Black Paint M2 close ups.

[splitimageview]

My old M2, showing the paint wear and bubbling typical of authentic original factory black paint. Modern paint jobs cannot replicate this, only simulate.

 

[raydm6]

Beautiful!

 

[Ororaro]

Over the years I’ve seen chinese repainters offering many paint variants, including “with bubbling”

My original black paint leicas (M2, M4) don’t show any bubbling… not sure what would be the cause

 

[Duofold RF]

Beautiful!
It definitely can be done by talented Chinese replica masters

 

[splitimageview]

I'd like to see some close ups of modern paint that is indistinguishable from this 🙂

 

[Duofold RF]

Over the years I’ve seen chinese repainters offering many paint variants, including “with bubbling”

My original black paint leicas (M2, M4) don’t show any bubbling… not sure what would be the cause

Bubbling of Leica M is common even the chrome plated one, it is related the acid process on the surface to better adhere to metal or paint. See the M3

 

[dave lackey]

My old M2, showing the paint wear and bubbling typical of authentic original factory black paint. Modern paint jobs cannot replicate this, only simulate.



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Wow!😍

 

[38Deardorff]

Over the years I’ve seen chinese repainters offering many paint variants, including “with bubbling”

My original black paint leicas (M2, M4) don’t show any bubbling… not sure what would be the cause

My original black M2 did show bubbling. I've owned 3 or 4 black paint M4.....none of them did.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Are you the original owner of that M2, and how did you acquire it? Probably an interesting story.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Duofold RF]

I'd like to see some close ups of modern paint that is indistinguishable from this 🙂

Do not underestimate the talent of Chinese replica masters 😄 😀

 

[splitimageview]

i don't discount anyone's talent, I would just like to see actual close-up examples that match. 😉

 

[ellisson]

That kind of wear on the finish must take many years or decades of heavy use in the field. The modern glossy black paint Leica cameras e.g. the MP and the M11 models - paint on brass, may show a some brassing over a few years, but not like the example shown, I would think.

 

[splitimageview]

Are you the original owner of that M2, and how did you acquire it? Probably an interesting story.

I acquired it from a retired newspaper photojournalist in the Dallas area back in about 2009 or so. The Summaron came along with it.

The viewfinder was black, so I sent the camera to DAG along with an M2 with a good prism. He swapped the prism from the donor M2, fully serviced it and added his signature '92' seal.

 

[Duofold RF]

The viewfinder was black, so I sent the camera to DAG along with an M2 with a good prism. He swapped the prism from the donor M2, fully serviced it and added his signature '92' seal.

Black prism is reparable.

 

[splitimageview]

Black prism is reparable.

In 2009, it wasn't. 😀

But I had the original prism fixed a few years later.

 

[Duofold RF]

In 2009, it wasn't. 😀

Arhhh…. I fixed mine in 2000 when I bought the US army auction Ms

 

[38Deardorff]

For the sake of nostalgia & shoulda-woulda-coulda. I was in Paris in the late 90s and visited the Maison du Leica, rue Beaumarchais. There was an original black paint M2 in the window. I bought it for $700 cad/437€/$512 usd......later in my 'only big negatives are worth using' days...I sold it for double that to Ken Hansen in Seattle. 🙁

 

[Duofold RF]

For the sake of nostalgia & shoulda-woulda-coulda. I was in Paris in the late 90s and visited the Maison du Leica, rue Beaumarchais. There was an original black paint M2 in the window. I bought it for $700 cad/437€/$512 usd......later in my 'only big negatives are worth using' days...I sold it for double that to Ken Hansen in Seattle. 🙁

It is true that, in the early days, original black-paint Ms were affordable.

 

[splitimageview]

There weren't any techs who would re-cement prisms back then, people would just buy new parts from Leica.

I paid $900 for this M2.

 

[Timmyjoe]

I acquired it from a retired newspaper photojournalist in the Dallas area back in about 2009 or so. The Summaron came along with it.

The viewfinder was black, so I sent the camera to DAG along with an M2 with a good prism. He swapped the prism from the donor M2, fully serviced it and added his signature '92' seal.

View attachment 4883985

Sweet camera.

Best,
-Tim