glassportal
Member
Hi guys,
I've got an order in for a black Leica M 240 but i'm wondering whether I made the right choice. I have a few concerns. I've seen a 5 year old chrome M8 that looks basically new.
Does brassing significantly affect the resale value? I use my cameras heavily and when the time comes I will be selling this Leica to fund the next - however many year away that may be.
Is the new black paint finish much harder/stronger than the last?
Does either color usually command a higher resale value?
Since I spend a lot of time in developing countries, does anybody realistically think that the black (with taped logos) looks less expensive / stealthier?
I know these concerns might seem artificial and pedantic to some but being quite OCD they matter to me. Apologies.
I've got an order in for a black Leica M 240 but i'm wondering whether I made the right choice. I have a few concerns. I've seen a 5 year old chrome M8 that looks basically new.
Does brassing significantly affect the resale value? I use my cameras heavily and when the time comes I will be selling this Leica to fund the next - however many year away that may be.
Is the new black paint finish much harder/stronger than the last?
Does either color usually command a higher resale value?
Since I spend a lot of time in developing countries, does anybody realistically think that the black (with taped logos) looks less expensive / stealthier?
I know these concerns might seem artificial and pedantic to some but being quite OCD they matter to me. Apologies.
Kingsfan
Established
brassing = sexy
kshapero
South Florida Man
Over time the black bodies seem to hold for a higher price, but I would get what you like.
LCT
ex-newbie
Same for my 3 y/o M8.2 and my… 50+ y/o M3. There is no comparison. Black paint bodies are made to peel off and black anodized ones like my M4-2 tend to turn gray.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Uses camera heavily, but M8 looks like new after 5 years.
IMHO, you will be fine.
IMHO, you will be fine.
taskoni
Well-known
If I were you, I would buy what I like, I would never buy something that I like less because of it's resale value in the far feature. If you use your camera as heavily as you are stating it might cost next to nothing one day no matter in what color you'll get it now.
I guess I shouldn't be posting in this thread because I don't get it (it's very premature way of choosing a camera IMO). Sorry, with no intention to offend the OP or anyone else.
Good luck with your buy.
Regards,
Boris
I guess I shouldn't be posting in this thread because I don't get it (it's very premature way of choosing a camera IMO). Sorry, with no intention to offend the OP or anyone else.
Good luck with your buy.
Regards,
Boris
kbg32
neo-romanticist
I have had my black paint M9 since they were released. Mine shows very little brassing. My particular copy, the paint seems hard as nails.
Johann Espiritu
Lawyer / Ninja
Brassing looks great. The two M's which I bought brand new (M9 [steel grey] and M7 [chrome]) both started to brass after a year of my usual use.
In contrast, neither my 1954 Nikon SP and my Nikon FM2 show any signs of brassing.
In contrast, neither my 1954 Nikon SP and my Nikon FM2 show any signs of brassing.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
The silver chrome does last better than paint, as does the black chrome. I have one silver camera, the rest are a mix of black paint and mostly black chrome. I happen to like the old worn black chrome (seems like I'm the minority there), but then I don't really mind what the cameras end up looking like. I use 'em, they get marks in 'em I keep using 'em. My black Hasselblad is more brindle than black. I'd expect any digital M is going to lose more value more quickly than any film M (except an M7). If you're worrying about resale before the camera has even been built...
A well brassed black camera might look old and useless to someone.
A well brassed black camera might look old and useless to someone.
hepcat
Former PH, USN
Forty years ago when I was starting out in photography, cameras were chrome. There were a few black paint bodies to be had, and having one was a statement... you were telling folks you were serious about your craft. And because they were different, they were sexy (Or so the advertising hype would tell us) and in demand. Canon and Nikon changed that with the EOS1 and F3 bodies. You had your choice of black, with black lenses and black became the defacto standard. Now the world is filled with black plastic or plastic-covered cameras.
Military helicopters are black for a reason, and black bodies are, in fact, less obtrusive. The KE-7A was ordered in black with black lenses for a reason. That was really the first black body camera I used extensively. I've wanted a black painted body since the days of the Nikon Ftn and Canon F1. I buy used, though, and I've always had a mish-mash of black lenses and chrome bodies. I bought what I could afford that I needed to do the job.
THIS time around when I returned to Leica, even buying used, I found I had choices, and the choices weren't much different in cost. My M8 and M9P are both black paint, and my M4-P is, of course, black chrome over zinc. Remember, black paint is sexy... My M8 and M9P are wearing very well. The M8 only shows the faintest signs of brassing on the edges. My M9P shows no wear at all. I've bought all black lenses as well... mostly CV because I just can't afford the current crop of Leica lenses, and I really like that they're in the same style as my '60s vintage Leitz lenses with the scalloped focusing rings.
There are a million individual reasons to buy a camera; resale is NOT one of them. You may buy into a system for the resale... that's smart and makes financial sense though. You may avoid buying a camera for the resale value, but you don't BUY one for that. I have learned from experience to buy what you like. The color really doesn't make that much difference, but if you like it, you'll appreciate and enjoy it more. That's worth a whole lot more than a few dollars on resale... and frankly, if you like the camera you may not ever have to be concerned with the resale value.
Military helicopters are black for a reason, and black bodies are, in fact, less obtrusive. The KE-7A was ordered in black with black lenses for a reason. That was really the first black body camera I used extensively. I've wanted a black painted body since the days of the Nikon Ftn and Canon F1. I buy used, though, and I've always had a mish-mash of black lenses and chrome bodies. I bought what I could afford that I needed to do the job.
THIS time around when I returned to Leica, even buying used, I found I had choices, and the choices weren't much different in cost. My M8 and M9P are both black paint, and my M4-P is, of course, black chrome over zinc. Remember, black paint is sexy...
My M8 and M9P are wearing very well. The M8 only shows the faintest signs of brassing on the edges. My M9P shows no wear at all. I've bought all black lenses as well... mostly CV because I just can't afford the current crop of Leica lenses, and I really like that they're in the same style as my '60s vintage Leitz lenses with the scalloped focusing rings.There are a million individual reasons to buy a camera; resale is NOT one of them. You may buy into a system for the resale... that's smart and makes financial sense though. You may avoid buying a camera for the resale value, but you don't BUY one for that. I have learned from experience to buy what you like. The color really doesn't make that much difference, but if you like it, you'll appreciate and enjoy it more. That's worth a whole lot more than a few dollars on resale... and frankly, if you like the camera you may not ever have to be concerned with the resale value.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
robbeiflex
Well-known
Me too. My M6 looks better and better to me the more it wears.
To the OP: I also wondered if I should order black or silver, so I asked my wife about it. She said it was obvious that I should order a black one, and she couldn't imagine me with a silver one. I asked if the fact that most of my lenses are silver should be considered, and she said no. Black camera, period.
Cheers,
Rob
noimmunity
scratch my niche
Don't worry. In 4-6 years when middle-feeders like me are ready to buy your M240, things like shutter count, service history, user reports of M240 durability in general, and signs of shock rather than brassing will make the difference.
I really really really do not understand/appreciate the correlation between external appearance and price on the used Leica market.
P.S., I'll be buying chrome (and may well skip the M240)
I really really really do not understand/appreciate the correlation between external appearance and price on the used Leica market.
P.S., I'll be buying chrome (and may well skip the M240)
aizan
Veteran
i would buy a leica the same way you buy jewelry. some skin tones look better with silver, others with gold/brass, or whatever.