I just find an old M4 Black paint in REALLY bad condition. The shutter isn't working, The viewfinder is foggy and the rewind crank is missing. The camera is all original and has about 65%-70% original finish left (Mostly the bottom plate and L/R side of the top plate show brass, the rest of the patina is dull). The person was asking 650.00$ US in the past and I believe That I can get it for a much lower price (something around 450.00$ to 550.00$ US). What do you think? What would you do?

-- Eric Laurence (Edgar1976@hotmail.com), May 29, 2001

Answers

Eric,

The missing rewind crank doesn't scare me, since it can be replaced. It is of more concern that the shutter isn't working, since we don't know why it isn't. Simple repair? Or was the camera soaked in water? The foggy finder suggests it might have been. I seem to recall an earlier thread which said that some finder problems can be cleared by cleaning, but others might be there to stay, I think because of problems with silvered mirrors. This camera doesn't sound like it has had any care at all. I believe I would pass it up.

Regards,

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), May 29, 2001.

Avoid it.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), May 30, 2001.

Even for the black paint's parts? (Top plate with serial #, self timer, frame selector, bottom plate, back door ISO...)

-- Eric Laurence (Edgar1976@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001.

A friend of mine in Bombay has a complete M3 set of camera, three lenses, various viewfinders, lightmeter, filters, leather cases for all parts, boxes, papers, instruction leaflets, receipts even, all mint (never used at all) - and all completely rotten with fungus! Nothing works, the lenses are virtually opaque.

It's like a collector's nightmare. I have no idea if it has any value at all.

-- rob appleby (rob@robertappleby.com), May 30, 2001.

Eric,

If what you mean is can you get insides from another M4 (or alternatively, use the black paint's body) to construct a working "black paint Leica M4" and thereby save some money, well that is your business.

If you plan to profit from it because of the largish premium that worn black paint models command over regular M4s, you should say so and invite comments from collectors on this forum as to whether this is a common or acceptable practice in the world of Leica collecting.

I really do not know.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), May 30, 2001.

If you could ask him to send the camera to letīs say Mrs. Krauter to get an estimated of repairment, that will help a lot to decide, my biggest concern is the finder, the rest is reparable.

-- R Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001.