8 battery/SD card holder, which comes in matching leather for the straps.

 

Wilson

 

Yep Wilson, pure quality with Luigi's artworks!

[Mauribix]

As to remove the white (or black) paint of the M8 (and so on), you need acetone and a bit of skillfulness.

- Take some ear cotton tabs for the engraving.

- A glass and a tooth brush for the logo.

 

Here a set of pictures explaining clearly the process

Customiser la pastille rouge d'un M

 

(if you need, take a French-English dictionary, but a guess the pictures speaks for them self)

 

Philippe,

thanks for that! Tonight I will try, just to pursue my lust for Silver!!! :D

[Philippe D.]

Tonight I will try, just to pursue my lust for Silver!!!

Have fun, but beware, the red paint is of very good quality, maybe two nights are requested for the job.

I wish i knew who is making those disks, i suppose some who in the North Black Forest, it would be easily to get one not already painted.

[wlaidlaw]

Have fun, but beware, the red paint is of very good quality, maybe two nights are requested for the job.

I wish i knew who is making those disks, i suppose some who in the North Black Forest, it would be easily to get one not already painted.

 

I think it would be really nice to have one of the Leica discs in sterling (95%) silver to replace the red/black discs. When it tarnished slightly, I think it would be a nice effect on either a black or chrome Leica. I presume the current discs are a zinc die-casting and therefore the people who make them, might be able to make a run in silver, although their melting apparatus may not cope with the increased temperature (419º for Zinc: 893º for Sterling 95% Silver). Of course if the current discs are plastic of some variety, that is a whole different ball game. I will send an email to Stefan Daniel to ask who makes the current disc. This is the sort of thing that either Luigi or Rik Plomp might be interested in marketing. Can anyone tell me what the current disc is made from? Now would be a good time to do this as silver is at rock bottom prices at the moment.

 

Wilson

[Philippe D.]

I think it would be really nice to have one of the Leica discs in sterling (95%) silver to replace the red/black discs. ...

if the current discs are plastic of some variety, that is a whole different ball game.

No problem Wilson, as a goldsmith, i can make it out of 900/°°° gold if you wish, or in 950 sterling for the modest.

 

The actual logo are made out of quite chip aluminium BTW.

[Artichoke]

for the present 50 Summilux the chrome version has more sticky focus ring, particularly at the extremes than the black version

this eases up with use

[wlaidlaw]

for the present 50 Summilux the chrome version has more sticky focus ring, particularly at the extremes than the black version

this eases up with use

 

My chrome 50 Summilux is very sticky as well, I assume in 20 years or so, it will feel perfect.

 

Wilson

[giordano]

No problem Wilson, as a goldsmith, i can make it out of 900/°°° gold if you wish, or in 950 sterling for the modest.

 

How about a silver disc with the "leica" script in 9ct gold so they tarnish differently? And platinum script on a 24ct disc would go really well with a coelecanth-skin Luigi case.

[georg]

Black and silver lenses are identical, optical and mechanical wise!

Only the outer parts of the chrome lenses are made of brass instead of aluminium - all mechanical parts (aperture, focus, fe...) are made out of the SAME materials (mostly brass & aluminium) in BOTH versions!

 

Silver lenses have become rare, but as long as the customer wants them, they're build (50asph & 28cron never were intended to be offered in silver).

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[piero]

My question referred to performance.

Linhof optics were made by Schneider or Rodenstock, I don't recall at the moment. So if you bought a 90 Linhof was the same lense as a 90 made by i.e. Schneider. But Linhof lenses were better. More careful assembling, very tight tolerances. Very strict selection in production chain. On the other end, you could have bought a Calumet lens, made by Rodenstock with a more economical barrel assembly, at a much lower price, and be very lucky.

 

My question was about knowing if you guys ever noticed or new a difference between black and chrome, in these terms. More careful assembly, better tolerances.. stuff like that.

I didn't want to mine the beliefs and trust on the brand. Just wanted to know about your personal experience.

Production chains differences exhist, buy a Gillette blade package made in the US and one made in Brasil and your face will tell the difference, to make an exaggerated example.

That's all.