[Leica] Re: Titanium is Out

["Dave Dallam" <dave.dallam@mindspring.com>]

I have been a LUGGER for many months, content to lurk in the background and
soak up a considerable amount of knowledge (and opinion) from many serious
photographers. Despite all of the off topic discussions and more than
sufficient bickering. Time to step up and make a small contribution.

By way of introduction, I am an executive with Leica, though not with the
Camera group. Essentially, I am Roger Horn's equivalent for the North
American surgical microscopy business, headquartered in New Jersey, a couple
of miles from the Camera group's offices. I have been a Leica user for many
years, since my days (more than 25 years ago) at the University of Missouri,
one of our country's better (at least at that time) photojournalism schools.

I have pretty good "wiring" into the US camera group (had lunch with Roger
last week), and I certainly have some insight into the workings of Leica as
a company. Of course, my employment does not make me an authority, and
anything you ever hear me say in this forum is my own opinion. Nevertheless,
my opinions may from time to time bring a different perspective.

As a final intro, I own M6s and M2s, have tried every (current) lens there
is and settled on 24, 35 (1.4), 50 (1.4), 50 (2.8) and 90 (2.0). All for B&W
available light.

My reason to finally jump in has to do with a great deal of misinformation
concerning the titanium finish.

The titanium finish is not "paint". It is also not a coating or an
anodization of the same type as the chrome or black finishes. It is actually
something very different. I won't go into the technical stuff, but
essentially it is a process by which titanium ions are bombarded (at
extremely high speed and at extremely low pressure) and impregnated into the
first 3-5 microns of the surface of the substrate. Rather than sitting on
the surface of the metal, it actually becomes part of the substrate metal.
For this reason, it cannot wear off, and it gives the base material a
substantially higher Rockwell hardness. (Anyone interested in this technolog
y can find acres of information by searching the web for "titanium coating")
It is interesting to note that not all metals can be effectively "coated",
including nickel. This is the reason that there is no titanium TTL. All
titanium M6s have brass tops.

I have a lot of experience with this process/finish from a prior career
life. One common demonstration we used to do was to ask the customer to try
and scratch it with their keys. Couldn't be done (but I haven't tried this
test on my Leica!). You also may have experience with this finish, if you
have ever bought titanium coated saw blades or drill bits at your hardware
store. (Tool applications have a different finish than the M6's, as the
process in that case is optimized for hardness rather than appearance.) Ask
the tool expert in your hardware store how durable this finish is.

Bottom line. I doubt in future years you will ever see a titanium body or
lens with surface wear. (For those of you who actually like brassing, sorry
to disappoint you.) This finish is rugged. Personally. I also think that it
is the best looking finish Leica makes, as well. You have to see it
personally. Do not judge this by the pictures in the brochure, which look
too gold. It's actual appearance is closer to a graphite gray than gold. As
for the leather, it IS real leather, it is just the "emu" texture rather
than real emu.

The real bottom line. The titanium finish M6 is still a current product, so
you can still get one. It is not in high demand, probably from a lack of
proper information (some of which seems to be coming from here). You can use
it as your primary body, and still have a collector's item in 20 years.

Dave Dallam
mailto:dave.dallam@leica-microsystems.com