Why did Leica discontinue Vulcanite as a covering for its M series cameras? This question has always puzzled me since, from what I understand, it is a very durable material. I presently own an M6 "Classic" and the material definitely is not Vulcanite. What is it and is it a better material than Vulcanite? My M3, which I regretably sold a few years, was covered with Vulcanite and had a different "feel" to it than does my M6 with what ever covering it has. Any and all responses will be appreciated.Thank you experts.

-- John Alfred Tropiano (jat18@psu.edu), October 30, 2001

Answers

Hallo J. F.,

the vulcanite was already replaced when the manufacturing company still was the LEITZ factory. As far as I know, the M6 in 1984 was the first LEICA M to receive the new cover made of pvc. To me this material has more grip than the old cover. I do not regret the change.

Vulcanite is more complicated to apply to the body and tends to get brittle when it gets old. My M2 has some parts missing, but my M6, although not as old of course, is still going strong, not only coverwise.

Best wishes

K. G. Wolf

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), October 30, 2001.

My model II, made in 1932, still has its original covering, which is only now beginning to get just a little "slick". Not, however nearly as slick as the plastic on my M6. And it doesn't have the slightly moist feeling, either.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), October 30, 2001.

I believe Vulcanite was dropped as it was expensive to use and time consuming to fit. I understand it needed to be heated and pressure fitted to a bare shell. The replacement as fitted to the M4-2 is apparantly PVC - although that fitted to my M4-2 and M4-P seems very similar to Vulcanite - grippy and substantial. The coverings on the M6 (incl. latest models) are IMO much inferior to both Vulcanite and the M4-2/P material. They are very thin, 'slippery' and cheap. Sorry - bit yet another reason to prefer the older bodies!

My favourite material is on a Fed (Leica II copy) I own - it is also vulcanite but really rough and grippy!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), October 30, 2001.

Does anyone sell an after-market covering that has a better feel than the current PVC?

-- jeff voorhees (debontekou@yahoo.com), October 30, 2001.

The PVC body covering was introduced with the M4-2 in order to reduce the production cost. It is more durable than the vulcanite, easier to replace when damaged and significantly less expensive to produce initially and replace if damaged. However it does not have as nice a "feel" as the vulcanite and is a little bit slipperier when wet from sweat or rain. I prefer PCV myself and when I recovered my M2, I opted for the PVC material rather than using a NOS body shell. Cost and longevity under duress were significant factors in my choice.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), October 30, 2001.

My M4-2 is chipping away around one strap lug, like vulcanite. It doesn't act quite like the old stuff, but it doesn't act like PVC either. ???

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), October 30, 2001.

My M2's Vulcanite is chipping away faster than John Van Stelten can fix it. I just got it back from him, looking like new; one week out shooting, and it flaked off in a brand new spot. But I've had it 40 years, and it's not flaking off as fast as I am. It will outlast me. I'm just going to have to learn how to artistically sculpture black epoxy myself. I wonder how an all-epoxy cover feels?

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), October 30, 2001.

Giles,
Are you sure the covering on your FED is vulcanite? Most russian leica copies actually has painted metal with a vulcanite texture -an extremely durable solution (and cheap -which was the primary reason for the choice).

-- Niels H. S. Nielsen (nhsn@ruc.dk), October 30, 2001.

Well, it's certainly not a 'painted' finish. This is a thick covering that looks like Vulcanite, smells like Vulcanite, feels like Vulcanite and chips and drys out like Vulcanite!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), October 30, 2001.

The covering on my Fed appears to be pressed garbage, painted grey :- ) Somewhere along the line it began to rot and liquify. Yuk.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), October 31, 2001.

My M4-2 had Vulcanite and it was chipping off. I've only seen M6's with the vinyl "leatherette", but I'm told the last M4-P's had it also--those with the plastic strap-wear inserts and M6 semi-silvered viewfinder windows also. The earlier LTM's (like my IIIa) were covered with leather. Later LTM's (like my IIIf) had Vulcanite like the M's.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), October 31, 2001.