Any tips on what to look out for in a M6 Classic?

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kennylovrin

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Hey guys

I'll be going to check a M6 Classic tonight, I've only seen photos of it and looks good in those. I wanted to ask if anyone has any tips on specific things I should check? I got one tip from a local guy saying I should make sure the pressure plate doesn't have too heavy scratches as that would indicate loads and loads of rolls have gone through the camera. He also mentioned checking the lens mount to see that it isn't overly worn.

I've never held a camera like this in my hands before, I've just read eveything should feel very smooth, levers, dials etc.

I guess checking the shutter speed is a bit harder, but I can at least make sure they don't hang on the longer speeds by ear I guess.

The seller is asking ~€1000 for the camera, might be able to get it down a bit, but I would expect it stops a ~€940.

Any other tips?

Thanks!
 
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there is a lot that can be checked:

first, it's probably good to have a few lenses and see if they all agree on infinity with the RF, then, check the meter against another meter. see if the meter shuts down after a few seconds.
Personally I would do a test film, checking close distance focusing, film spacing, and running all speeds on the same image to look for the shutter consistency.
also, open the rear door, and check both curtains (before and after winding) for pinpoint holes.
 
great advice Michael. i would also check for more obvious types of damage such as :

• corrosion inside the battery chamber

• bent extremities (advance lever, rewind shaft, rewind knob)

• loose top cover

• shutter button "smoothness." i bought an M4 once that had a gritty feeling button that turned out to be a bent rod underneath the button.

• push the focusing arm in and out to see if it gets stuck or for rough spots (had a problem with this on the same M4)

• damage or deterioration to the viewfinder. fungus/haze/seperation.

• strap lug wear

•maybe give it a good shake to see if anything rattles :D
 
Don't spend all night inspecting the camera with a fine tooth comb. You'll know whether you want the camera or not within the first five minutes. If you have any doubt, walk away. Don't take up the seller's time and expect him to bend over backwards to convince you that the camera is good.

Most sellers are honest people who want to sell their camera - usually for economic reasons. You don't want to piss the seller off treating him like a thief and a cheat.

If the camera looks ok, like it was coddled and didn't have a hard life, it should work ok. Every thing needs a lube eventually. Budget for it.

Spend more time checking the seller out.
Do you feel comfortable buying anything from this guy?
You think he's like your rff buddies?
Engage him in small talk. Is he helpful with advice and goes on about the great times he had with the camera?
Or Is he dismissive, full of hot air and bluster? Does he lie about little things? People in certain professions earn their living by making rotten fish look and smell fresh. Avoid these guys.
Given a choice between a perfect looking camera from a shifty guy and a beat up camera from an honest guy, I know what I'd choose.

If unidentifiable parts fall out of the camera when you take the base plate off, the rf is at infinity when the lens is at 3 meters, and all the while the seller is extolling it's virtues with a straight face - run!
 
yes, also give the seller a good shake to see if anything rattles :)

funkydog said:
Don't spend all night inspecting the camera with a fine tooth comb. You'll know whether you want the camera or not within the first five minutes. If you have any doubt, walk away. Don't take up the seller's time and expect him to bend over backwards to convince you that the camera is good.

Most sellers are honest people who want to sell their camera - usually for economic reasons. You don't want to piss the seller off treating him like a thief and a cheat.

If the camera looks ok, like it was coddled and didn't have a hard life, it should work ok. Every thing needs a lube eventually. Budget for it.

Spend more time checking the seller out.
Do you feel comfortable buying anything from this guy?
You think he's like your rff buddies?
Engage him in small talk. Is he helpful with advice and goes on about the great times he had with the camera?
Or Is he dismissive, full of hot air and bluster? Does he lie about little things? People in certain professions earn their living by making rotten fish look and smell fresh. Avoid these guys.
Given a choice between a perfect looking camera from a shifty guy and a beat up camera from an honest guy, I know what I'd choose.

If unidentifiable parts fall out of the camera when you take the base plate off, the rf is at infinity when the lens is at 3 meters, and all the while the seller is extolling it's virtues with a straight face - run!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the tips guys! There are a few things I will check out, but I don't think I will actually run a roll of film through then go back home and develop it. If the camera looks and feels ok I think I will jump on it unless the guy is completely shady. :)

There is a bit of a funny story behind how I found this camera, and from one perspective it's really strange, from another completely explainable. I might share that later if I have the energy (might be of no entertaining value for anyone except me). :)

But that is also the reason why I wanted to at least have some tips on things to look for.
 
I would also check for RF patch flare. Some M6s have it, some don't. It can be quite annoying under certain circumstances.

Good luck with the M6, please tell us the story behind the camera if you end up buying it!
 
Wow, do you guys really throughly test cameras the way you are telling the OP to?

Pretty extensive lists. I just ask if it works 100%. Most people are honest when selling. If they aren't, I send it back.
 
Great advice above! Here's some additional things:

Check slow speeds. One second should sound like one second.

Early M6 Classics have an engraged top plate saying they were made in Wetzlar. I mention that because I like engraved top plates.

Delicately run your finger along the pressure plate and inside edges to feel for burrs that might scratch the film.

When testing the meter, try it at different ISO speeds. Sometimes the contacts get henky.

I now it has been mentioned but I will stress that you should definitely check for battery corrosion.

Ask for a body cap.

Check for the cap that covers the PC plug.

Wax seals are meaningless on this model, as far as I can tell.

Rewind should be almost free spinning. Any grinding, binding, sluggishness means that it was probably dropped. As you know, everything else should feel like butter.

Regarding finder flare, you need to test this in different types of light. For exmaple, mine only does it when used in dim light, like at night on a street. Something else: I noticed it on the first 12 frames I shot in daylight with my M6 Classic, then never noticed it again (except the odd occasion when shooting at night). I tell you this so that you don't get turned off from a prefectly good camera. Apparently, the flare has something to do with how you position your eyes (though a MP condensor fixes it entirely). Boy was I heart broken when I saw that finder flare! Now, not a problem at all.
 
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kennylovrin said:
There is a bit of a funny story behind how I found this camera, and from one perspective it's really strange, from another completely explainable. I might share that later if I have the energy (might be of no entertaining value for anyone except me). :)
Click to expand...

So it was stolen from Lenny Kravitz??? ;-)
 
thanks for all the tips, I went to check out the camera and couldn't find any obvious issues so i bought it. couldn't get the price down though, but still think it was a fair deal.

the guy had owned it for 6 years and said he had bought it off an old man before that, wether that is the truth or not i have no idea, but he seemed like an honest guy.

i just checked the serial and it seems to have been manufactured in 1988, and if so i would consider it to be in really good shape with all those years on it's back.

so this one has the engraving on top that baisao is mentioning. all contact surfaces like pressure plate and lens mount etc looks really good and the overall shape just looks good in my eyes at least. he wanted to sell me his 50mm collapsible elmar as well but i didn't get that, needed to check it out first and a quick check tonight made it seem like it wasn't really for me, but i don't know much about it at this stage.

anyway, now i have the camera, nothing else to do than go out and shoot with it and hope for the best. :) i have to say though, the finder of the r-d1 i have replaced with the m6 was nicer, at least from looking through it just now after getting the m6. i think it is the magnification of 1x in the r-d1, other than that the finder in this m6 is completely clear and free of dust, so there is no complaining there. :)

i can come back tomorrow with photos of it etc if that is of any interest at all. :)

thanks!

kenny
 
baisao said:
So it was stolen from Lenny Kravitz??? ;-)
Click to expand...

i can write that story down here tomorrow, but i think what happened was that i was scared/suspicious of him robbing me of my r-d1, while at the same time i think he was scared/suspicious of being robbed by me on his m6. the combination of that kind of resulted in a slightly strange set of emails being exchanged, and me trying to look him up online and just becoming more paranoid. :)
 
funkydog said:
Cool!

Aw man... yer gonna wish ya did... someday.. :)
Click to expand...

When he asked me and I said no I first thought "will I regret this?" Then when I got home I googled it real quick. Is there something specially nice that makes it worth having? I could just go and buy it from him tomorrow more or less. I'm just not sure if its something I would want to have?
 
Nigel Meaby said:
Was it the first or second version Elmar f2.8 (second version has "50" on the barrel)? Or was it an f3.5?
Click to expand...

I didn't look that closely to be honest. :) I'm fairly sure it said elmar and not elmar-m and 2.8, but I never looked at the side of the barrel if that is what you mean, only on the front ring. I also remember it had a round focus knob, but maybe they all do in this case.

Is there a specific version of them I should definitely buy? :)
 
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