Anyone actually shooting with a M6 J? A couple of questions...

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vieri

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First of all, I am not a collector - just a photographer, using my Leicas for what I consider to be their main purpose: taking pictures. I am now using 2 M2s, which I love, and I also have 2 MPs which are fantastic cameras per se but which finder I find a little cluttered for my taste: you gotta love the simplicity of the M2 finder! More, I just need one metered body for the work I do, and while considering which MP to sell I got a very good offer for a M6-J which (nice coincidence) happens to carry my birth year, is metered, have a very simple finder & the old style rewind lever (I really don't like the new-er plastic-tipped one); so my questions are:

- what would be a reasonable price to pay for a M6 J?
- would that be really unheard of to actually use one of these to take pictures?

Any owners/users of the M6 J out there willing to share their thoughts would be very welcome! Thanks in advance 😀
 
Ebay seems to have a few listed for around low US$6K to mid US$7K. If I do get one, first thing I would do is to shoot with it. Such a lovely camera.

Cheers,
 
The MP has a better viewfinder. If the M6J is the camera you want, go for it but it doesn't make a lot of sense, unless the MP doesn't fit your taste.

By carrying your Birth Year, you mean you're from 1954?

It's an awesome camera though.
 
I was under the impression the M6J was made in 1994...

Pardon me if I'm correct, but your avatar doesn't indicate you are 14 years old - is it a different sort of camera you're looking at?
 
M6-J is a desirable collection camera, ironically, a lot of people bought this camera for shooting as it is the only camera that has 0.85x magnification (after M3's 0.9x) and has clear edge on focusing accuracy when using 90 or 135mm lenses. The demand was so high that Leica subsequently introduced 0.85x M6 in its regular production.

If you are going to use M6-J for shooting, beware that the camera do not have bright-line frames for 28 and 75mm lenses; besides, if you wear spectacles you may not be able to view full bright-line frame for 35mm lenses. Attached is the photo of my M6-J, mine is 1962

LeicaM6-J.jpg
 
kully said:
I was under the impression the M6J was made in 1994...

Pardon me if I'm correct, but your avatar doesn't indicate you are 14 years old - is it a different sort of camera you're looking at?
Click to expand...

The M6-J (for Jubilee) displays a beautiful writing that says 1954-1994. Was indeed produced in 1994 😉
 
amoebahydra said:
M6-J is a desirable collection camera, ironically, a lot of people bought this camera for shooting as it is the only camera that has 0.85x magnification (after M3's 0.9x) and has clear edge on focusing accuracy when using 90 or 135mm lenses. The demand was so high that Leica subsequently introduced 0.85x M6 in its regular production.

If you are going to use M6-J for shooting, beware that the camera do not have bright-line frames for 28 and 75mm lenses; besides, if you wear spectacles you may not be able to view full bright-line frame for 35mm lenses. Attached is the photo of my M6-J, mine is 1962
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for the info & pic - I know about the framelines, which is one of the reasons for me (together with magnification) to be considering it; how about flare? Does it have the flare-resistant, MP or last M7 finder, or the original & flaring M6 one?
 
What a gorgeous camera. With the m4 style rewind I see this camera very much as a user. Very limited quantity indeed, but set up with a meter and a great m3 style look! I would try and get it with the matching elmar, I like that they are serial matched and it has the vintage style focusing knob.
 
vieri said:
Thank you very much for the info & pic - I know about the framelines, which is one of the reasons for me (together with magnification) to be considering it; how about flare? Does it have the flare-resistant, MP or last M7 finder, or the original & flaring M6 one?
Click to expand...

In terms of flare-resistant, the best I know of is M3 which has a completely different design from latter models, and if you are looking for framelines and magnification, the best should also be M3, you can have the advantage of both eyes open when shooting.
 
amoebahydra said:
In terms of flare-resistant, the best I know of is M3 which has a completely different design from latter models, and if you are looking for framelines and magnification, the best should also be M3, you can have the advantage of both eyes open when shooting.
Click to expand...

True - but it's not metered, and it doesn't have 35mm frame lines, which is a deal breaker for me in this case (wouldn't be if I were looking for a non-metered body to side my M2s); I already use 2 M2s as non-metered bodies, and would like to have a metered one (now my MPs) as well. How would you compare the M6 J to the MP and/or the normal M6 in terms of flare?
 
vieri said:
True - but it's not metered, and it doesn't have 35mm frame lines, which is a deal breaker for me in this case (wouldn't be if I were looking for a non-metered body to side my M2s); I already use 2 M2s as non-metered bodies, and would like to have a metered one (now my MPs) as well. How would you compare the M6 J to the MP and/or the normal M6 in terms of flare?
Click to expand...

I have just made a quick comparison of flare on M6-J, MP LHSA Hammertone, M6TTL0.85, M3 and M2 by looking at high contrast light source.

I cannot find significant difference between them except M3 is a little bit dimmer.
 
amoebahydra said:
I have just made a quick comparison of flare on M6-J, MP LHSA Hammertone, M6TTL0.85, M3 and M2 by looking at high contrast light source.

I cannot find significant difference between them except M3 is a little bit dimmer.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! That helps a lot - and btw what a great group of Ms you have there! 😀
 
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