Chrome or Black - which grabs more attention?

[like2fiddle]

I wasn't so much concerned about thieves (maybe I should've been) than regular people. But as you've pointed out, chrome usually means "cheap" to the uneducated thief, and I would say to the average-joe as well. The cheap camera can be less threatening than expensive cameras; or they are not taken as seriously as the expensive cameras. Therefore chrome has an edge on black in this regard.

I bought my M2 from a professional photographer. It is definately a "user". He told me a little story about the camera, which he had owned for many years (he's now 100% digital). When he lived in California he had left his cameras in plain view on the back seat of his car one day while he ran into a shop. When he got back to his car, all of his other cameras had been stolen, only the "old" M2 remained. He went on to say that the M2 was, at that time, his most valuable camera, but he guessed that the thief probably thought the shiney newer cameras were worth more!

 

[Magus]

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[Magus]

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[edodo]

I would love a brassed black leica even if chrome looks nice, it may look too nice at times. While a brassed black paint will look terribly old to the eye of the normal lad.

 

[amateriat]

I would love a brassed black leica even if chrome looks nice, it may look too nice at times. While a brassed black paint will look terribly old to the eye of the normal lad.

Charles, have I got a Leica for you:

http://tinyurl.com/35r9sw

You'll need to understand, of course, that this M4 is about 3x the prince of one or two other chrome M4s currently at B&H. Heretical as it sounds, I'd buy one of the chrome M4s, have it painted, and put my own battle scars on it for a lot less money. Of course, a for a few hundred more than that chrome M4, I could just get an M4-P or M6...


- Barrett

 

[amateriat]

That's very interesting. Certainly most cameras today don't have three windows in the front.

Most RFs do, though their sizes vary.


- Barrett

 

[einolu]

what matters most, when it comes to grabbing attention, is your body language. being quick, confidant, and friendly is really the way to go about it, whether your camera is black or chrome.

 

[thomasw_]

I prefer chrome on the every M except the M5. On the barnacks I think the chrome looks manly, but the black ones are so beautiful they are indecent🙂

 

[amateriat]

I prefer chrome on the every M except the M5. On the barnacks I think the chrome looks manly, but the black ones are so beautiful they are indecent🙂

I'll bet this has to do with the M5 being the largest of the M-series Leicas (the largest of the non-SLR Leicas, in fact). I can only imagine using one in black, for what that's worth.


- Barrett

 

[maitrestanley]

Chrome reflects light. It glints and catches people's attention. It glints and catches people's attention. Black absorbs light and makes it disappear and so it is less likely to catch people's attention.

Damn. I gotta get me sommadat chrome and rock that bling round ma neck yo.



There's still that really shiny, piano black paint finish on the MP... When new, it's shinier and more mirror-like than the chrome finish.

 

[VinceC]

In truth, it's just physics. Pure black is the absence of reflected light.

In the extreme, astronomical black holes cannot be detected by direct observation, only by the way they influence their surroundings.

 

[Magus]

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[Peter Pommes]

Reconsidering my first post I have to admit that I recently saw a picture of Seal (having a Chrome M around his neck) and his girlfriend Heidi Klum. Maybe You sjould look at Your girl (or wife) and decide then which class You're in 😀

Peter

 

[mike goldberg]

In terms of asthetics, in general, I like chrome.
In working, several points mentioned above are worth noting:

- body language of the shooter
- raising the camera to eye level
- working quickly in street shooting

Given the above 3 points... to the subject or person on the 'receiving end' of the camera, I don't think that chrome or black make much of a difference at all.

Cheers, mike

 

[Krosya]

I love this thread here. Mostly because many posters shared their beautiful Leica Ms in another thread - Show your Leica M, where there were several chrome/black ones with some very bright coverings. Wouldn't THAT bring more attention to the camera - like a classic chrome M3 with a RED cover than actual crome/black finish?

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Which grabs more attention? Flaming purple or wild cherry vulcanite, no question 😉

 

[Rashomon]

Reconsidering my first post I have to admit that I recently saw a picture of Seal (having a Chrome M around his neck) and his girlfriend Heidi Klum.

Looks like chrome wins...😛 😉

That lucky guy....a baby in each hand.😀

 

[VinceC]

I think Seal wanted to be noticed, eh?

 

[PaulGuy]

Hmmm...seems Ms. Klum prefers a Black Body. 🙄

 

[Rashomon]

In terms of asthetics, in general, I like chrome.
In working, several points mentioned above are worth noting:

- body language of the shooter
- raising the camera to eye level
- working quickly in street shooting

Given the above 3 points... to the subject or person on the 'receiving end' of the camera, I don't think that chrome or black make much of a difference at all.

Cheers, mike

I think, for sure, those three points are more important to the end result than the color of the camera. But the difference is still there.

Chrome is more vintage looking where as black is less shiny. The difference, in practical terms, is between hiding in plain view or trying to be stealthy. Some people might care about this, other might not. To each his own. 🙂