Does circuitry make M6TTL less durable than M3 to M6/MP

[Asim]

Since the M6TTL has all the electric circuitry for its TTL flash capability, would it be a less reliable camera in bad weather (rain, snow) than any leica from the M3 to the M6 as well as the MP?

If you agree with the above, would you say the M7 and the M6TTL share the same lack of reliability compared to other Leica M bodies?

 

[N.delaRua]

....The M6 is a durable camera. What would make you think otherwise?

 

[Asim]

yes i agree that the M6TTL is a very durable camera. But I'm just wondering if the added circuitry makes it a bit more fragile than other fully mechanical M bodies. Or has it withstood the rigours of the world well over the decades?

 

[Field]

It would seem unlikely since cameras with light sensors and TTL have been proven in battle repeatedly by companies that make cheaper cameras than Leica. LCD's are a more notable failure.

 

[RichardB]

DC-3's or C47's are considered reliable airplanes and many have flown for decades but would you rather fly a DC-3 or 777?
The shutter of an M6TTL is completely mechanical and its only the circuitry for the meter and flash that has electronic components.
The M7 on the other hand has s shutter controlled by the electronics except for 1/60 and 1/125 which will operate mechanically if the voltage is low.
Me I use mostly a pair of M7's and don't worry at all.
Life is just too short.-Dick

 

[jordanstarr]

Depends what you mean by "durable". I recently did a repair on my M6TTL, took the top off, did the repair (a broken winder on a camera that had less than 50 rolls put through it -does that make it fragile?), put it all back together and my meter wasn't working. It was because I screwed in my rewind "too tight". I have zero idea how anything in the winder would relate to the meter and it makes no sense. But I went through all the problem solving and diagnosis steps for an hour and it literally would turn off with half a turn tighter. I thought this was a very fragile aspect of the camera as it can bang around in my bag all day, get used 2-8 hours a day and not have any problems. Then you tighten something and it shuts down. The whole process also misaligned my vertical focus ever so slightly as well. So, fragile....maybe. I've had the top of my M2 off a few times and it's smoother functioning and has caused me less problems for sure.

 

[thegman]

More parts = more points of potential failure. Theoretically, the M6 should be less reliable than an M3, assuming they are made to the same standard. However, the M6 is newer, and probably has taken less of a beating, so in reality, it's anyone's guess which is more reliable.

 

[N.delaRua]

I guess this is more of a hypothetical question, but many people have used M6's for a long time. To me anything that is serviceable has and added level of durability. I've heard (maybe untrue) shutter parts for an FM2 are unobtainable. That makes the camera considerably less "durable" in my eyes in a kinda of "test of time" context. So if it fails.... bye bye. It seems Leica and many independent repair men stand by fixing film Leicas, so I've never worried about my M6. What is the worst that I could do as I am not a professional putting bread on the table with my M6.

 

[jsrockit]

I've heard (maybe untrue) shutter parts for an FM2 are unobtainable. That makes the camera considerably less "durable" in my eyes in a kinda of "test of time" context. So if it fails.... bye bye.

That may be true... but they are so cheap and ubiquitous that you can throw it in the gutter and go buy another.

 

[rxmd]

Since the M6TTL has all the electric circuitry for its TTL flash capability, would it be a less reliable camera in bad weather (rain, snow) than any leica from the M3 to the M6 as well as the MP?

I don't know what you're afraid of, but you'd have to do rather stupid things to break your Leica in bad weather.

The people who ask these questions are normally those who are rather protective about their gear and are unlikely to have weather-related trouble.

And in spite of thinking hard about it I fail to see how the weather would make a difference with regards to the flash circuitry. If the circuit board does break, you have to swap it - M5, M6 with our without TTL, M7, MP, same thing everywhere.

You're infinitely more likely to drop your Leica and break it, no matter what model, than to lose it to a weather-related TTL circuitry malfunction.

 

[DonaldJ.]

M5 is 100% different then anything else. it wont swap into a M6. The m6 non ttl and the M6 TTL are much different too. Im not sure if they would swap. M7 is 100% different too due to the hybrid shutter. the one im not sure about is the MP.

I don't know what you're afraid of, but you'd have to do rather stupid things to break your Leica in bad weather.

The people who ask these questions are normally those who are rather protective about their gear and are unlikely to have weather-related trouble.

And in spite of thinking hard about it I fail to see how the weather would make a difference with regards to the flash circuitry. If the circuit board does break, you have to swap it - M5, M6 with our without TTL, M7, MP, same thing everywhere.

You're infinitely more likely to drop your Leica and break it, no matter what model, than to lose it to a weather-related TTL circuitry malfunction.