Leica M4 Black Paint Last Batch

[cqing]

I recently bought a M4 black paint with serial number: 1286663. I found some part of the camera is actually in black chrome instead of black paint.

The black paint parts are:
Top and bottom plate
self timer and frame selector(but with black chrome caps.)
advance lever
flash shoes

Black chrome parts:
shutter speed dial
rewind knob(black paint over black chrome)
rewind switch(this is kind of interesting)
frame counter retaining ring
back door
And the most interesting part, the advance lever retaining ring, just like black chrome M4, usually black paint M4 will have silver chrome advance lever retaining ring.

According to online resources, this M4 might be produced just after the M5 was introduced. And the wax seal on this camera is like "0" or "O" or "D".

I think there a several possibilities:
1. This is a black chrome M4, and later dechromed and painted in black.
2. This is a black paint M4, some parts are replaced with black chrome parts during past repair.
3. This is a black paint M4 with original parts.

I'm looking for advice here. Thank you!

 

[cqing]

 

[Erik van Straten]

This is quite normal for the black paint M4 with numbers starting with 12..., except for the rewind switch AFAIK.

Black M4's with numbers starting with 11... are more like the black paint M2's and M3's. All the parts in black paint are paint over brass in that case.

Erik.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

"Leica M4 is considered semi black paint camera, while the body and many knobs are black paint, there’s also many black chrome parts (such as shutter speed dial) and some silver chrome parts (Such as the plate under the shutter release button). The strap lug of over 99% of M4 black paint should be silver in colour. (Unless it is the ultra rare early first batch all black paint M4, but they are so rare that not many people know they exist."

http://www.johanniels.com/index.php/camera-gear-articles/44-leicam4

 

[cqing]

Thank you very much for your kind reply!
I found a BP M4 on the evilbay:
http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/Leitz-Le...797832?hash=item5692c873c8:g:jzQAAOSw2xRYari-
The serial number is 1286658, just 5 away from mine! They look exactly the same: black chrome rewind switch and black chrome advance lever retaining ring!

 

[Erik van Straten]

The "O" in the wax seal in the bayonet-ring means that the camera was serviced by Odin, the Dutch Leica importer.

Erik.

 

[cqing]

The "O" in the wax seal in the bayonet-ring means that the camera was serviced by Odin, the Dutch Leica importer.

Erik.

Thank you Erik for your information regarding the "O" wax seal! I appreciate it.

 

[harryjiang]

looks fake to me, just a cheap chinese repaint

 

[cqing]

looks fake to me, just a cheap chinese repaint

The paint quality is actually quite good. I think this one should be original after seeing the evilbay link in my previous reply...

 

[Erik van Straten]

looks fake to me, just a cheap chinese repaint

You must be a fake yourself. Why does it look fake in your eyes?

Erik.