M7s brassing?

[cole]

So, does anyone have photos of some heavily-used black M7s to share? I'm interested in seeing how they're looking as the finish wears down. Just because I'm feeling extra geeky today.

And... go! 😀

 

[swoop]

M7's don't brass because they're either silver or black chrome which wears to a dull silver because the brass is coated to add the black chrome onto. Mine has some of that along the edges. Unless you have an a la carte black paint M7. There won't be many brassed M7's I think.


I'm currently saving my pennies for a black paint M7 .85x. So maybe there will be pics in the future. =)

 

[cole]

M7's don't brass because they're either silver or black chrome which wears to a dull silver because the brass is coated to add the black chrome onto. Mine has some of that along the edges. Unless you have an a la carte black paint M7. There won't be many brassed M7's I think.


I'm currently saving my pennies for a black paint M7 .85x. So maybe there will be pics in the future. =)

Indeed, I was wondering whether anyone's seen any wear beyond the 'silver lining.' I suppose it would have to take a fair bit of abuse first, though!

 

[Ade-oh]

Ermm, as I understand it, black chrome M7s, M6s etc etc don't 'brass' because their top and bottom plates are made of a zinc alloy. You could say that they 'zinc' but it isn't a terribly attractive effect.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Ermm, as I understand it, black chrome M7s, M6s etc etc don't 'brass' because their top and bottom plates are made of a zinc alloy. You could say that they 'zinc' but it isn't a terribly attractive effect.

You would be wrong...

ALL Leica M7 topcovers (and their baseplates) are made from brass. As has already been pointed out here, there is a thin layer is zinc under the black chrome (and silver too for that matter). The finish will eventually wear down to brass.

For the most part, M6/M6TTL topcovers are zinc alloy - only certain special editions and the very last TTLs are brass. Leica experimented with zinc on the base plate, but it was determined the zinc is too fragile for the clasp. Every M base plate ever produced by Leica has been made of brass - excepting only the 50-year M7, which is solid titanium.

 

[pfoto]

I've seen at least one M7 that was brassed on the top. Rough canvas bags like Domke can brass cameras pretty quickly if the equipment is in use every day.

 

[jfujita]

Brass top/bottoms like the M7 finished in satin chrome have a layer of copper and nickel plating beneath their bead-blasted chrome finish.

 

[LChanyungco]

so how many licks does it take to get to the center ?

 

[jfujita]

The world may never know

 

[cole]

Brass top/bottoms like the M7 finished in satin chrome have a layer of copper and nickel plating beneath their bead-blasted chrome finish.

As already mentioned by Bill, I believe it's just a single layer of zinc beneath the chrome finish.

As for how many licks? How thick is the zinc layer and how resistant is zinc to wearing down?

 

[jfujita]

As per leica marketing materials:

The LEICA MP is made exclusively of high quality materials. The top and
base plates are cut from solid brass using modern methods. For silver cameras, the
surface is initially copper plated, nickel plated and then given an extremely durable
fine matt shiny chrome finish.

I would think the parts of an M7 goes through the same plating process as an mp.

 

[cole]

As per leica marketing materials:

I would think the parts of an M7 goes through the same plating process as an mp.

Indeed, but you will note the finishing process is different for the silver cameras, as opposed to the black.

Not at all trying to start and argument, just lining up facts. 😉

 

[sepiareverb]

The MP's are painted black, the M7's are black or silver chrome plated, so I believe the process is the same/similar for the plated cameras. Note my black chrome cameras show bright marks on the corners that are silvery, not brassy. My paint camera shows brass much more quickly than the chrome ones show silver.

 

[cole]

Either way, no photos yet?
Ah well. 😉

 

[aizan]

ever seen those polished hematite rocks they sell in gift stores? it looks like that.

 

[sepiareverb]

Either way, no photos yet?
Ah well. 😉

It doesn't really show up in pictures, looks like highlights more than anything. Marks in the finish of the black chrome also seem to vanish in pictures. A very mysterious surface.

 

[abenner]

I've seen photos of people who took sandpaper to their m6 black. Search over at photo.net. If you're interested. I don't think I've ever seen a really worn m6 or m7.

 

[John Rountree]

I have an M7 with a black paint M3 rewind lever. The edges of the rewind lever are beginning to brass and show a hairline of gold colored brass. The corners/edges of the M7 body show some wear, but there is no "brass" color, just a slightly dull gray.