Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The top plate of the Leica R9 is made from magnesium. John On 1/19/06, Bill Marshall <billgem@hotmail.com> wrote: > Some final thoughts on the recent discussion of the uxe of magnesium > plating > on the ZI . . . > > Claims were that magnesium is corrosive, which is true. Recent development > of magnesium alloys have largely eliminated this problem. Some still don't > like magnesium. Okay. > > Let's turn the question around. What about brass? Corrosive? > > Well, it's certainly not water proof. Brass is also an alloy - copper & > zinc. Copper is highly corrosive. It will rust with exposure to even small > amounts of water within a week. Zinc is also corrosive unless it is > electroplated. What metal is closest to zinc in chemical composition? > Magnesium. With proper electroplating, magnesium will be about as resistant > to corrosion as zinc. > > Bottom line is whether these materials will fare well in their intended > applications, not in an abstract discussion of metallurgy. For its > application as external cladding on a camera body, magnesium like brass > (copper & zinc) will do just fine - unless someone tries to use it as an > underwater camera. Leica agrees with this point, as evidenced by their use > of magnesium on the Digilux & their description of it as "robust & > long-lived." > > Bill > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >