nzeeman
Well-known
i have m4 and my wife have m6 - except for a viewfinder whis have 28mm on m6 and 35 on m4 - there is not much difference in use. if you find 50mm framelines too small on m6 then you should get m4.
also if your m6 is in great condition as you said and you want good m4 - maybe you can earn some money in that transaction and get some lens or a lot of film for it...
also if your m6 is in great condition as you said and you want good m4 - maybe you can earn some money in that transaction and get some lens or a lot of film for it...
Fujitsu
Well-known
Where´s the point? Theres hardly a difference between the two except the built in meter which is a blessing.
sig
Well-known
I think the point is that the M4 is a more Leica than the M6, and if you want a real Leica M4 is better.
Mister E
Well-known
Can I get a flowchart on how to discriminate the amount of Leica each particular Leica is?
elude
Some photographer
I agree a 100%. I miss my M6 despite the viewfinder. Just upgrade the thing and you'll have the finest camera (along with the MP and M3/M2 depending on what you do).
umcelinho
Marcelo
I bet it would have "Wetzlar", "brass", "handmade" and "vulcanite" in it
I too thought about switching my M6 for an M4 for a while. whiteout-free rf patch, less cluttered framelines, smoother, same easy loading... tried an M4 quickly at a shop and felt nice. I had an M3 for a while and loved it. The only thing that bothered me a bit was the lack of 35mm on the vf, so I guess the M2 would suit me better. I prefer the knob rewind and the old advance lever.
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Luna
Well-known
Is there different levels of Lecianess? SemiLeica? Lecia, and Lecia, but not Leica?
Mister E
Well-known
You forgot closetleica.
sig
Well-known
No, Leica does not give out that kind of information. It is confidential.
dreamsandart
Well-known
You have to ask yourself, why would I want an M4?
Personally I love an M4, part of it is my personal use tradition, and part of it is function, but an M6 is a fine camera and should do everything you want. I once sold an M4 to get a new M6, it was an upgrade for the meter and I liked and used the camera for 15+ years.
M4:
1. more actuate frames
2. last of the great Wetzlar made traditional cameras: engravings, real vulcanite, brass parts, details like the little machined metal grip on the rewind lever, front windows with beveled frame, crackled black paint inside the bottom plate….
3. finder is old style assembled with full adjustments, not glued together , and a glass condenser lens (not plastic like the recent 'upgrade'), little 'white-out' flare problems
4. self-timer, you may not need it but if you do its there
M6:
1. built-in meter, early version has had problems, not so often maybe, but its one more thing to go wrong and an expensive fix.
2. basically an M4 in design, but with some cost cutting: zinc top plate, no engravings, plastic film counter dial (which is prone to failure, mine did), glued on body covering, flat paint inside bottom plate…
3. glued together finder, if something goes wrong its a switch-out replacement
4. steel geared advance, not as smooth maybe but handles a motor better if you use one.
And maybe the most important factor is if either camera is in good working order. Both are getting on in years and who has worked on it may be just as important as when. Either camera can be a great user.
Here's a couple flavors of M4s
Personally I love an M4, part of it is my personal use tradition, and part of it is function, but an M6 is a fine camera and should do everything you want. I once sold an M4 to get a new M6, it was an upgrade for the meter and I liked and used the camera for 15+ years.
M4:
1. more actuate frames
2. last of the great Wetzlar made traditional cameras: engravings, real vulcanite, brass parts, details like the little machined metal grip on the rewind lever, front windows with beveled frame, crackled black paint inside the bottom plate….
3. finder is old style assembled with full adjustments, not glued together , and a glass condenser lens (not plastic like the recent 'upgrade'), little 'white-out' flare problems
4. self-timer, you may not need it but if you do its there
M6:
1. built-in meter, early version has had problems, not so often maybe, but its one more thing to go wrong and an expensive fix.
2. basically an M4 in design, but with some cost cutting: zinc top plate, no engravings, plastic film counter dial (which is prone to failure, mine did), glued on body covering, flat paint inside bottom plate…
3. glued together finder, if something goes wrong its a switch-out replacement
4. steel geared advance, not as smooth maybe but handles a motor better if you use one.
And maybe the most important factor is if either camera is in good working order. Both are getting on in years and who has worked on it may be just as important as when. Either camera can be a great user.
Here's a couple flavors of M4s
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The meter is nice to have. I've had the M2, M4, M4-2, and M6 (as well as M8 and M8.2)... and the M6 was my favorite film M.
pevelg
Well-known
Lack of meter is the reason I am wanting to get rid of my M4. Otherwise, it feels nicer to use than the M6ttl.
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
thank you. get one of each. use them both for a while. Send me the one you like least.
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
I shoot E-6 and would not want a cam without a meter. This is the 21st century after all. People trust flying "by wire", laptops, PDAs, etc. A camera with a meter is no big. The M4s come with a lot of mileage anyway.
Beemermark
Veteran
I like the M4 because (1) the VF magnification (2) the less cluttered VF (3) not that it really matters but it is better built and feels better (4) I find it faster to meter with the attached M4R meter than with the M6 internal meter.
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
These strike me as reasonably compelling reasons to prefer an M4. On the other hand, if an engraved piece of brass is what you're after, go to a shop and have a plaque made for your desk. I've never had an M4 but I've used an M3 quite a lot, and I like the M6 better. Horses for courses.
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anu L ogy
Well-known
Pico
-
I have four M4 bodies, have had them since new, and beat them (former news photographer) and all they ever needed were shutter speed adjustments every few years.
Recommended! (Want two with consecutive serial numbers?)
Recommended! (Want two with consecutive serial numbers?)
Beemermark
Veteran
On the other hand
I used my M4 for more than 40 years so I'm someone attached to it. I tried the M6 (when it first came out), really disliked it , sold it and went back to the M4. Long story but about 3 years ago I bought an M7, use it in AE 90% of the time and now only use the M4 about 10% of time. 28mm and 50mm are my favorite lenses.
The M4 is the best built Leica ever IMHO. However every Leica is over built so saying it's built better has little meaning in reality.
The biggest downside is I can't use viewfinders (for the 21 & 28) without taking off the meter. So I have to carry a hand meter for back up.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
The "flair-prone" M6 finder can be upgraded with the flair-resistant condenser for less than $200.
Be that as it may, I would take the M6 for the meter alone. Except for the self-timer/light-meter trade-off between them, the cameras are identical as to operation and handling. Besides, when was the last time you used a self-timer?
Don't like the meter? Take the batteries out and you have what amounts to an M4 without a self-timer and unremarkable body covering.
Don't like the "cluttered" finder? Framelines can be removed during a CLA for little or no cost.
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