i think i'm in love!

[atelier7]

Leica IIIf painted black by shintaro... drool...

[Richard Black]

Please stop posting photos like this. Just when I think I have the GAS under control, someone here goes a does something like this. I don't think I have ever seen a camera sooooo beautiful. AAARRRRRGh!

[aizan]

i'm planning on repainting a black dial iiif as part of my camera repair project. i'll write a page on how i do it, so people can see how to do it themselves.

[Richard Black]

Aizan,
I tried to do this on a Zorkii 6 and the results were disasterous. I am all thumbs. My wife won't let me attemp may projects at all without her supervision. I can run the vacum without assistance now, after 25 years. I have learned to trust professionals. Camera repair and recovering is best left to those who know what they are doing, imho! Good luck with your project though. I hope to see the finished project here.

[Brian Sweeney]

That is a beautiful camera; Shintaro does fine work.

Of course, I am waiting to see how G-Man does with the Canonator. Shintaro does not take in Canon 7's, and G-Man could have a world-wide monopoly.

[atelier7]

Yes Aizan, let us know how it goes! It'll save me a $500 paint job on a $50 fed 1. :p

[back alley]

g'man painted the little konica c35 and it looks great.

[Film dino]

I'm sure you know CRR Luton in England [http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/ ] also paint Leica bodies. I've got a IIIf BD with them at the moment for replacement of the RF beam splitter (weak RF image) & "enamelling" which is their term for painting. Prices start about 140 pounds & I'll post a pic or two when it comes back, which probably isn't soon. You can choose to leave brightwork, i.e. wind-on knob, RF window surrounds, rewind knob original chrome, provided of course the chrome is OK. Peter Grisaffi sent the attached jpgs recently

[Ben Z]

I admit that a freshly-painted black paint Leica looks great, and even a long-worn patina looks interesting. But after a year and a half with an MP all I had were ugly scuff marks and fine scratches everywhere. Really looked just plain ratty. For a camera to use (and that's all I want a camera for), I'll take black or sliver chrome any day.

[aizan]

that's interesting. maybe it says something about what paint they used and how they applied it. tell me when you start seeing brass or primer?

[zeos 386sx]

The matte black paint on the CRR Luton examples almost looks like black chrome. The Shintaro example looks more like the shiny black paint used by Leica - very nice for dress-up occassions.

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Ben,

For a camera to USE I'll take black paint any day, because I'm going to use it long enough and hard enough for it to acquire a patina. My MP is already getting there after a year from new. My black chrome M4P looked so awful after a year from new that a Leica dealer friend asked why I hadn't returned it under guarantee -- and after c. 20yr hard use it looks worse.

Besides, if (as you aver) you only want a camera to USE, why do you care what it looks like, as long as it's unobtrusive? My cameras are 90+% use, the remainder pose value, and ALL my black paint cameras (Leica MP, 2x Nikon F, Olympus Pen W) score 10/10 for both usability and pose quotient. Unlike the loathsome black chrome.

Cheers,

Roger

[Traut]

What is my best alternative for painting a IIf? How much $$ and how long to accomplish.

THanks HT

[macmac]

For me, the marks of heavy use on my M4-P and M6 add to the nobility of these beautiful instruments.

[rich815]

Roger,

Could you post (or email me) a pic of your MP? I have a black paint one only about 2 months old but I can see brassing on the edges. Not that I'm concerned, I'm into using than worrying about preserving a new look, but I am curious how the look wears on. Thanks.

Richard

Dear Ben,

For a camera to USE I'll take black paint any day, because I'm going to use it long enough and hard enough for it to acquire a patina. My MP is already getting there after a year from new. <snip>

Roger

[atelier7]

i'm down the slippery slope! just won a IIIc with summitar on the bay!