Black or chrome?

LesDMess · 08-28-2011, 05:26 PM

Just got a really nice black MX to pair up with the chrome one and I wonder how the different models look side by side. Here's my pair. Got others?

8540tomg · 08-28-2011, 05:48 PM

Nice looking pair of MXs Les. Congrats on that.

The paint job makes no difference in the performance of the cameras, of course, but I think the black
one looks a lot better. I bought a chrome MX in 1982. It was my first SLR and still works great. I've often
wished since I had sprung for the extra 40 bucks and got a black model.

Tom G

garythesnail · 08-29-2011, 02:35 AM

Those two bodis look unused! I have a similar pair, but both pretty much beaten up (although I do like the exposed brass on the black one - adds a little charm)

builttospill · 08-29-2011, 08:58 AM

It does indeed look unused. Yes, I have a pair or two. Here's one:

Alan Clogwyn · 08-29-2011, 09:09 AM

I generally prefer all black which to me looks very workmanlike and sturdy, the silver bodies generally look dated and consumer riented. That said I do have a soft spot for my re-covered ME.

Wheatfield · 08-29-2011, 09:35 AM

Until the advent of plastic cameras, black bodied cameras were enameled brass, silver bodies were polished aluminium.

stevebrot · 08-29-2011, 12:56 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

silver bodies were polished aluminium.

...Huh? With the exception of my FSU rangefinders (made of pot metal), my metal silver-bodied cameras are plated brass.

Steve

LesDMess · 08-29-2011, 05:36 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

...Huh? With the exception of my FSU rangefinders (made of pot metal), my metal silver-bodied cameras are plated brass.Steve

The Modern Photography January 1958 review of the original Asahi Pentax states that it was constructed of die-cast aluminum making it lighter then any other. Another reason to get it!

**ChrisPlatt** · 08-29-2011, 07:17 PM

Who else here is old enough to remember when they used to charge ten bucks more for the "professional" black finish?

Black paint is delicate and mars easily from normal use.
I prefer chrome cameras - they stay newer looking longer.

Chris

**TomB_tx** · 08-30-2011, 02:12 PM

35mm cameras started out black in 1925 with the original Leica model A. Most of the '30s and '40s cameras were chrome, and that fashion lasted well into the 70s, although most makes had black painted bodies available. (I have a 1938 black Leica standard.) In the 60s Leica started making "black chrome" bodies (I have a couple) as more classy and durable, but while they don't "brass" at wear points, the black color gets faded and grey. I still prefer silver-chrome cameras, as that was in fashion when I started photography. A chrome H1a Pentax is hard to beat. (I have both black and chrome pairs in both MX and Spotmatic, but with more "character" than your nice samples.)

**Moe49** · 08-30-2011, 06:07 PM

Here's a snapshot of black & chrome K2s.
The black/chrome K2 is gone now, I sold it a few months ago as a parts camera.
I bought the black K2 to harvest it's split-image focus screen for my brown K2.
I had planned to sell the all black K2 after the focus screen swap, CLA and new light seals, but couldn't bring myself to do so.

LesDMess · 08-30-2011, 06:38 PM

That is a nice trio. The brown leathered K2 looks nice. Seems a shame if the black bodied K2 is not salvageable!

Blue · 08-31-2011, 07:52 AM

I have a black K2 and a chrome K2 as well as a black SV and Chrome SV.

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

Who else here is old enough to remember when they used to charge ten bucks more for the "professional" black finish?

Black paint is delicate and mars easily from normal use.
I prefer chrome cameras - they stay newer looking longer.

Chris

The interesting thing is when Asahi Optical released the ES and ES II, they did just the opposite, the chrome became the special order Item. Chrome ES II are rare and the ES even more so.

**Moe49** · 08-31-2011, 08:10 AM

Originally posted by LesDMess

That is a nice trio. The brown leathered K2 looks nice.

Thank you!

Originally posted by LesDMess

Seems a shame if the black bodied K2 is not salvageable!

Oh contrare! The black bodied K2 is in perfect working condition.

Originally posted by Moe49

I was going to sell the black K2 after the focus screen swap, CLA and new light seals, but couldn't bring myself to do so.

Last April I had Eric H. CLA and install new light seals in the black K2.
And Eric installed the micro-prism dot focus screen from the brown K2 in it.

I planned to sell the black K2 after I had all this work performed on it, but it came back from Eric's looking and performing so great, I just couldn't part with it.

LesDMess · 08-31-2011, 03:53 PM

Originally posted by Blue

The interesting thing is when Asahi Optical released the ES and ES II, they did just the opposite, the chrome became the special order Item. Chrome ES II are rare and the ES even more so.

And with the LX, they only made it in black. I certainly would have liked to have a chrome version too!

08-28-2011, 05:26 PM	#1
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Black or chrome? Just got a really nice black MX to pair up with the chrome one and I wonder how the different models look side by side. Here's my pair. Got others?

08-30-2011, 06:07 PM	#11
Moe49 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz Mtns. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 874	Here's a snapshot of black & chrome K2s. The black/chrome K2 is gone now, I sold it a few months ago as a parts camera. I bought the black K2 to harvest it's split-image focus screen for my brown K2. I had planned to sell the all black K2 after the focus screen swap, CLA and new light seals, but couldn't bring myself to do so. Attached Images Last edited by Moe49; 10-31-2013 at 10:01 AM.

08-31-2011, 08:10 AM	#14
Moe49 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz Mtns. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 874	Originally posted by LesDMess That is a nice trio. The brown leathered K2 looks nice. Thank you! Originally posted by LesDMess Seems a shame if the black bodied K2 is not salvageable! Oh contrare! The black bodied K2 is in perfect working condition. Originally posted by Moe49 I was going to sell the black K2 after the focus screen swap, CLA and new light seals, but couldn't bring myself to do so. Last April I had Eric H. CLA and install new light seals in the black K2. And Eric installed the micro-prism dot focus screen from the brown K2 in it. I planned to sell the black K2 after I had all this work performed on it, but it came back from Eric's looking and performing so great, I just couldn't part with it. Last edited by Moe49; 08-31-2011 at 02:41 PM.

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08-28-2011, 05:48 PM	#2
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	Nice looking pair of MXs Les. Congrats on that. The paint job makes no difference in the performance of the cameras, of course, but I think the black one looks a lot better. I bought a chrome MX in 1982. It was my first SLR and still works great. I've often wished since I had sprung for the extra 40 bucks and got a black model. Tom G

08-29-2011, 02:35 AM	#3
garythesnail Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: South West Wales Photos: Albums Posts: 82	Those two bodis look unused! I have a similar pair, but both pretty much beaten up (although I do like the exposed brass on the black one - adds a little charm)

08-29-2011, 08:58 AM	#4
builttospill Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Utah, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,398	It does indeed look unused. Yes, I have a pair or two. Here's one:

08-29-2011, 09:09 AM	#5
Alan Clogwyn Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Gwynedd Photos: Gallery Posts: 93	I generally prefer all black which to me looks very workmanlike and sturdy, the silver bodies generally look dated and consumer riented. That said I do have a soft spot for my re-covered ME.

08-29-2011, 09:35 AM	#6
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Until the advent of plastic cameras, black bodied cameras were enameled brass, silver bodies were polished aluminium.

08-29-2011, 12:56 PM	#7
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Wheatfield silver bodies were polished aluminium. ...Huh? With the exception of my FSU rangefinders (made of pot metal), my metal silver-bodied cameras are plated brass. Steve

08-29-2011, 05:36 PM	#8
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot ...Huh? With the exception of my FSU rangefinders (made of pot metal), my metal silver-bodied cameras are plated brass.Steve The Modern Photography January 1958 review of the original Asahi Pentax states that it was constructed of die-cast aluminum making it lighter then any other. Another reason to get it!

08-29-2011, 07:17 PM	#9
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	Who else here is old enough to remember when they used to charge ten bucks more for the "professional" black finish? Black paint is delicate and mars easily from normal use. I prefer chrome cameras - they stay newer looking longer. Chris

08-30-2011, 02:12 PM	#10
TomB_tx Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,446	35mm cameras started out black in 1925 with the original Leica model A. Most of the '30s and '40s cameras were chrome, and that fashion lasted well into the 70s, although most makes had black painted bodies available. (I have a 1938 black Leica standard.) In the 60s Leica started making "black chrome" bodies (I have a couple) as more classy and durable, but while they don't "brass" at wear points, the black color gets faded and grey. I still prefer silver-chrome cameras, as that was in fashion when I started photography. A chrome H1a Pentax is hard to beat. (I have both black and chrome pairs in both MX and Spotmatic, but with more "character" than your nice samples.)

08-30-2011, 06:38 PM	#12
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235 Original Poster	That is a nice trio. The brown leathered K2 looks nice. Seems a shame if the black bodied K2 is not salvageable!

08-31-2011, 07:52 AM	#13
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	I have a black K2 and a chrome K2 as well as a black SV and Chrome SV. Originally posted by ChrisPlatt Who else here is old enough to remember when they used to charge ten bucks more for the "professional" black finish? Black paint is delicate and mars easily from normal use. I prefer chrome cameras - they stay newer looking longer. Chris The interesting thing is when Asahi Optical released the ES and ES II, they did just the opposite, the chrome became the special order Item. Chrome ES II are rare and the ES even more so.

08-31-2011, 03:53 PM	#15
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235 Original Poster	Originally posted by Blue The interesting thing is when Asahi Optical released the ES and ES II, they did just the opposite, the chrome became the special order Item. Chrome ES II are rare and the ES even more so. And with the LX, they only made it in black. I certainly would have liked to have a chrome version too!