M6 or M7. but why?

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bigdavid

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pardon me.. my friend who is interested in getting one asked me this last night and suddenly, I have no answer for him.

M6 or M6 TTL - "the standard". best advantage is metering but not battery dependent.

M7 - AE is the ultimate draw for me. Imagine the numbers of shots you could have taken with the saved time. But without battery, its as good as unworkable with the remaining 3 shutter speed.

so, with much consideration, which should I recommend to him?
 
I believe the battery dependency thing is a non-issue. If you want AE, don't let it scare you off.
 
bigdavid said:
M7 - AE is the ultimate draw for me. Imagine the numbers of shots you could have taken with the saved time. But without battery, its as good as unworkable with the remaining 3 shutter speed.
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A spare battery is the size of a thumb tack. Not exactly a hassle to carry around. What's more, "unworkable" is a bit of an overstatement, don't you think?

I don't know why people ask these types of questions. You're comparing two cameras that are basically the same except for two very obvious differences: AE and price. If your friend wants AE and has the money, get the M7. If he doesn't have the money or doesn't need/want AE, get the M6.
 
I have both and would recommend the M7 over the M6 TTL. For one, the M7 has the updated viewfinder. Also, AE is a nice option and the M7 has a better build.

The M6, due to its manual adjustment, forces a photographer get more familiar with light and exposure. While you can adjust the M7 manually, most photographers use the AE as their default setting.
 
I went through the same decision recently. Short answer is I went with a used M7.

Let me explain....essentailly, I wanted the safety net of AE for 'fast' shots in case full M mode or manual focus is too slow for me (coming from a SLR / D-SLR background).

But after 2 weeks use so far, my initial impression is 1) RF is a change of shooting style and there is a steep learning curve, 2) now that I'm getting the hang of it / developed my own workflow, i'm actually starting to enjoy shooting purely M and not using the AE. Your friend may or may not feel the same but you're right, M7 is down to the AE in my mind.

good luck
 
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As it happens, I was talking about battery dependency only the other day. It is something that I have been, I have to confess, somewhat obsessive about for nearly 40 years now - I've always preferred mechanical cameras because they only need batteries for their meters, and so if the battery fails and I have no spares with me I can carry on shooting. (I've used electronically timed cameras - and still do - but have often felt at risk if that was all I had with me).

But you know what? In all those years I have never been out without spare batteries in my bag and have never been stuck battery-less. Not once.
 
I thought of the Zeiss Ikon too but not being to pick up one to hold and wondering if I'll forever have the nagging feeling of not having used a Leica...I decided you only live once. I'm sure once I got the Leica badge out of my system, I'll be more than happy with a ZI.
 
M7 isn't just AE, it is stepless accurate exposures between the "normal" shutter speeds. This translates into very accurate exposures for the media that needs them - slides. If he doesn't need that kind of accuracy then I would suggest an MP. Newer body than an M6, better VF, likely to be more reliable.
 
pfoto said:
M7 isn't just AE, it is stepless accurate exposures between the "normal" shutter speeds. This translates into very accurate exposures for the media that needs them - slides. If he doesn't need that kind of accuracy then I would suggest an MP. Newer body than an M6, better VF, likely to be more reliable.
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I mainly shoot negs atm coz slides pricy to develop. I assume neg's latitude negates the need for the smaller shutter steps?
MP isn't cheap.
 
Hi all,
I too have read this thread with great interest. The pennies are building in the bank so I am almost certainly going to sell my Nikon FM3A and lenses to fund for a Leica.
I've been toying with the idea of a RF for sometime and finally had a 'play' recently.
The Bessa appealed (cost wise) but having held the Leica it didn't feel as solid (it was lighter). The ZI is possibly in the running but haven't managed to get my hands on one yet or should that be 'have a feel'.
My Leica dilema is that:

M6 - Built in meter or total mechanical at all shutter speeds. Just like the Nikon FM3A (Ap priority not an issue).

M7 - Built in meter but not mechanical at all shutter speeds - so I hear is that correct?

Having said all that I too have had paranoia about running out of batteries and never have yet in 12 years. The only problem with 'paracetamol' batteries is that you're likely to misplace them in a fold in the camera bag! Still mustn't grumble - the 8 AA's for the F5 as spares being carried is a pain.

So M6 or M7............

Thanks,

Steve.
 
ffI don't have any leica yet, I am saving for mechanical one (without AE, _new_ one), this is why:
I bought bessa which has AE but AE functionality broke (lightmeter sticks with one random value, with various batteries) so I shot a lot of film rolls in M-mode and was fine with it. I don't have speed issue because I am usually "pre-set". i.e. if I want to shoot - I check lighting conditions and set settings I will likely use, the only left thing to do is to focus and change stops when light slightly changes + diodes guide me.
Until I tried to live in M-mode I thought that AE is everything and M-mode is very difficult.

About ZI: throw tomatos into my direction but I think of it as of bessa with more nice-looking body (same shutter type, one stop gain over leica but much louder).

M6: People need to CLA them => more time + more money.
I myself would like to go out from shop and shoot as soon as possible, thus M7 would be the way to go for me (money question? wait a bit more and save, this is why you are going to work five days a week).
 
Joop van Heijgen said:
Solms is far away from Moscow!. In practice the M7 is too much in repair (in Solms).
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I just hope that the only thing to break in MP is its mechanical parts, so you have to stab it against something and trauma will happen to any other camera as well in this case, so that is fine I think.

Sorry for offtopic
 
kmerenkov said:
ffI don't have any leica yet, I am saving for mechanical one (without AE, _new_ one)...

M6: People need to CLA them => more time + more money.
I myself would like to go out from shop and shoot as soon as possible, thus M7 would be the way to go for me (money question? wait a bit more and save, this is why you are going to work five days a week).
Click to expand...
I think what you really need is an MP...
 
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