As I haven't figured out how to put words and pictures on at the same time: The M2 in the foreground is an original black paint M2, though it is on its third top-plate by now. It has met with some small incidents over the decades!
The one behind is a repainted late M2. it was an experiment with a harder and glossier finish and it resists brassing quite well.
The third camera, MP TA-1, is an amalagamtion of a M3 and M2 and I had it reengraved with my initials. This is my "M3" for 50's and 90's.
The extremely beat up one in the back is a M2 that was repainted badly by some unknown star. The paint chips off and scatters small flakes all around. I haven't decided if I should just let it "brass" naturally and then repaint it, or just strip the rest of the paint and redo the job with proper surface prepping.
None of these even comes close to a black M3 DS that I used to have. On that one the brass below the advance was worn paperthin and most of the vulcanite was replaced with black gaffer tape as it peeled off. I dont have a picture of it. At the time it was just another black M and I did not know that it was excruciatingly rare (one of 51 made in 1957/58 as a special order for the Swedish Press photographers union). Worked well too.
Among my newer bodies, the MP's is holding up quite well, some edge brassing and strap lug marks (well gouges to be truthful) and the LHSA and the Millenium look pretty good, though the Millenium has some heavy strapmarks and wind-lever brassing and the paint below the lever is wearing thin.
I do like black cameras as they tend to be more discreet and the black paint has a different "tactile" feel to it
