Re: [Leica] Black paint classic

[Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>]

Except that what you are describing is a collector's dream.  It would seem
to me that the current M6 is the workingman's Leica, the most utilitarian
of all of the M models.  

Does the workingman really care what finish was used on the camera (though
the current finishes are probably the most durable, hence the best for a
hard working user)?  Does the workingman worry about whether or not the
current top plate is 2mm higher than previous models?   Does the workingman
care a whit if the camera has TTL capabilities?  Is he forced to use them?
But they are there just in case he does need them!  

When someone like James Nachtwey is out in some god-forsaken part of the
world, photographing things which I am just barely able to muster the
strength to look at, do you think he notices the silken feel of the brass
gears of his cameras?  Perhaps he is thankful that they are steel, and that
the cameras are the last things he need worry about should things go
terribly wrong.

I will concede a point concerning the issue of the reversed shutter dial,
but only for oldtimer workingmen, who have used earlier models.

Just my turn to rant a bit.  I now return control of the mailing list to you.

Dan C.

 At 11:47 PM 20-10-00 -0500, Mike Johnston wrote:
>
[snip]
>
>A classic M6 in black paint would suit me perfectly. Particularly if it had
>three framelines (35, 50, 90) instead of 6 and no capability for the motor
>drive, thus restoring the brass gears and the silken feel of the M4.
>
>For this reason (i.e., that I want it), no product of this description will
>_ever_ see the light of day <g>.
>
>But I *would* like to see something...subversive. Unabashedly utilitarian.
>Anti-collector. Again, nothing against the collectors. I just get a bit
>overstuffed with all the limited-edition, carriage-trade marketing gimmicks,
>one after the next. It's all so damned...precious. I know, I know, it's what
>they feel they need to do to survive, and that's fine with me. I just don't
>feel I'm being served.
>
>It would be nice if there were a workingman's Leica.
>
>It does kind of bug me that I don't really covet any of the products Leica
>is currently selling. I don't know why it should, but there it is.