Affordable Leica Black Paint camera

In the circle of Leica users and collectors, this obsession with black paint has grown gradually over the past few decades. Black paint (as opposed to the more common black chrome process) cameras now command a hefty premium. There are some who predicts that Black Paint Leica will face the coming crash owing to the appearances of  nice repainted black camera which I really doubt so. Fakes will always be fakes as trained eyes could differentiate the real from the repainted. It is the same with the other hobbies such as the real Rolex watches versus the replicas.

We have to note the difference between the black paint and the black chrome. Black paint bodies have a shiny enamel finish, black chromes have a dull almost matt finish. Black paint cameras have brass top and bottom plates meaning so the brass will be showing when these cameras wear. The black chrome cameras have zinc or aluminum underneath which has a much lighter look than the golden brass. Black paint lenses and chrome lenses are made of brass, regular black lenses are anodized aluminum barrels. Black paint and chrome lenses are noticeably heavier.

The Leica "Black paint" M3 camera number is smaller and is highly collectible and therefore expensive as well as the M2 & M4. For the modern black paint series, one can go for the Leica M6 2000 or the leica MP (both are not cheap either)

However, there are a few Leica black paint series that is highly affordable namely the early Leica II & III series. These are good options for those who wished to come into the Leica world and experience the magic of Leica camera and lens..