It's me again on this black/chrome thing, but now I'm thinking about lenses. Specifically, how does opinion fall on the black (lighter because it contains aluminum) versus chrome and titanium (all brass and so heavier). Is anybody sorry their lens is not all brass? Phototoys.com has a few words to say on the subject but I'm wondering what the experience out there is like? My own black 50 Summicron has worked fine for the last 10 years.

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), November 27, 2000

Answers

Here we go again! Both the chrome/titanium and black lenses have aluminium and brass in their focusing helicals. Aluminium and brass have a certain amount of "natural" lubrication when used together which reduces the amount of lubricant required over materials. The ONLY difference is that brass is better for chrome/titanium plating than aluminium so the larger outer part of the focusing mount of a chrome/titanium lens is brass and the smaller inner part is aluminium. Since the chrome/titanium has more brass, it is heavier. There is no optical or functional difference between the two lens constructions.

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), November 27, 2000.

I would think that if you can wear out a current Leica lens, then you must be taking a lot of pictures. I have a black 1969 Summicron, and it works a fine as my current model. In real life, you won't be racking it from infinity to minimum focus for every shot. The lenses just don't accumulate that much wear and tear during general photography.

If you want light weight and cost savings... go black. If you damage it from too much use, your massive portfolio should generate enough money to buy another :-)

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), November 27, 2000.

Thanks. Enough on that subject, I guess.

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), November 27, 2000.

Looking back, as the owner of a chrome M6 acquired many years ago and a black TTL .85 bought more recently, I should have bought all black. Why?

1. Black (aluminum) lenses are noticeably lighter. I'm no great fan of "heft".

2. You can put black lenses on a chrome body and it'll look OK. The reverse looks a bit odd, though of course this is a trivial, cosmetic point.

3. If Leica ever again has a black only camera (such as it did for a while with the M6HM and the M6TTL 0.85) you will be stuck with problem #2 if you buy such a camera.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), November 27, 2000.

Please, for the love of god, throw a penny in the air and move on.

-- Eric Laurence (Edgar1976@hotmail.com), November 27, 2000.

Yes! Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- M Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), November 28, 2000.