Painted black bodies

Ghiom said:
I do understand your question... and I guess you are right: indeed the answer will be found in the pictures of the final results... ... In fact, I gave her green light to do it the way she wanted to. After some time and hesitations she did choose this way, in her point of vue it has been a matter a pure aesthetic: art & craftmanship... ... (and to be very precise: NOT to immitate any artificial aging ... )...
... this one, at least, will be in her "presentation book"... maybe as a unique piece... but as a personal achievement for sure.
(To tell the truth, my personal taste was more encline for a full "mat" black... covering even most of the engravings, except functional ones...)
...But, opportunity was here for her to do someting special, so why not give it a try ?
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Just to be crystal clear and by the way present another possible point of vue, being the one of a craftperson, who had enjoyed doing this work...

;)
 
George S. said:
I don't understand why you and she would go to all this bother to repaint a camera and intentionally leave some brass showing. I can understand why people would repaint, and also understand those that don't want the body retouched in any way because they like the brassing... Oh well, maybe I'll 'get it' when I see your pictures.
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I've had customers that wanted the distressed look, done a few cameras like that. Actually did that to an original black paint M2, as well; someone had taken Testors to it and it was quite a mess. This is the result.

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Scuffing bp cameras to make it look like user wear is exactly like furniture that's been distressed with chains and hammers etc.. I don't see the point to it, my dining room table has real use gouges, scrapes etc as my MP has wear around the advance lever and top plate from normal use knocks. Whatever floats boats I suppose.
 
I love that song! Does anybody have the guts to take their black paint M and redo the rear flap into a "red door"? (Like the one in the song?)
 
I don't have a Shintaro job to compare with but I have 2 cameras done by Robert and a 3rd on the way. I am completely satisfied with thiese cameras, which are users. IMO his work is nearly as smooth as the factory job on the frames of my Nikon S/S2, OM-1, and ZI. So far it is certainly more durable than the ZI paint.
 
The jeans are a mystery. College students lacking money even for lunch bragging about $200+ jeans that look like the ones I threw out because I'd be afraid to even be seen taking out the garbage while wearing them. The athletic shoes have to have the right label and look brand new though.
 
newsgrunt said:
Scuffing bp cameras to make it look like user wear is exactly like furniture that's been distressed with chains and hammers etc.. I don't see the point to it, my dining room table has real use gouges, scrapes etc as my MP has wear around the advance lever and top plate from normal use knocks. Whatever floats boats I suppose.
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You should see some of the work by Fender Custom Shop, the bespoke guitar branch of Fender. Brand new hand made guitars to 1950's and 1960's specifications with a 'Relic' finish, meaning crazed lacquer, dings, re-created wear on the paint, aged plastic and Bakelite parts. Just like they have been played non stop since 1956. But they play like a dream and I imagine it takes you beyond the worry of your first paint chip and you can stop nannying it from day one.

Steve
 
newsgrunt said:
Scuffing bp cameras to make it look like user wear is exactly like furniture that's been distressed with chains and hammers etc.. I don't see the point to it, my dining room table has real use gouges, scrapes etc as my MP has wear around the advance lever and top plate from normal use knocks. Whatever floats boats I suppose.
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I never resorted to that! My cameras tend to get scuffed the "natural" way.
 
Hi Tom A,

Wasn't suggesting that chains and hammers be used on M's although I'm sure it's probably been done by someone with more money than sense ;)

Au naturel is the way it should be imo. You tend to remember any significant mark which adds to the memories you have, although mine doesn't have any marker of note, just the usual edge brassing.


@250swb

Wonder if those Fender buyers are also Leica collectors ? My boss has a photo he took in NY back in the 80's of a shop window with a great collection of guitars. To this day, he rues not spending the several thousand each would have cost since they're now deep into 5 figures each.
 
In response to the OP. I would be willing to bet that most quality repaints from reputable artists would end up looking better than the factory paint job. I have a Leica M2-R that I repainted (it was a beater) - it ended up looking great (very smooth finish and more durable than I had expected). Unfortunately the repainted top plate ended up succumbing to an owner induced traumatic event (dropped onto concrete). Long story short, I didn't want to deal with the hassle of finding another top, stripping it, and repainting it so I ended up getting a replacement M2 black paint top direct from Leica Germany. Having handled what is basically a brand new Leica M2 black paint top plate, I can say with authority that the factory paint job is OK but nothing to write home about (it certainly makes me question all those who wax poetic about the beauty of golden era Leica paint jobs). As a comparison, I think that the factory paint job on my 70s Pentax KX blows the leica out of the water.
 
Leica still had replacement M2/M3 top plates as late as 1990. I had a bashed up bl.p M3 top replaced in 1992 with a correct top.
The finish on the replacement tops was different than the original. Less of the "orange peel" and blistering and a more semi-matte finish.
 
250swb said:
You should see some of the work by Fender Custom Shop, the bespoke guitar branch of Fender. Brand new hand made guitars to 1950's and 1960's specifications with a 'Relic' finish, meaning crazed lacquer, dings, re-created wear on the paint, aged plastic and Bakelite parts. Just like they have been played non stop since 1956. But they play like a dream and I imagine it takes you beyond the worry of your first paint chip and you can stop nannying it from day one.

Steve
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Bro, the reason why aged guitars are so sort after is the aging process and materials used in the 50s n 60s that resulted with a richer and warmer tones in these instruments. The aging process of the woods has a big part to do with the big price tag.
 
Purchased this camera when i was in london last week. Does anyone know what the "D" on the wax seal in the 12' screw on the mount means? i know that a raised L is leica, recessed L for leica service, S for sherry kauter, etc etc but i can't find any information on a raised D.

The body has been repainted as it's nt on the list of bp m2s but the shop which i bought it from is not able to confirm who did the repaint. could anyone shed some light on the matter? it is semi gloss and in some areas of constant wear like the sides, the paint has been polished to a deep gloss. the wear on the edges shows brass underneath and there're no signs of chipping at the edges, just paint "rubbed" off from wear.

could the m2 be a leica converted bp m2? the paint appears to "flow" into the top plate engravings (leica dbp, etc) but not the serial number. could it be that the serial number was engraved after the paint was done?
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