Hi Frank,
Hi Frank,
FrankS said:
Welcome. Since you have actually owned and used both cameras, just for interest's sake, how do you compare the 2 cameras?
I'm interested in hearing opinions from people who have used BOTH. Not so interested in the owner of just one of the cameras jumping to its defense.
Comparing the two . . . here is what I thought.
The Zeiss Ikon and Leica M6 is two very different thing.
I have bad eyes (need eyeglasses),
so ZI's viewfinder is much much more easier to focus.
It's big, bright, and I am sure I focus more accurately with it.
M6's 0.78 viewfinder is smaller, and cannot compare.
Shutter sound:
ZI's sound is sort of a click sound,
whereas Leica is more of a 'snick' sound.
Anyway, I don't really care, both are hardly noticable in the street or quiet restaurant.
Build:
We all know how Leicas are build to be like.
Strong, solid, and tough.
ZI is much lighter.
Knock on the top plate, and you know the plate is not as thick as Leica. But after using it I feel it is equally strong. The body is rigid, doors are not flimsy. It's really Zinc alloy vs Magnesium alloy. The difference is really the feeling of weight in my hands.
Durability
ZI's shutter . . . It's a Nidec Copal Shutter.
Identical to the one in Bessa R4m. This I am certain.
ZI's insides, the spools are plastic.
Rails are spockless, smooth aluminium structure I think?
The chasis is not copper silium for sure (as used in Contax).
Requires battery to operate the shutter.
Since the shutter is linked to a quartz timer (my guess, after studying diagrams for sometime), though never confirmed, I think ZI's shutter has the ability doesn't need cleaning and lubing to remain accurate.
Overall, ZI with AE makes taking photos faster.
But still at the end of the day, I would buy a Leica.
Somethings are not in specs or material specifications.
It's the feel of it in your hands, the way it operate.
Final verdict, sometime later,
I will re-buy a Zeiss Ikon, and have both cameras.
😀
