I did find a Leicaflex SL, as new, not a single sign of wear, but the bajonet ring is BLACK, and the lens release is not red and plastic, but metal with a red line and tree steps, same as the plastic one. can someone tell me what that mean? the body nr is 1235317 a '69ner thanks

romain

-- romain baeyens (ruchky@pi.be), January 19, 2002

Answers

The lock button was changed from red plastic to chromed metal sometime during the production of the SL and remained so through the R7. The red plastic button has been known to break, so many early SL's have had theirs replaced with the metal type.

However I have never seen a black bayonet flange on any Leica camera.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), January 19, 2002.

I've seen balck-bayonet SL bodies before but I don't know what they mean. I'd guess it's earlier production. The plastic release button often breaks, sometimes even with minimal use, and is replaced with the metal release.

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), January 20, 2002.

My black paint SL Mot (12403XX) has a black bayonet and red plastic lens release.

-- Lucien (lucien_cd@yahoo.fr), January 21, 2002.

Yes, black rings are reasonably common. The more recent lens release is common too. My current SL has one, but my earlier one did not.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.