repainting M9

[Epimetheus]

Mine's black and I would like it in silver with some animal skin imitation covering. Something like this:

Does anyone know a place that can make my M9 silver and replace the covering while at it, hopefully in Europe? I did find camera restoration companies and web sites that look like thay ware made in 1985 but they only had phone numbers and my english or dutch isn't good enough to have any kind of conversation over the phone.

 

[damien.murphy]

There are many companies/ people that do black paint jobs on chrome M's, but do not recall seeing any that could transform a black camera into a chrome one without changing the top plate. I could be wrong though.

I suspect it may be a lot easier and cheaper to exchange your black M9 for a chrome one, and simply go to cameraleather.com for your choice of covering.

 

[Vickko]

Yeah, repaints are a bit dicey and you have to do all the little parts too. Better to trade.

And complicated to take an M9 apart. Okay, easy to get apart, hard to re-assemble with it all working. Lots of items that can get damaged just by static electricity.


Vick

 

[Epimetheus]

Trading it for a silver M9 would be easier if there were such a thing (I know there's a steel gray M9 but that's not what I'm after). There is of course the special edition silver M9 but that has a totally different price tag which is out of my reach.

Limited Special Edition Silver M9:

 

[LeicaFan]

IMO, repainting an M9 is more trouble than it is worth. You would have to completely disassemble it in order to properly strip the black paint, prep, and repaint, but unlike film M's, the M9 is jam packed with electronics and it would take a skilled technician to take everything apart and put it back together. Really, your better off with a steel gray M9 and ordering some leather from Cameraleather and installing it yourself.

 

[250swb]

I don't understand why you are thinking of having it re-painted, why not have it plated dull chrome/satin chrome?

You just need to take it apart, strip the paint off, and being brass underneath its ready to go to a platers who can do the final finish.

Steve

 

[Roger Hicks]

I don't understand why you are thinking of having it re-painted, why not have it plated dull chrome/satin chrome?

You just need to take it apart, strip the paint off, and being brass underneath its ready to go to a platers who can do the final finish.

Steve

Dear Steve,

Ummmm.... See Wes's point.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sahe69]

You could ask Leica if they'd do it?

 

[Andy Kibber]

Get in touch with CRR Luton in the UK and ask if what you want can be done. They repaint. I don't know if they un-paint.

 

[Fraser]

Why why why:bang:

 

[malcD]

delilah.....

 

[Phil_F_NM]

It's no harder than repainting a Canonet top plate.
The whole top assembly comes off as one piece. The only hard soldered contacts are the hot shoe. The shutter dial will lift off and can be removed from beneath. The shutter button simply comes out on its own and the shutter mode dial is held in most likely with a snap ring. Again, no soldered contacts.
After that, you have the paint stripped, the brass top peened for chrome coating and then have it chromed. While you're at it, you may think about having the M9 logo filled in with brass solder then smoothed over. After that, have the top plate engraved with the real Leica script, M9...your serial number.
Then get the bottom plate done at the same time with matching chrome.
I mean, if you're going to go through all that trouble, you might as well do it right. 😉
At least, that's what I want to do. Sorry, I'm thinking vicariously.

So, realistically, it's probably a pretty easy deal. A true chrome finish will outlast anything painted that Leica has put out in the last 10 years too.

Phil Forrest

 

[Andy Kibber]

Why why why:bang:

If you've already spent $7,000 on a camera you might was well spend a few hundred more to make it look how you want.

 

[damien.murphy]

Trading it for a silver M9 would be easier if there were such a thing

Oh yeah, oops 🙂 I've been trying very hard to ignore anything M9-related, as it scares the bejesus out of my wallet, lol

 

[250swb]

Dear Steve,

Ummmm.... See Wes's point.

Cheers,

R.

Dear Roger

Ummmm.... See Phil_F_MN's point.

Cheers

S.

 

[sahe69]

You could also go for the ruff'n'tuff look and tape it with adhesive aluminum foil.


Hey, at least it's reversible if you don't happen to like it 😀

 

[ramosa]

I'd be careful if you plan on reselling your M9 at some paint. I suspect a custom paint job would significantly narrow your field of potential buyers. (Of course, that's not a consideration if you don't intend to sell at some point.)

 

[PrecisionCamera]

You don't want to take apart an M9. Having taken apart an M8, I know of what I speak. 🙂 Dealing with all the contacts, custom switches, flex cables, and other electronics -- this is not something for a novice. Got the proper desoldering tools and know how to use them? Got anti-stat workbench?

Good luck finding a chrome plater that would even attempt the job. Better luck finding a plater who can put a satin chrome finish (and not a Chevrolet bumper chrome.)

Just go to Neiman Marcus and buy the one they are selling, and take off the ostrich. 🙂

 

[atlcruiser]

AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa........... Hhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......uuummmmm...hhhhmmmmmmmmmmmm?


Really?

 

[ruslan]

Looks ugly 😡

Trading it for a silver M9 would be easier if there were such a thing (I know there's a steel gray M9 but that's not what I'm after). There is of course the special edition silver M9 but that has a totally different price tag which is out of my reach.

Limited Special Edition Silver M9: