Will M6 reissue mean meter repair parts will now be in stock for the Classic?

[David Hughes]

According to my old camera repairman friend (now long since retired), even during the run of M6 model cameras the meter and its circuitry changed a few times, and was thus incompatible from the end of the run to the beginning of the run, with a couple of changes in between. It would make no sense at all to try to revivify 1970-era electronics for the light meter in a "new" retro-classic M6.

Personally, I'd be more enthused if they revivified the M4 (or -2, -P variants) ... just a simple, all mechanical, batteryless M ... and to heck with the built-in meter. It's easy to set the exposure in daylight by guess, and I have half a dozen excellent meters anyway. That's one of the reasons that, while I once had an M6 and M6TTL, I prefer and continue to enjoy a nice M4-2 that I bought a dozen years ago. The availability of a new example of one of these cameras ... exactly as they were when introduced 50-40 some years ago ... would be a great thing.

G

Another vote for the M4 here but the price of them used and in in vgc (even allowing for a complete overhaul) might mean the extra for a new one would kill sales. OTOH there's a lot of us would like one...

Regards, David

 

[jsrockit]

What's wrong with the M-A and the MP? You have a choice between meter and no meter. Drop the price $500 for a limited time and Bob's your uncle. Then they wouldn't have to build a new camera. Of course I know that's not the way the Leica game is played. The new camera has to be limited edition with slotted screws instead of Phillips head screws to give Leica owners something to boast about. Obviously, the slotted screws more authentic. All the Barnacks had slotted screws.

Well, if they are selling all of the M-A and MPs they can make (and cannot make more according to Leica), and they figure out how to make more M6s, that is a way to make money for the company. They want to make money while they can I would imagine.

 

[Godfrey]

While I wasn't thinking that electronically the new meter would be a match, my concern was whether it would be physically possible to use the new meter in an older body. Will have to wait for the new camera to be introduced to find out.

I'm happy with my M4-P also, with a VC II for those situations when it's hard to discern a good solution on the fly.

PF

That's an interesting thought. I don't know how interchangeable the various metering bits on even the older M6 classic bodies were between the various revisions; given the level of angst and antipathy that old Friedrich expressed about it, I don't think they were very easily interchangable. 😉

G

 

[ptpdprinter]

Well, if they are selling all of the M-A and MPs they can make (and cannot make more according to Leica), and they figure out how to make more M6s, that is a way to make money for the company. They want to make money while they can I would imagine.

It seems to me that if you don't have the resources, human and otherwise, to make enough M-As and MPs to meet demand, you probably aren't going to have the resources, human and otherwise, to make M6s in addition to M-As and MPs. But maybe they are shutting the M-A and MP line down to make a limited run of M6s, throwing the M-As and MPs even further behind schedule. Maybe that works financially because a lot of people are interested in limited editions and will buy them up fast, and the demand for ordinary everyday ho-hum M-As and MPs will still be there when they get around to making them again. Besides, if a Leica guy will cheerfully wait nine months to get his sensor replaced, no telling how long he will wait to get his order filled for an M-A or MP. I mean it's not not like anyone else is making film rangefinders. But I don't know anything about it and am just guessing. I am sure Leica is not taking a loss to make these M6s, if that is even what they are making. Actually, given all the ink spilled on forums and rumor mill websites about a limited edition M6, I am kind of hoping that's not what Leica will be making. Has Leica offered a limited edition titanium Sofort with exotic leathers yet?

 

[jsrockit]

It seems to me that if you don't have the resources, human and otherwise, to make enough M-As and MPs to meet demand, you probably aren't going to have the resources, human and otherwise, to make M6s in addition to M-As and MPs. But maybe they are shutting the M-A and MP line down to make a limited run of M6s, throwing the M-As and MPs even further behind schedule. Maybe that works financially because a lot of people are interested in limited editions and will buy them up fast, and the demand for ordinary everyday ho-hum M-As and MPs will still be there when they get around to making them again. Besides, if a Leica guy will cheerfully wait nine months to get his sensor replaced, no telling how long he will wait to get his order filled for an M-A or MP. I mean it's not not like anyone else is making film rangefinders. But I don't know anything about it and am just guessing. I am sure Leica is not taking a loss to make these M6s, if that is even what they are making.

I understand your point and it could be I am naive to how these cameras are made. I do know Leica says they cannot make more M-A and MPs than they already do. That leads me to believe the M6 will not be made in the same place by the same people. I do know they have multiple factories and maybe they could figure out how to make the M6 elsewhere (i.e. in a different place than the other two). I really have no clue.

 

[David Hughes]

I understand your point and it could be I am naive to how these cameras are made. I do know Leica says they cannot make more M-A and MPs than they already do. That leads me to believe the M6 will not be made in the same place by the same people. I do know they have multiple factories and maybe they could figure out how to make the M6 elsewhere (i.e. in a different place than the other two). I really have no clue.

It's a thought, isn't it? It would not be the first time Leicas have been made elsewhere; think of the Fuji and Minolta versions. Mine are still going strong; even the digital one.

Regards, David

 

[ptpdprinter]

I understand your point and it could be I am naive to how these cameras are made. I do know Leica says they cannot make more M-A and MPs than they already do. That leads me to believe the M6 will not be made in the same place by the same people. I do know they have multiple factories and maybe they could figure out how to make the M6 elsewhere (i.e. in a different place than the other two). I really have no clue.

I'm not sure how Leica guys will feel if their limited edition M6 reissues say Made in Portugal. Might take a little bloom off the rose. Do they even have elves in Portugal?

 

[Nitroplait]

Leica is already doing all the production they can get away with in Portugal - they just assemble what is necessary in Germany to put the "Made in Germany" label on their products.
It is a bit like Louis Vuitton shoes. They are made in Romania and sendt to Italy and France to have the sole attached.
Generally it is required in the EU that the "made in.." country must be the one where most of the value have been added, and Louis Vuitton claims the sole of the shoe is most important part of a shoe, thus justifying their shoes are marked Made in Italy or Made in France.

 

[raydm6]

Depending on what transpires, we may need to start a separate thread to discuss the shutter speed dial direction lol. 🙂

What the f&%#, over? For the life of me I can't understand why Leica
changed the direction of the shutter speed dial on the M6ttl and the
previous bodies. I had a M6ttl and and m4p and was constantly cussing
this. Traded the M4p in on a new MP a year ago and still get dicked
when I switch back and forth. Pisses me off. What was the logic?
Sometimes I have to 'push' the dial, other times I have to 'pull'
it....AAARRRGh!​

joe_murphy|1, Aug 22, 2004

 

[ptpdprinter]

Depending on what transpires, we may need to start a separate thread to discuss the shutter speed dial direction lol. 🙂

Just sell the one you don't like and buy the one you do like. Are people keeping the ones they don't like just so they can complain about it? Meanwhile, people in the Third World are starving to death.

 

[jsrockit]

Meanwhile, people in the Third World are starving to death.

Well, people own Leicas everywhere and are starving everywhere.

 

[ptpdprinter]

Well, people own Leicas everywhere and are starving everywhere.

Yes, people are starving everywhere. Probably not many of them own Leicas, though there are undoubtedly a few fanatics that would rather starve to death than sell their Leicas to buy food, particularly if they were the black paint versions with even serial numbers.

 

[David Hughes]

Wouldn't it be great if, after sorting out the film camera, they started think and then making the Digilux-2 again but this time with a few more pixels? Even 8 would be great but nothing else to be changed, please, please...

As for starvation and floods etc; just get your plastic out, like buying a Leica, and very easy and simple.

Regards, David

 

[jsrockit]

Wouldn't it be great if, after sorting out the film camera, they started think and then making the Digilux-2 again but this time with a few more pixels? Even 8 would be great but nothing else to be changed, please, please...

Well Leica and Panasonic are partnering up on something... https://www.dpreview.com/news/76897...tegic-agreement-joint-development-leica-lumix

That said, an 8mp camera would be extremely expensive at this point since it would be a custom sensor. Much easier to just use a 24mp sensor that is already around.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Wouldn't it be great if, after sorting out the film camera, they started think and then making the Digilux-2 again but this time with a few more pixels? Even 8 would be great but nothing else to be changed, please, please...

Way too tiny market.

 

[farlymac]

I understand your point and it could be I am naive to how these cameras are made. I do know Leica says they cannot make more M-A and MPs than they already do. That leads me to believe the M6 will not be made in the same place by the same people. I do know they have multiple factories and maybe they could figure out how to make the M6 elsewhere (i.e. in a different place than the other two). I really have no clue.

I think the first hint is the Red Dot says Leitz, not Leica, even though they gave some lame historical reason for doing that.

PF

 

[ptpdprinter]

I think the first hint is the Red Dot says Leitz, not Leica, even though they gave some lame historical reason for doing that.

PF

Not sure how that’s a hint if it is just a rumor.

 

[Nitroplait]

I was under the impression that Leica don't have the right to use the Leitz name. Wasn't that era over when the Leitz family sold the company?

 

[raydm6]

I was under the impression that Leica don't have the right to use the Leitz name. Wasn't that era over when the Leitz family sold the company?

There's a bit of information out there but it's a little fuzzy to me. I think it had to do with shareholder changeover in 1986.

1986 Leitz sold the rest of the stake to Wild and merged into that company: end of Leitz Werke

https://reddotcamera.net/leica-timeline/

1986

FORMATION OF THE WILD LEITZ AG GROUP

Merger of Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and Wild Heerbrugg AG forming the Wild Leitz AG Group.


LEITZ COMPANY CHANGED ITS NAME TO LEICA


The Leitz Company changed its name to Leica due to the strength of the brand. The Leica camera division became a private, independent company, Leica GmbH. At the time, Leica transferred its factory from the city of Wetzlar to the neighboring town of Solms.

 

[David Hughes]

Way too tiny market.

Hmmm, 28 to 90mm f/2 to f/2.4 zoom lens, 2s to a 4000th and I said even 8 megapixels because I'd suggested more pixels; I mean what's wrong with that?

Regards, David