So Many Re-Painted M's !!

M

murrayb53

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I've recently noticed there are quite a few re-painted / re-finished Leica M cameras being offered for sale on eBay. I don't have anything against this since I myself own a re-painted Black M3.

I see the selling price of both an M2 or M3 is anywhere between $1300-$2000. There have been a couple unique colorful paint jobs with "matching" coverings for sale but the usual offering is in black enamel.

What do you think of these re-painted cameras?
Are we to leave them alone to show their age and usage, or is it alright to give them a face-lift?

Steve
 
if it's not illegal then i figure it's up to the owner.

people repaint cars and houses and all other sorts of stuff.

it's a camera not a religious symbol (well, for most of us anyway)

joe
 
What do you think of these re-painted cameras?
Are we to leave them alone to show their age and usage, or is it alright to give them a face-lift?
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I don't think it matters what 'we' think. I think it is up to each owner. For my part, I love some repaints on some Ms. Other Ms I wouldn't want them except in silver chrome.

I think the real question is what criteria are used to determine whether to repaint or not repaint. But I am not sure it would be reasonable to expect a lot of agreement on such criteria. For instance, I used to think that if a silver chrome M was in good condition, it would be a shame to strip it and repaint it. After seeing some results with M repaints on a what were cosmetically fine silver bodies, I can't say I still hold to my old view. I leave it to the owner finem respice.

Regards, Thomas
 
I think a repainted M can give someone a black paint camera for a reasonable cost if that is to your liking. Often the original black paint M3s, for instance, are so astronomically priced that it would be hard to afford one as a user. I have owned a repainted M3, and as long as it is done well, and there are many people out there right now who have great examples, it can be a truly wonderful thing.
 
I would consider having one camera repainted in black if it is a camera in good working condition and worth no less than $400 and in user condition. Else, for me it would be waste of money.
 
Well...I for one have no problems with a repainted leica. If fact, I am working on repainting one myself. If you want a black leica and are on a limited budget you really have no choice - real black paint m2/m3/m4s go for insane amounts of money. The only other choices are an MP (even used they go north of $2000) or a LHSA M6 (typically go for about $1600-2000). Even if you paid the going rate for a quality 3rd party paint job ($350-$600+) getting your average M repainted is still the cheapest option.

BTW - in retrospect paying a 3rd party to do the painting is not that bad of an idea - there is a LOT of work involved.
 
Matter of personal taste - so long as nobody's trying to misrepresent a collectible. IMO a repaint job limits the size of the pool of potential future buyers, but so what? Same thing with some of the recovering jobs I've seen. I think they may look great in someone else's hands, but I can't imagine holding them myself.
 
I love it.
I keep telling myself I'm going to scrape up the cash some day to send my M4 to rangefinder restorations for a paint job. But then I keep finding something else to spend my money on. Some day....
 
I'm against repainting, and would never buy a repainted Leica for full price. I just read the British intelligence report from '46 which details the process used by Leitz to chrome the cameras. It's a lot more involved than baking black paint in an oven. I wonder if that level of craftsmanship even exists anymore. A repainted Stratocaster goes for less than half of one with an original finish, no matter how beat up. Same with antique furniture.
 
The best repaint job will probably run you at lease twice maybe three times the camera costs. If you want a piece of art, prepare $2000 to throw.
 
At that price ($2000) per unit, it may be profit worthy encough to enourage Leica to seriously consider offering it's own refinishing service for old M's. Perhaps some part time work for learning apprentices and retired senior factory workers?
 
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fbf said:
The best repaint job will probably run you at lease twice maybe three times the camera costs. If you want a piece of art, prepare $2000 to throw.
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$2000 is definately on the high end of the spectrum. I would imagine that for $2000 you are getting a 20+ layer hand rubbed lacquer job (sounds dirty doesn't it :angel:). Seriously though, from what I have heard, the average quality paint job on a Leica goes for $400-$800. For $400 you might not get art but chances are you will probably get a paint job that is close if not better than a leica factory paint job.

If you look hard enough you can find good user M's in the sub $500 category, if you send it away for a budget CLA ($100) and a 3rd party paint job ($400) you still come in at $1000. If you want a factory painted black Leica, $1000 won't even get you in the door.

Melvin said:
I'm against repainting, and would never buy a repainted Leica for full price. I just read the British intelligence report from '46 which details the process used by Leitz to chrome the cameras. It's a lot more involved than baking black paint in an oven. I wonder if that level of craftsmanship even exists anymore. A repainted Stratocaster goes for less than half of one with an original finish, no matter how beat up. Same with antique furniture.
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I imagine that if somebody repainted an authentic black paint M3/M2/M4 the value would drop like a brick, but I doubt anybody who owns a collectible like that would ever consider sending it in to get painted. I would bet that most of the leicas that get painted are dirt common users w/ dings, dents, and beat up chrome - there is nothing really collectible about them. In fact, on cameras like these I would venture to guess that a QUALITY paint job will most likely increase the value a little and I would also be willing to bet that there would be more potential buyers for it if/when you sold it when compared to other average user leicas. As far as craftsmanship is concerned, I think that the 3rd party repainters are showing quite a bit - stripping an entire leica down to pieces, prepping, and repainting it is not an easy task (I like to think of them as the hot-rodders of the Leica world).
 
I personally love the "brassing" of a black paint body Leica. When I am finally done eating canned soup and frozen waffles three meals a day, and can afford an MP, I will most definitely be getting a black paint model. And hopefully, with time, I'll "earn" some brassing of my own.
 
in theory I wouldn't want a repainted leica, but I've seen some really nice work. I'd rather have a classic chrome with some wear and tear but some of the repainted black ones look pretty. Maybe in 100 years somebody will ask why did they do this, but it's a camera produced in a factory in the 20th century not a one of a kind piece of furniture from the 1600s.

What confuses me is when you see a Leica with some of the ridiculous coverings, snakeskin. Including some of the coverings Leica offers with the a la carte, such as the red, blue and fake ostrich (George Bush's Leica, perhaps). I don't understand it.
 
I have and have had plenty of original and repainted M's (and Nikon Rf's). There is nothing wrong with taking a chrome M and having it painted to the color you want. it is after all your camera and you can do what you want with it. Most of the resistance to the repainted ones has to do with collectors, who insist on originality and are willing to pay for it,
The black M's were mainly a product aimed towards the pro market. Black cameras stood out less when carried. Leica catered to it by supplying them and not all of them are on the "painted" M list. Leica would convert a chrome M2 or M3 for a reasonable cost if you so wished. usually you could hand it in to your local dealer and they would ship it to the authorized importer who would replace the chrome parts with black, or you could simply send it to the factory for the service.
The reason for the proliference of painted M's is that it is much easier to "fake" a black camera than a chrome one. Stripping the chrome is simple - rechroming is not that easy, particularly matching the slightly pebble grained finish of an early M3 or M2.
I still prefer my cameras black paint - it is a pleasant, tactile finish and it does "glare" less obviously when you carry it. They do wear, but if that is a problem, just have it painted again!
Of course, if you try to pawn of a repainted M as an original - that is a wrong, but they are usually easy to spot. Too much fuss about the whole thing anyway. If you like it black, have it painted or pay an outrageous amount for the original! Over the years i have disposed of most of my black paint M2's and M3's and collectors have been willing to pay "nutty" prices for them. I simply bought chrome ones and had them painted instead - usually a factor of 1 original black M3 would get me 3 repainted ones!!!!! They were just as black as the original one anyway and usually the paint job was better than Leica's original one - at least the repainted ones does not bubble and flake if it is done properly.
 
I'm not sure if 3M still makes Black Photographic Masking Tape. It was a little thicker then regular masking tape. A lot of photographers used to just cover the chrome parts with the tape. If nothing else, it would protect the camera from small dings and scuff marks. You'd have to replace the tape on occasion. It doesn't wear as well as chrome...LOL When you were ready to sell or trade you peeled off the tape, cleaned off any remaining "sticky" with lighter fluid, and there you had it! A brand spankin' new looking Leica camera!

I suppose you could just do your camera in tan masking tape. At least it would protect the chrome from scuffs.
 
It's something I contemplated for years, when I couldn't afford it.

Now that I just about can afford it, I can't see the point. It's like the 24-hour-face watch that I coveted for years. I could get one now, but I'm not that interested any more.

There are some things that are more attractive as fantasies than in reality.

Cheers,

R.
 
A couple years ago, I got lucky enough to happen upon a great deal on a brand new black paint MP 3 kit from a member on here. It came with a beautiful 50 Lux ASPH old school style.

While I love using the MP 3, I am not real fond of .72 VF's for a 50.

So I had Rangefinder Restorations make me a black M3 as a workhorse for the black paint 50. I decided that since this was to have a lot of film go through it, I wanted it all black, even the shutter button, lens release button, hot shoe rails and the film counter wheel ( See avatar ).

This black M3 and my M6TTL is my go to kit, This week it went to D.C. for the inauguration and I just got back from shooting the ESPN Winter X-Games with the M3 / M6TTL combo in addition to digital.

The finish is very robust, the two cameras banged together all week around my neck and only a bit of finish wear happened to either of them.

I am glad I did it, the price was right and the function is excellent. The 50 Lux is now basically permanently mounted to the black M3 and rightfully so..
 
So Many Re-Painted M's !!

I prefer to keep it simple.
I can imagine maybe doing it with a Kiev or Zorki. In case I would not like it in the end, the damage would be acceptable...
I think that I feel about this topic as I feel about plastic chirurgie: they might even look a little nicer, but I still prefer natural.
And I fully agree with Wayneb, about those ridiculous coverings made of some animals. Animal respect apart, it might be a question of personal taste, but it somehow bothers me to see a Leica treated like a fashion acessory. A Leica deserves better!
But as long as it doesn't hurt nobody, who really cares?
It's not my Leica!
Rui
 
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