M9 Brassing?

Double Negative said:
In Leicaworld(TM) you pay extra for fast-wearing paint. :D

Too bad the M9 doesn't come in a black chrome option. Love it or hate it, I actually like the finish on my M8. I know black paint wouldn't have been my first choice - too bad it's the only one on the M9.
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I'm not complaining much about the finish, I think it's more aesthetically pleasing then the M8, but durability is still something that can't be disregarded.

But Leica also forgot to fill in half of my "M" in the M9 with white. I got a chuckle out of that, 7k later and they *uck their logo up.
 
Gabriel M.A. said:
Oh, no! Is this the beginning of the end for Leica?
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No, but a 7k tool that loses paint after a few months use seems a bit annoying. This is coming from a guy who turned wrenches for a living and constantly abused expensive tools all day and it took serious effort to ruin the finish on them.( i.e dragging them by an airline across the floor)
 
Its a shame that owning Leica's has now come to resale value before enjoyment of the camera, all thanks to digital shortening the life cycle of cameras. Just enjoy the camera, you're very fortunate to own one.
 
^ +1 Leicashot.


Mine has a few very faint scratches, especially on the bottom plate. I don't really care unless the viewfinder gets a scratch or sand gets into somewhere it shouldn't. So long as the camera operates, I'm a happy camper.

"Even this shall pass"
 
Can't say I've heard of problems, or folks complaining of excessive ware on the M9 black paint. Just of opposite. (The Steel Gray did receive some complains about easy marks/scratches on the early run, but Leica reportedly changed the paint formula to a harder version)

Do you have a few photos to share so we can see what you are talking about, and what serial number range do you have?
 
I got out my loupe - mine has some minimal brassing after nine months of hard use - less than my bright chrome M8s have, I might add. I find the coating on my black M9 holds up better to daily use than bright chrome.

It is amazing. Well brassed film Ms have a price premium and here people are complaining about some brass edges because "it impacts resale value" :rolleyes:
 
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In the UK 'brass' is a word often used to define persistent bravery or the apex of an organisation; so I could interpret the word 'brassing' as the hallmark of good photographic practice. ;)
 
Leica had to thin down the enamel, so that an owner has a chance to see his camera brassed before it's obsolete ;)
 
dreamsandart said:
Can't say I've heard of problems, or folks complaining of excessive ware on the M9 black paint. Just of opposite.
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Exactly, after the initial canvasing amongst M9 owners I think everybody has settled down and realised the brassing isn't at the level of earlier cameras by a long stretch, this paint finish is tough. Which makes me wonder if the majority of the people grumbling about '$7000 cameras that shed paint' have one or just want to jump in and moan about something without any real basis for their criticism? Kind of like complaining that the colour options of the Bugatti Veyron is all that is stopping them buying one.

Steve
 
I agree that there is/was something amiss with the paint used for (some) of the M9s. Maybe folks remember that the engraving paint in my M9 just flaked off within six days of receiving my M9. I had two other people email me directly who had received M9s and had the same issue.

When my M9 was returned to me, Leica did a fantastic job of restoring the paint. So it was 'like new' (when it should have just been 'new'). So no brassing on mine. Yet.
 
Maybe Leica thought that photogs would like their M9s to "brass up" really easily? Something about giving the camera cachet (remember that photo of Jim Marshall's beat-up M4?)

There was some noise back when that the paint on the black Leica MPs was made to wear off easily to give the camera that "veteran combat photographer" look. Dunno if that's what's going on here...
 
The engraving paint is something different, that is easily taken off. All black Leicas, also black chrome ones, have that problem. However, the black "paint" on the M9 is an extremely durable epoxy coating. On my M9 the black chrome on the ring around the shutter button is far more worn than the coating of the camera.
 
leicashot said:
Its a shame that owning Leica's has now come to resale value before enjoyment of the camera, all thanks to digital shortening the life cycle of cameras. Just enjoy the camera, you're very fortunate to own one.
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When did I mention resale value? I am enjoying the camera, very much so. I was just wondering why my finish was falling off so fast. ;)





250swb said:
Exactly, after the initial canvasing amongst M9 owners I think everybody has settled down and realised the brassing isn't at the level of earlier cameras by a long stretch, this paint finish is tough. Which makes me wonder if the majority of the people grumbling about '$7000 cameras that shed paint' have one or just want to jump in and moan about something without any real basis for their criticism? Kind of like complaining that the colour options of the Bugatti Veyron is all that is stopping them buying one.

Steve
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Haha you caught me! My M9 is actually invisible, with invisible brassing.






I can't wait to be just like Jim Marshall, (RIP), I was lucky enough to have a chance to sit down and talk to him a year ago, he was brilliant, hilarious, and pleasantly unpleasant. I wonder how he would feel about Leica finishes designed to wear down faster to make it look like you were doing this longer...
 
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