First, please note, we can paint your Leica any way you prefer! The choice of what parts to paint (and what color) is entirely up to you. Since there are so many possible variations, we want to make sure we get all the details exactly the way you prefer.
Please note that most of these details also apply to screw mount Leicas.
That said, we have three standard ways to finish your camera. See the examples below!
The standard options are:
“Factory Finish”: In general for cameras that are finished as “Factory” we follow what parts Leica historically painted black when these cameras were still in production. Bear in mind, there was some variation even among original factory painted Leicas, so we have specifically defined what our “Factory Finish” means; see below.
“Anti-Panda”: Paint top and bottom plates only. All the dials, levers, screws are left chrome.
“Panda”: Specific dials, levers, & screws are painted. The top/bottom plates are left chrome.
Bear in mind with either the Panda or Anti Panda option, the chrome parts on your camera need to be in excellent condition with minimal signs of aging. Otherwise you’ll end up with a mix of newly painted parts with aged, weathered, or worn parts.
Anti-Panda
The only parts painted are the top and bottom plates. All other parts including the bottom plate latch remain chrome.
With early M3s, the four chrome screws on the top plate (two on the front and two on the back of the camera) remain chrome. These screws do not appear on later M3s.
The two photos below are an early M3 finished as Anti-Panda. The arrows point to top plate screws which do not appear on later M3 models.
Panda
The so-called “Panda” was first released by Leica with the M6. The presentation is similar to the style of the Nikon FM, chrome top and bottom plates with black accents.
For cameras to be finished as “Pandas’, we follow the standard established by Leica — see the reference photos below.
The shutter button surround, wind lever, shutter speed dial, rewind lever and screw, frameline preview lever assembly, and the rewind knob are all painted, with the top and bottom plates remaining chrome.
For cameras with self-timers, the self-timer assembly is painted. M2 “button rewind” would have the rewind button assembly painted. Film reminder dial on the back door is left chrome.
Factory Finish
What we define as a “Factory Finish” is as follows, everything is painted with the following exceptions.
Photos below reference the M2, please note the *exceptions
-Parts listed in BOLD remain chrome-
1: frameline preview lever assembly
2: RF adjustment screw
3: lens release button and screw
4: lens release guard, M3 only (this part doesn’t exist on M2, M4)
5: self-timer lever assembly
6: rewind lever and screw (button rewind on some M2)
7: top plate screw (*M2 only)
8: M2 frame counter (*M3: frame counter widow bezel)
9: shutter button surround *chrome on M4 only
10: shutter button
11: wind lever
12: shutter speed dial
13: shutter speed dial screw
14: accessory shoe screws (qty 4)
15: accessory shoe stop screw
16: accessory shoe chrome pads (2)
17: top plate
18: rewind knob (*M4 rewind crank assembly)
19: rewind knob center screw (M2/M3 only)
20: flash sync rings
21: film reminder dial (*painting this black requires removing original vulcanite on the back and replacing with replica leatherette*)
22: back door frame
23: bottom plate
24: bottom plate latch
Additional Notes
M3 models have a guard around the lens release button. This remains chrome on Anti Panda, and are painted on Panda and Factory Finish.
M2 and M4 do not have this guard.
Other Paint Options
The following parts can also be painted:
Frame counter dial under the window on M3. Painting this black with white numerals mimics the M6 Millenium from the year 2000.
Film reminder dial and film door frame: the film reminder on the back of M2 and M3 models can be painted black but this requires removal of the vulcanite. If your camera has intact original vulcanite on the camera and film door, we recommend leaving this dial chrome.
If the film door frame has scratches or missing paint you may opt to refinish the door frame even if the vulcanite on the door is intact.
In this case the film reminder dial could painted also be painted.
Bear in mind, replacement leatherette on the film door will not be an exact match to original vulcanite on the rest of the camera. On close inspection it is very similar, but not exact.
Panda, Anti Panda, and Factory Finish are our three standard options, although we can paint (or not paint) whatever combination of parts you wish! Please use the parts number reference in the M2 photo above when describing how you want to customize your camera.
Using the form below, please submit for each camera.
Before we begin work, we will confirm all the details of what is to be painted, and what is not, so you can provide final approval.
If there is any uncertainty or ambiguity we will contact you to verify!