No more "non-red dots" on Leicas (eg. 8.2)

[yoyo22]

I bet the guy who is always selling black dots for 39 EUR on eBay will soon demand even more insane prices.

 

[Shac]

Several years ago I painted mine black without taking it off - carefully wiped off the paint from the raised lettering before it dried and that was it. As Benz says - you can paint your dot any colour you wish 🙂>)

 

[Pickett Wilson]

After thinking about it, I really do want a smiley face for my M2. I'll have to find some stickers somewhere. Maybe everyone I point it at will smile. 🙂

 

[DerekF]

Uhh, I have to take issue with a few things on that method. First, using an
"artist's scalpel" (or any sharp object) to pry off the dot is an unnecessary risk. Pressing your finger (or a pencil eraser) hard against the dot and turning it right and left will work it loose to the point you can just lift it off with your nail. Second, you may or may not salvage enough adhesive for reattaching it without having it fall off later. A tiny, thin bit of Pliobond (rubber contact cement) would be a good idea if R&R'ing the dot. Last, there's no need to use an emery file to remove paint from the Leica script. A micro sponge just dampened with a little model paint thinner will do it. In fact a fingernail will do it, because model paint won't bond well to the shiny surface without a primer.

But really, if you mask off around the dot even someone with minimal skill could do it without removing the dot.

I'm not going to do it (remove the dot or repaint mine), but thanks for the heads up on that. 🙂

 

[DerekF]

I bet the guy who is always selling black dots for 39 EUR on eBay will soon demand even more insane prices.

DAG lists some black dots in his inventory for $18 US + $4 shipping.

Still, I like the idea of a happy face instead. Paint the dot yellow, add a small red splash to it and you've got your own "Watchmen Edition M8". :angel:

 

[Bill58]

You guys who want the Smiley face, should remember you gotta pay a handsome royalty to Forrest Gump, the inventor. There's no free lunch........

I have to agree that's a pretty trivial thing for Leica to worry about this!

 

[chris00nj]

Will Leica start lowering their prices? I've been paying a lot for that red dot.

 

[hlockwood]

Snip

And if anybody wants to remove the model badge from their recent (as in, from at least 1980) M-B or BMW car trunk, they're not screwed on, just held by double-sided tape. Just hold a length of dental floss taut between two hands and slip it under the badge and use a sawing motion while sliding from one side to the other. Then use a little isopropyl alcohol to clean away any shadow residue from the tape.

That's exactly what I did with one of my earlier BMWs. Works perfectly.

Harry

 

[George S.]

Obviously the cameras are set up with a place for the dot. Just switch to a grinning yellow "happy face".

Yeah, but somebody else somewhere does own the rights to the yellow smiley, I think ..?... IIRC, there was a cease and desist against someone who was doing unauthorized yellow smiley face t-shirts a while back.

 

[JohnTF]

HEY CAMERALEATHER! Howzabout being the source for yellow smiley face dots? Leica couldn't claim trademark infringement and people could even stick 'em on Holgas!

Is that OK with Forrest? ;-)

 

[Ken Shipman]

Why wipe the paint off the Leica script? Why not just paint it black along with the rest of the dot?

 

[marke]

After thinking about it, I really do want a smiley face for my M2. I'll have to find some stickers somewhere. Maybe everyone I point it at will smile. 🙂

I want a face with it's tongue sticking out. 😛

 

[LeicaTom]

Red Dots, Black Dots.....where do I get a White K for my IIIC K shutter??????? 😀 LOL!!!!!!

Tom

 

[GrahamWelland]

The Germans have been fond of "deleting badges" for quite some time. This phenomenon started with MB, Porsche and BMW owners "deleting" their model numbers (especially the lower-end ones). I remember seeing this on the Autobahn back in the late 80's-90's, for example.

Not quite as extreme as the California phenomenon of "shaving." This is where just about everything is removed, smoothed or painted. No chrome strips, no badges, nothing.

Btw, what's interesting about de-badging is that in Germany it would often be the top of the line more expensive models that we de-badged and not the cheapest. In the UK and other markets the opposite would be tend to be true. I always found that to be an interesting reflection of the psyche of the two nations ... one set hiding their wealth, the other trying to appear as if they're better off than they really are.

Red dot - well who cares so long as it says Leica on it? Really.

 

[geesbert]

we germans always feel miserabre about having success. I am currently thinking of changing my red dot to one of these:

 

[geesbert]

or maybe one of these:

 

[__hh]

1 square centimetre of black electrical tape works for me 🙂

 

[Rob-F]

1 square centimetre of black electrical tape works for me 🙂

...To cover up the dot, I think you meant. Tape will also work as a removal tool. Duct tape is good, but I guess any tape with high adhesion will do.

 

[urban_alchemist]

Yes, I'd heard that M8s sent in for upgrade that had black dots (red replaced by owner) were being returned with red dots. I removed my black dot and replaced it with the original red before sending in the camera for upgrade.

Bob.

What happens if you paid them for the change? Are they offering refunds?

I'd be mighty pissed if my M8's black dot that I paid for came back as red.

 

[tjh]

I'd be particularly upset if my LHSA M6TTL, that was manufactured with a black sticker came, back with a red dot! Maybe I should buy a spare black dot from DAG.