if i can comment. i've had a number of things resurfaced in the photographic arena and i've found two things. if you're game to disassemble your own unit you can have the exposed metal parts plate-stripped, as many if not most are plated in some form of chrome coating then just surface finished. they are plated to prevent non-ferrous metal oxidising and growing from your contact body fluids. i have noticed some of the FSU units have a bit of "greening" on the used components.
some options are: Black Chrome plating, which is a very specific kind of metal finish but it may be hard to find black chromers. myth has it that black chrome was developed by an irate sacked chrome plating employee who, at the end of his last shift on the last day of his employ, added a full load of his own urine into the plating solution at the end of the production day. the next day the uric acid produced the black effect. not sure of the truth of this but i was told this some 25 years ago and makes for a great story. but black chrome is a stunner and i have used it on metal globe-reflectors in the studio. expensive.
the next option is to have the outer surface of your metal components powdercoated. this takes a few months to really cure after you get it back but it is a hard wearing surface, if not a bit spongy looking. but you can coordinate with your favorite red shooting socks. i have had studio equipment, ie tripods, light stands, etc, powdercoated to keep the look fresh for some clients and at trade exhibitions where impact is the eye-catcher. tacky at best, though, if you have no colour sense...
the last is automotive paint duco treatment, or baked enamelling, as it may be called. most auto re-sprayers will do this as part of a colour run on your metallic gold Pinto job but you have to prepare the raw metal surface yourself otherwise they just spray on top of what you have.. this wears well and your choice of colours is endless, as with powdercoating. i have had some studio equipment re-duco'd, as in reflectors and stand legs, etc.
but at the end of it all you have to reassemble the cameras, or whatever, yourself. any paint or colour treatment must be cleaned from the inside of your machine before re-assembly, as you would expect.
while i have had studio equipment re-coloured, never a camera. i like the gray hammertone look of one of the Ms on CameraQuest's site and have thought about trying the powdercoating angle on the lid and base of one of my older units, maybe one of the FSUs which are more "disposable" than the Voights or Leicas. now i'll cop crap from the FSU-ers out there..... no disrespect..just a dollar-related comment. and i think a purple rainbow FED would be a stunner, eh but?
right now, though, i'm enjoying my new gray R2A. easy to find in the bag.
cheers,
daniel
