Is the grey circular spot on the bottom of the leather M lens cases meant to be used as a grey card for exposure measurement? It seems to serve no other purpose, but to me, doesn't quite match the same shade of grey as my 8" x 10" grey card.

-- Steve Brantley (superglidesport@mindspring.com), March 16, 2002

Answers

Your guess is as good as mine! For what its worth, I wrote the lens details down in them (eg 35/1.4 etc)

-- Tim Franklin (tim_franklin@mac.com), March 16, 2002.

This is one of the best questions I have seen on this forum. I also want to know? Jack F, any idea mate?

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002.

I think it's just a grey circle.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), March 16, 2002.

Curiouser still, the grey spot lines up with the hole in the foam packing when in the box.

-- Fred Sun (redsky3@yahoo.com), March 16, 2002.

And, if you cut out the grey spot and hold it up at exactly the right distance, it looks like the moon. And the moon, as we all know, has exactly the same disc as the sun! And the sun is a mass of incandescent gas...

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), March 16, 2002.

I heard that the circle represents the 18% grey test circle so that you don't have to bring around a test card when shooting subjects. Great for black and white purposes when you can't fit an index card with you. So that lens case is a lot more than what one would suspect.

-- Alfie Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002.

I was told that it is a lower dose version of the mood altering substance that is in the "red" dot on the front of the body. The highest dose is contained in the famous "black paint" finish, and is far more potent than refined heroin.

Nikon sponsors a anti-substance abuse program, but I heard it is not very good...

-- Kevin Baker (kevin@thebakers.org), March 16, 2002.

Do you hold the dot over an open flame and inhale the fumes or do you just lick it?

-- Fred Sun (redsky3@yahoo.com), March 16, 2002.

I thought it was just a place to write the lens focal length since many of the cases look alike.

Robert

-- Robert Ardinger (rardinger@kc.rr.comr), March 16, 2002.

I searched the LUG archives for the answer to this question. When it was asked, no one could answer it. Looks like a good subject for an e-mail to Leica.

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), March 16, 2002.

Kristian: I have absolutely no idea... (And I'm not sure why I would!)

Anyway, my guesses: I am quite sure it is NOT there as a metering aid, as it is too small to be of any practical use; you'd have to hold it about one inch from the lens to meter off of it. One guess is that since it does line up with the holes in the foam, it is there to identify the bottom of the case during packaging, however this sounds pretty lame as there is a zipper on the top... Which brings us to the next guess, that it is there so one can write on their case to identify the contents; this also seems pretty lame because if that is what it is for, why use gray and not white? Which brings me to my last guess... Leica is covering something up that they don't want known; like the country the cases are made in. This seems lame too, because if they didn't want it known it seems to me they'd at least use black paint... And we know they have a good supply of that -- and if they used it they could charge double for the case!

;-),

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 16, 2002.

i once asked nils this question when i saw him at photoplus east. he told me it was there to help ensure that you did not open the lens case upside down with the result that the lens would come tubling out. i must say i also heard that the grey dots were supposed to be prnted only on chrome series lens cases but that the mfr made a mistake and printed all of a large run of lens cases with the dot. the former idea, both in terms of its provenance and common sense appeal, seems more likely.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), March 16, 2002.

I thought it was so you could write something to indicate what kind focal length lens you have inside the case, without opening the case. I do know that when I pushed it, nothing happened.

-- Jim (jimlong@inwave.com), March 16, 2002.

You know, I was never curious about that gray dot. I have only handled and looked at my lens cases once: the day the lens arrived. Once I took the lens out, the cases went back in the box and into the closet until I sell the lens.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), March 16, 2002.

īcom on we all know whatīs that grey spot is for, again leica ingenuity, you can change the asa of your in camera film by putting the desenzivilitizergreyspot over the regulas white circle over wich is ligth measred in a M6, also works on newer M6TTTL and M7, you should read instructions first guys...;-)

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002.

I think it's probably a lame attempt at an 18% gray example, probably not meant to be metered with directly, but more like comparing it to other gray parts of a scene to see how it compares. BUT, when I compare the grayness to my Kodak gray cards, it's a lot lighter! So...there's my logical answer. (?)

-- James (snodoggydogg@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002.

I just carry a 10" x 8" grey card and use that to compare to grey parts of the scene to pick one which is 18% grey!

Nigel

-- Nigel Bowley (nigel.bowley@btinternet.com), March 16, 2002.

Actually, Leica may not know any more than we do. It may simply be that that's the way the supplier makes them and only the supplier knows what it's for.

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), March 16, 2002.

I suspect Jim and Roger have it right.

Jerry

-- Jerome R. Pfile, Jr. (JerryPfile@msn.com), March 16, 2002.

Steve:

Would you believe it comes from the kids toys and books department. It is scratch and sniff to give you the memories of the vulcanite smell of your old Leica gear.

-- Mark A. Johnson (logical1@catholic.org), March 16, 2002.

Indicates gray market lenses. ;-)

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), March 16, 2002.

Now I'm going to lay awake all night....drat

-- George L. Doolittle (geodoolitt@aol.com), March 16, 2002.

I licked mine, and it tasted like chicken.

Seriously, I've just used them to write the focal length of the lens on the cases, as I usually don't use the lens cases themselves. That, of course, was after carefully removing the string from the "genuine leather" label so I could recycle it in the mixed-paper bin. ;-)

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), March 16, 2002.

Is it a light colored surface that you can use to write the focal length/speed of the lens the case contains? I doubt that is the true intent, but it makes it easier to find the lens I am looking for.

Just a thought. Cheers!

-- Scott (PFD261@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002.

It's to remind us that we're all members of the great circle of Leica photographers, most of whom have gray hair before we can afford to buy the lens.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), March 16, 2002.

Is it a light colored surface that you can use to write the focal length/speed of the lens the case contains? I doubt that is the true intent, but it makes it easier to find the lens I am looking for.

Oh man, you actually use yours? My guess is that it was put there when the circular bottom of the leather was cut out. On the assembly line the QC personell can then easily tell if the bottom piece was facing the right direction before the automated sewing machine stitched it to the rest. Other than that... what useful purpose does it serve... and more importantly... who gives a flyin' f*@#.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), March 16, 2002.

It's the Leica "Scratch and Win" promotion. Not sure what the prizes are, however. ;-)

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), March 18, 2002.

I scratched the grey spot on my lens-case, and it smells like . . . leather!

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), March 19, 2002.