traditional black or colour?

laptoprob · 03-17-2006

So I finally dressed my 'new' IIf. I ordered the Wine Red embossed leather from Aki, just like my (now Jano's) M2 has.
When the leather arrived I was surprised how light coloured it looked but I dressed the IIf anyway.
Do I like it? Will I grow to love her like this? Or shall I change her robe to more traditional black?
The black beautyspot (slow speed cover) is something of special importance.

What do you think?

back alley · 03-17-2006

i like it!

now i'm glad i still have the m3 and can't wait for the purple snake to arrive.

FrankS · 03-17-2006

I like the dark brown leather look. It's somehow vintage and fits.

35mmdelux · 03-17-2006

looks nice. do you ever use it?

jano · 03-17-2006

If it's the same color as my M2

, then the color on these photos is a bit off.. the red is more subdued and darker and looks very good on the M2 (I've grown very attached to it), but I don't like it on this version of the leica here.

By the way.. I left the M2 in my backpack on the floor. Our water boiler/heater exploded and flooded the room, which soaked the backpack and got to the M2. It's working flawlessly.. and the water slightly stained the covering and it looks pretty good now

What's important about that black spot?

VictorM. · 03-17-2006

Looks like a Rooskie ho'. Too flashy and cheap. All it needs now is a tasteful layer of faux 'gold' plating.

Gabriel M.A. · 03-17-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by VictorM.

Looks like a Rooskie ho'. Too flashy and cheap. All it needs now is a tasteful layer of faux 'gold' plating.

Hey, some people like hanging fuzzy dice from their cameras; all in the FSU style, anything goes, I say.

VictorM. · 03-17-2006

But I didn't mean it's ugly or anything...just jarring. Maybe I'm too Canadian. Maybe it would look good in a festive shade of gray.

laptoprob · 03-17-2006

Well, looks like my first hunch will be backed up by you. Not that it influences me, but this shows how one can hope for some effect but miss it completely. The colour is definetly different than Jano's M2 was when I dressed her in Wine Red. Don't know how she looks now, show us, Jano!
35mmdelux (do you also have a name), No not been used yet. Fitst I was awaiting lugs and skin, since I got my FED to another RFF'er in need and now I am awaiting a take-up spool.
This red is definetly brighter than the red I had before.
By now I have cleaned the chrome bits of the camera some more, staining the red, cleaning that rather violently thus ageing it and adding dark shoe-polish. Now it doesn't look shiny and cheap anymore, but old and used. Better.
The black spot is of importance because it is almost the only black on the camera and uselessly very present in looks.

Still, I think the black embossed pseudo-vulcanite will eventually bo on the camera.
Losing the smell of leather, sadly.

Thank you all so far.

Kim Coxon · 03-17-2006

Rob,
I have had several skins from Aki. I have had a wine red skin for a Zorki 1 which was a pleasant maroon colour.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Zorki-1-Custom-C...QQcmdZViewItem

I also had a set of red Zorki 4 skins which are much more like yours. http://cgi.ebay.com/Zorki-4-4K-Custo...QQcmdZViewItem

I got those by mistake when I ordered some red croc ones. I contacted Aki and he send the proper ones and told me to keep the others. This "bright colour is OK for a Z4 but I would get a darker one for a Barnack.

Kim

back alley · 03-17-2006

like purple snake?

harry01562 · 03-17-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankS

I like the dark brown leather look. It's somehow vintage and fits.

Nice looking pair. I'll have to keep that color in mind when comes time to recover my M3.

Harry

doubs43 · 03-17-2006

While my personal taste runs more traditional and I'd be happy with black leather, I must say that all of the re-skinned Leicas in this thread are very nice looking indeed. Differences in our tastes are what makes the world interesting.

Walker

Stephanie Brim · 03-17-2006

My goal is a very deep, dark red...don't know if I'm going to be able to find exactly what I want.

Tom Harrell · 03-18-2006

Dark brown or black for me.

Gid · 03-18-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Harrell

Dark brown or black for me.

Same here - looks cool and expensive without attracting too much attention.

scigeek · 03-18-2006

Vulcanite for me.

c.poulton · 03-18-2006

Original vulcanite - understated and shows off the camera's history, like lines on a person's face.....

Uncle Bill · 03-18-2006

My M3 has the original Vulcanite and I am starting to get a bit of seperation on the back door. Since was my dad's I want to keep it sort of original, I would rather replace it with something that has the look and feel of vulcanite while at the same time being more durable. Yeah basic black. However, if I were to come into another M3 single stroke, M2, or M4 , the camera mechanically is in great shape and ready to go but the vulcanite is half gone. I will then get really funky. I am thinking brown leather with a mock croc pattern.

Bill

doubs43 · 03-18-2006

FYI - I emailed Aki late last night asking about coverings for the Leica III, IIIa & IIIb. Within TWO MINUTES I had an answer! (Amazing!) He plans to offer coverings for the III & IIIa "soon". Of course, any covering that fits the III & IIIa will also fit the IIIb.

I had planned to cut my own cover from leather for my late father's IIIa but now I'm going to wait for Aki's offerings.

Walker

reagan · 03-18-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankS

I like the dark brown leather look. It's somehow vintage and fits.

Ditto, I like the dark brown. Second choice - black. Old school, I guess. When my wife and I lived in Mexico, there were some neighborhoods we really enjoyed occasionally just driving through. Each house was painted a different [rather bright] color, just street after street. We thought they were beautiful... and fun! But when we painted our own house ~ naaa, earth tones for us.

I like seeing what others create on their cameras and often comment my sincere enjoyment at the colors. There are some real originals here done very nicely IMHO. But for the cameras I [get to/have to] look at every day, I guess I'm more conservative.

laptoprob · 03-18-2006

Maybe I will cut my own skin from cowhide. With hairs I mean. Might be difficult to fit but very nice.
Or the black vulca-like I got as second from Aki.

Ken Ford · 03-18-2006

I think you need a nice houndstooth check, like the seat covers on a '72 Dodge Dart Swinger!

laptoprob · 03-19-2006

Huh? Do you mean you let your lovely avatar dog eat at your car seats or your camera?

harry01562 · 03-19-2006

It appears we are mostly a conservative group. I've always liked the feel of the vulcanite, and think that it should be replaced only if damaged or unsightly.

That said, I'd probably go with a nicely textured black, or maybe something in a dark brown. I'm another one of the conservative group, obviously.

Just have to save up for one of those gorgeous cases from Luigi..... that's where to get the color!

Harry