Moms and Silver OMD's

I've been struck that in all the threads I've scanned discussing the merits of silver vs. black OMD's, no one has mentioned the first thing that my mother would have thought of: and that is, the finger marks that, over the course of time, would be left on the silver bodies - especially around the various buttons ... marks that would be invisible on the black bodies. And, indeed, in looking at my old black-and-silver Nikor/Nikon from the 1960's, what's most noticeable is not the mild scratching of the silver paint but the well-aged black smudges around the knobs and buttons - left by years of finger movement.

So, as someone who pre-ordered a silver (12-50mm) & then popped for a black (14-42) and is looking for rationalizations to keep the black ... I have only to look at my old SLR and remember my mother's attitudes towards fingerprints ... and become content with basic black.

(Of course, the marks could be more or less eliminated by occasional cleaning of the camera ... but I try not to think about this.)

Sorry to disappoint but the silver one does not show or attract any fingerprints. My silver one is as clean as the day I got it. I've been using it quite a lot and the silver has not gotten dirty.

Also from what I've read the silver leather-like body is a bit more grippy then the black faux carbon-fiber body.

Get the one you like the best though

However, I think I am getting black after having my mind set on Silver up til last week.

My mom always wanted silver cars, because they don't show the dirt like white/black cars.
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I don't think any argument over a material difference between the silver and black can carry much weight. Sometimes things are truly a matter of personal taste.

That said, the black is much better. LOL, just kidding.

I was originally going to get the silver, but opted for the black when it suddenly became available. In retrospect, I'm glad I got the black, though one could acuse me of saying so simply because it's the one I bought.... ;-)

Travis
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My silver's been free of finger prints and oily marks since day one and does not look like it attracts finger marks at all. Honestly I like both colors and it was hard to decide. Other than having a better textured grip up front, the silver seems to go better with either black or silver lenses. I gotta say though, the black looks very very nice with the grip on.
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maflynn said:

Sorry to disappoint but the silver one does not show or attract any fingerprints.

Click to expand...

Maybe for now ... but let's see what's happened after six months or a year!

I've yet to encounter a light-colored surface that repelled dirt - on the other hand, modern technology often surprises me, so who knows what wizzardy Olympus may have come up with for their camera bodies.

... Anyway, the occasional use of soap and a Q-tip I'm sure would keep a silver om-d fresh as a daisy should any marks start to appear. - As I said originally, I was just surprised that I hadn't seen anyone mentioning the issue of fingerprints in the various musings about color-choice. So many other rationalizations have been mentioned (my favorite being the reflections the silver body would throw on close-up subjects).

Oh, I defintely agree with you about the silver being a fingerprint magnet. So for all those of you who ordered and received their silver OMD either with or without a lens, feel free to contact me so I can purchase it from you and alleviate the stress you would otherwise feel every time you found another smudge left from your oily fingers.

No need to thank me, that's just the sort of thoughtful person I am

liza

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Oly500Enew said:

My mom always wanted silver cars, because they don't show the dirt like white/black cars.

Click to expand...

...and, counter-intuitively, my mother always wanted a black car, in spite of the fact that it showed dirt. (She thought it also showed "class" I think, though she never admitted it. She also never got past the original Model-T colors.) In all other respects, she was a finger-mark fiend.

Of course, as with cars, the black OMD would show up dust more than the silver - but as the "curse to camera cleanliness" comes from black finger smudges, it's the black body that I think will be easier to keep looking clean ... unless there's something special in Olympus' silver paint (in which case, they should diversify and start selling a line of smudge-proof wall paint.)

you could always wash off dirt you now. So long as you don't leave it for years without ever cleaning it up.

I have a metallic phone for around 4 years now. No such issue. As a matter of fact I've never had such an issue with any of the silver clad paints on several different surfaces (Laptop, calculator, eye glasses).

Really, a non-issue IMHO.

This "issue" hasn't been mentioned because, well it's not an issue lol But if it makes you feel better about your choice of going with the black one due to it being available first, then yeah, silver color can be an issue then. I doubt these digital cameras will last 40-50 years or long enough to where the finger marks will show, but who knows.

The Briar Gallery said:

maflynn said:

Sorry to disappoint but the silver one does not show or attract any fingerprints.

Click to expand...

Maybe for now ... but let's see what's happened after six months or a year!

I've yet to encounter a light-colored surface that repelled dirt - on the other hand, modern technology often surprises me, so who knows what wizzardy Olympus may have come up with for their camera bodies.

... Anyway, the occasional use of soap and a Q-tip I'm sure would keep a silver om-d fresh as a daisy should any marks start to appear. - As I said originally, I was just surprised that I hadn't seen anyone mentioning the issue of fingerprints in the various musings about color-choice. So many other rationalizations have been mentioned (my favorite being the reflections the silver body would throw on close-up subjects).

Click to expand...

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I only shoot JPEG =]

To clean regularly the cameras and lenses is a good idea


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It's dishwasher safe with the 12-60 on it anyway... isn't it?

I've still got to sell some toys to fund it, but finger prints or not, I love the retro looking silver body!

Bill
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"How long have you had this Mother fixation ?",

the elderly Dr Freud queried.

Vjim

Fingerprints belong on the camera, not the prints.

One advantage of the silver one, which I am still waiting for, is that it doesn't look like other cameras. So if I pull it out at a dinner party, it won't look like just another camera. And it won't look like another clever coating/paint job either.

For street shooters, this may be a disadvantage though. As also would be the 12mm and 45mm Olympus m43 lenses, which also are silver (so far). I have not heard people complaining about marks on those lenses either.

Still, who cares about marks ... back in the old days, they did not have fancy cleaners did they? Although its likely that even soap and water is forbidden in the manual.

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gollywop

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