M6, M7, or MP: Which would best suit the following needs?

[Nikkor AIS]

Thanks Wes. I no longer have the M6.

It was nothing against the Leica M6 model itself. It was just that I never liked the chrome M6 I had; it felt really rough compared to other Leica Ms. But I wouldn't think twice about getting a nice black one down the road.

 

[LeicaFan]

Thanks Wes, I no longer have the M6.

It was nothing against the Leica M6 model it self. It was just a matter of I never liked the chrome M6 I had , it felt really rough compared to other other Leica M. But wouldnt think twice about getting a nice black one down the road.

I've noticed that most people prefer the black ones. Stealth look, maybe?

I'm a sucker for silver/chrome ones.

 

[peter_n]

This thread is nearly a year old... Just wondering what the OP bought? FWIW this is an MP3:

 

[Biggles]

Ain't bought nuthin' yet! Have been keeping an eye open for a .85 M-Something at a price I can justify for a design I'm not over-fond of that I'll maybe take ten rolls a year with, while trying hard to buy and not to buy a ZM to replace my disintegrating fleet of air-to-surface CLs and kill one and a half birds with.

I need a stiff drink. And maybe a nice Lomo.

 

[jsrockit]

MP if money is no object
M6 for a bargain
M7 if you need auto modes

 

[Guaranteed]

I've been wanting an M6 for awhile now because of all of the framelines, but I gotta say I wasn't to keen on the size of the 50 lines on either the .72 or the .85. I guess I've just gotten used to the shooting right eye with both eyes open on my R3A.

For only a handful of rolls a year maybe it would be worth a look, seeing most of the time it would be sitting on a shelf/in a bag and spend the difference on glass. Just a thought.

 

[MCTuomey]

MP if money is no object
M6 for a bargain
M7 if you need auto modes

Exactly

The M6 VF is upgradeable, so you can functionally approach an MP at a better price.

 

[Dwayneb9584]

When I was shopping for my first rangefinder I looked at Voightlanders and Leica M6's. I didn't like the viewfinder much in the R3M so I then checked out Leica over at B&H. The one I was going to get was about $1200.00 for the body at the time and it was way to dusty and worn so I knew I would have to get it cla'd. The viewfinder wasn't of my preference either. So I did my research and checked out the Zeiss Ikon. I was sold on the viewfinder on that bad boy man. It's unlike any other viewfinder I've looked through. I'd go for the Zeiss Ikon if I were you and use the rest of the cash to get a 35mm Summilux pre-asph unless you already have this lens. Buy some more film and shoot with it. I hang out a lot with friends and go to the bar a lot. It's amazing in low light and can't beat the price tag. It has the AE option as well, although I mainly use it as a manual camera and don't like to rely on the AE. But it is a great option and can come in handy for quick shots.

 

[vz7]

Does anyone know what the M6 Millennium has the same upgraded viewfinder as the MP? Cos my M6 TTL flares quite badly but not the MP as I have been told.

 

[dof]

Does anyone know what the M6 Millennium has the same upgraded viewfinder as the MP? Cos my M6 TTL flares quite badly but not the MP as I have been told.

The M6 TTL Millennium and LHSA models feature the standard "flare-prone" viewfinders of the stock M6 TTL.

 

[hlockwood]

Well, I'll join the chorus of anecdotes. I bought the M7/0.85 new, with upgraded VF and DX reader several years ago. I thought I was a 35/75 shooter, but it turns out I'm more of a 50 shooter, especially with the Elmar-M (latest version). AE is important for me, and I'm not overly concerned about electronics reliability. The M7 gives me dead-on exposures every time, provided I meter the correct surface in the frame. Battery lifetime is really a non-issue in practice; I keep a couple in the car and a couple in the bag.

For a critical photo shoot, I suppose a second body (M3, M6) would be nice but weight would be a consideration for me. I take my chances by carrying a pocketable Canon G9, hardly ever used though, and never in an emergency.

There have been a lot of good suggestions here, but there is something important to keep in mind. If you buy used and find you're unhappy with your choice, you'll likely recoup most of your investment in a sale. Then move on to another candidate. After all, you're not making a lifetime decision.

Harry

 

[zerobuttons]

Ain't bought nuthin' yet! Have been keeping an eye open for a .85 M-Something at a price I can justify for a design I'm not over-fond of that I'll maybe take ten rolls a year with, while trying hard to buy and not to buy a ZM to replace my disintegrating fleet of air-to-surface CLs and kill one and a half birds with.

I need a stiff drink. And maybe a nice Lomo.

It seems to me that prices on second-hand M-bayonet cameras have been going up lately, so you should probably begin finalizing your decision, if you want to pay a decent price - or wait even longer and see if prices go down again within the next year or two.

Right now, the general price demanded for a used, dinged Konica Hexar RF is 1.5-2 times the price I paid for a mint complete set (with Hexanon 50/2 and flash) two years ago. And Leica MP second-hand prices are far from realistic at the moment.....

I cannot quite decide in which part of the world you are situated. Maybe you should tell us that, and then the guys here from around you could tell you which dealers should have something like the camera you want.
You seem to have been narrowing in on a decision, judging from your last few posts.

EDIT:
I looked at your gallery just now, and it seems you wander around in NY, NY. Plenty of choices, then. But I guess some dealers are more recommendable than others.

 

[tom_uk]

I faced the same question a couple of years ago, and for me the answer was a .85 M6TTL. It was cheaper (by quite a lot) than the s/h M7 they had in the shop. However, at just 10 years old it was a lot younger than either of the M6 classics that were also available, so although they were even cheaper I was happy to pay the small extra cost for the TTL to get a camera that was 10 years old rather than nearly 20. I would probably have been happy with a .72 - indeed, the M6 Classics and the M7 were .72 - but as it happened the .85 was what the TTL was.

I don't use it a lot, but when I do I enjoy it very much. After buying a 50mm lens to begin with, I now have the classic trio of lenses: 35mm, 50mm & 90mm. The .85 viewfinder is OK for the 35mm, and excellent for the 50mm & 90mm.

 

[Biggles]

Ain't bought nuthin' yet! Have been keeping an eye open for a .85 M-Something at a price I can justify for a design I'm not over-fond of that I'll maybe take ten rolls a year with, while trying hard to buy and not to buy a ZM to replace my disintegrating fleet of air-to-surface CLs and kill one and a half birds with.

I need a stiff drink. And maybe a nice Lomo.

Because a few of you asked, and because I'm still grateful for all the advice I got... exhuming this thread to state that I've finally bought something.

Could not, in the end, resign myself to splashing out for a proper M body, mostly due to the size & weight, but also due to the fact that loading it in the field will be at least as three-handed as with my present CLs. Have just given an I'll Take It on a used black Zeiss Ikon ZM body I spotted at a reasonable price.

Rationale: I can apparently use my favorite 40/2 Summicron on it with the 35mm frames pegged, it loads like my old OM-1n, and it's not very heavy. In fact, having played with a couple of store demo units, I find it handles kinda like a corn-fed CL with autoexposure. I think I'l do all right with it.

Thanks again for the opinions. They weren't wasted. Lottery money will go toward a black .72 MP, come the day.

 

[seakayaker1]

Good Luck with ZI, please update after you have run a few rolls of film through the camera with the 50mm and let us know your thoughts. You certainly were patient and did the research and would love to hear your closing thoughts after having time to use the camera you choose.

 

[Biggles]

Thank you, and will do.

(And judging from your handle, you, sir, might appreciate better than some where my MP fund went.)

 

[_mark__]

Good choice, hope you enjoy using it to shoot stuff like Bronze Apple which is fantastic!

 

[seakayaker1]

Thank you, and will do.

(And judging from your handle, you, sir, might appreciate better than some where my MP fund went.)

A beautiful Kayak!

It also looks like a beautiful location that you found to paddle.

 

[notraces]

How does the M6 have better quality control than the MP? I'm curious.

The M6 & MP are very much similar cameras, with the MP having btter quality control. The M7 has the AE feature. Thus it comes down to a pretty fast AE camera, or a camera without the AE.

Ive had my M7 for 10 months and I love its ease of use. Switch it on, focus, shoot.