ZM - Black or Silver? Comments?

[Tohoku Ben]

YES... I know it is purely subjective - I'm on the cusp of buying a ZM, and keep waffling between the black and silver finishes - generally I prefer the black, but at the same time appreciate the classic looks of the silver. For black ZM owners - how is the finish wearing? I'm curious how they might hold up/wear/appeal 10, 20, or more years down the road....

I'm curious to hear input from all ZM owners out there.

TIA!



Sean

 

[JoeFriday]

the black paint on mine (formerly joe's) is holding up extremely well.. I can't detect any significant wear

 

[tfelton]

When I purchased my ZM I got a silver body with black lenses. As far as the silver body goes my first real camera was a Contax IIa in silver and I always liked that, and as for the black lenses I felt I could see the markings easier. The combination of a silver body and black lens is quite nice. I have not noticed any wear marks on either the body or lenses and it's been a year now since I bought them. By the way, my IIa is still going strong.

Ted

 

[back alley]

i had both silver and black bodies and most of my lenses are silver. i kept the silver and sold the black.
both seemed to wear well and my silver still looks new despite being thrown in my daypack for most of a year and used on a regular basis.
i like the look of both btw.

 

[thomasw_]

When I purchased my ZM I got a silver body with black lenses. As far as the silver body goes my first real camera was a Contax IIa in silver and I always liked that, and as for the black lenses I felt I could see the markings easier. The combination of a silver body and black lens is quite nice. I have not noticed any wear marks on either the body or lenses and it's been a year now since I bought them. By the way, my IIa is still going strong.

Ted

Ted,

I just wanted to acknowledge your wonderful work, after browsing around your site. Do you work mostly with your ZI and rangefinders?

Respectfully,

Thomas W.

 

[sepiareverb]

I've got the 25 and the 28, but no ZI body. I really like the black finish on these lenses- something between the Leica black paint and black chrome. I've not had these long enough to comment on wear, but as to legibility and 'feel' on the fingertips A+.

 

[tfelton]

Ted,

I just wanted to acknowledge your wonderful work, after browsing around your site. Do you work mostly with your ZI and rangefinders?

Respectfully,

Thomas W.

Thomas,

Thank you for looking at my site - I do appreciate it.

The photos are a mixture of 35mm, MF, and LF; however, shots with rangefinder cameras take up a large portion.

I'm using my ZI a lot right now because I am going to Europe in August and will bring that camera with me. I found that in doing my ISO (ASA) film test that with a UV filter I need to overexpose 1/3 stop, with a #8 filter I have to overexpose 2/3 stop, and with a #11 filter I have to overexpose 1 stop. I use Kodak 400 Tmax film. So far I think that the 1 stop for the #11 filter is a little too much. I can back off to 2/3 stop. I also using 3 lenses: the 25, 35, and 50 f:2.

Ted

 

[matthyx]

Hello,

I don't quite well understand why you need to compensate for your filters with a TTL camera 😱
Maybe I just don't get it....

 

[haagen_dazs]

i like the black of the zeiss
looks like a luster black paint leica lens.
🙂
and the red markings on the zeiss lens makes it look like the collectible leica black paint ones 🙂

 

[Aperture]

If I had not just bought this M3 I would have gone for the black Ikon. Looks great with the black Luigi case......drule!!
- go with the Dark Horse, don't resist it!

 

[tfelton]

Hello,

I don't quite well understand why you need to compensate for your filters with a TTL camera 😱
Maybe I just don't get it....

For a long time I've been using Fred Picker's film testing method to determine film speed for a particular camera. I have found that with some cameras with TTL metering a little compensation is required. For example, on my Contax 645 a #8 and #11 filter requires an additional 1/3 stop; a #15 requires an additional 2/3 stop; and a POL filter requires none. My Contax G2 (which I sold to get the ZI) didn't need any compensation.

Ted

 

[matthyx]

For a long time I've been using Fred Picker's film testing method to determine film speed for a particular camera. I have found that with some cameras with TTL metering a little compensation is required. For example, on my Contax 645 a #8 and #11 filter requires an additional 1/3 stop; a #15 requires an additional 2/3 stop; and a POL filter requires none. My Contax G2 (which I sold to get the ZI) didn't need any compensation.

Ted

Ok, thanks Ted.

 

[cablesnarl]

I just got mine (in black) and was admiring its looks. It's a very handsome camera with a retro look that I really like. I'm glad it doesn't have a red dot on it. (Nothing against Leica cameras, just never did like the red dot thing).

I don't insist on all my cameras being black. My old Pentax s1a looks right in slver (to me). But I never even considered the silver ZM.

 

[kshapero]

Just got a silver body with silver lens. Shaweet!!