Camera Body Color

[Bigv]

I can certainly tell I'm older than most of you

At one time black bodies were physically different. At least for a couple of companies black meant heavy brass painted black. Silver was some other alloy. The black ones actually weighed in more.

At some point that changed. Since black was traditionally the pro line they charged more. Some higher end cameras only came in black (A-1, F3 etc...).

Now companies like Canon stil produce their mid-line models like the XTi in both colors. There is no difference in the cameras or the price Canon charges for them. The dealers on the other hand sometimes make a price difference. Why? because they can. People will pay more for black because it is perceived as the professional model.

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

Originally Posted by Zipper7

Most lenses are painted white so that they don't absorb as much thermal heat from the sun (radiant heat) and expand, hence affecting the distance between the internal elements within the lens itself.

Other than Canon's L series lens which are often white, I haven't seen any other white lens from any other manufacturers. So why do you say "most lenses are painted white"?

Cheers,
rfs

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

If you want people to think you're a pro, then black is (was) the traditional color for the pro camera. The silver camera's often suggest amateur. I don't know if that holds as much now days, but at one time it was clearly the perception.
Cheers,
rfs

[CatCynic]

Originally Posted by R_Fredrick_Smith

If you want people to think you're a pro, then black is (was) the traditional color for the pro camera. The silver camera's often suggest amateur. I don't know if that holds as much now days, but at one time it was clearly the perception.
Cheers,
rfs

I think that may still be true, at least for the older folks among us - I know that I wouldn't buy the silver option, and that may well be the reason (or maybe I'm just convinced that real SLRs are black, and only toys are silver?). I don't know if it's still true for the younger generation (hmm - I can hear my bones creaking...)

Having worn a brightly striped shirt while photographing close-ups of a model's eyes, I can testify to there being some truth to the suggestion of black to avoid being visible reflected in the eyes Now all I need is a black hat to avoid reflections off my, um, high forehead.

[CatCynic]

Originally Posted by R_Fredrick_Smith

Other than Canon's L series lens which are often white, I haven't seen any other white lens from any other manufacturers. So why do you say "most lenses are painted white"?

Cheers,
rfs

Perhaps because most of the sports shooters are using Canon?

[johnw]

Bright shiny pieces of chrome moving around in the jungle or forest tended to get shoot at. Photographers in the Korean war would use black tape to cover the chrome on their camera bodies to hide the reflecting chrome.

Don't know if the manufactures starting making black bodies during the Korean war or later during Viet Nam. Purchased my 1st black bodied Nikon Ftn back in 1968. Don't recall at that time if there was any price difference between the chrome and black version.

Regards

John

[Al_Nowak]

Originally Posted by TheGoldy

I know this is a dumb question, but I'm wondering if there's any difference between a camera with a silver body and one with a black body. The reason I'm asking is that I was just looking at prices on a new digital slr and there was a $50 difference in price between "identical" cameras, one being a black body and one being silver. Is it just image or is there some technical difference?
.

"Yes, there is a significant difference. Your willingness to pay extra for some percieved cachet of professionalism" he said with a knowing smile.

Let's take stereo equipment and VCR's as an example. Years ago, it was mostly chrome looking, Then it went all black. Now it's back to chrome looking. Did it make any difference in performance? Sure, it looked different sitting in your living room.

Black cameras used to cost more because there were fewer of them made that way. Chrome was in. Then somehow black became equated to professional. Most of the cameras I saw hanging on pros necks around that period looked kinda gold, The black paint scratched easily and wore off and the brass showed. But brass wasn't cool...

So more amateurs bought black cameras, and it became the fashion. Besides, what manufacturer is going to turn down a chance to make more money on a cheaper finish. But the cameras stayed inside their boxes, or in heavily padded camera bags. Nobody could see them, so I guess the pendulum has swung back to the durable chome finish...

Hey, I bought a black Minolta SRT-101 which definitely shows how heavily I fell for the "pro" hype.

"Ya got's to ask yourself do ya feel lucky. Well, do ya?" Frankly in all the excitement I kinda lost track of where I was going with this... But ultimately, the finish on the outside of the camera plays at best a minimal role in the images you will make with the camera unless you fall for the "pro" hype...