Is it fake?

[flippyot]

HELP!

My brother just bought a Leica off ebay after I told him not to until he did his research. I told him to stick with his current camera, he's been shooting with a Cannonet GL and has some great pics with it, but he wanted something special for himself before he took off for art school. Can you guys check to see if this Leica is a fake?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270277293285

Thank in advance for your help.

 

[dexdog]

no,that looks like a real M6. Fakes are not a problem with M mount leicas, although they are a concern with screw mount (Barnack) leicas because of the various copies, such as the FEDs and Zorkis, made in the USSR after WW 2.

 

[Rogrund]

Actually, I have never heard of a M-mount fake Leica. Are there any?

 

[oscroft]

There's nothing fake about that as far as I can see. As far as I know there aren't really any M series fakes apart from fakes of rare and expensive models (made from more common Ms), and a 0.85 M6 isn't rare or valuable enough to ruin another M in order to fake.

 

[Artorius]

Looks good to me.

Looks good to me.

Any particular reason for wanting the .85? A .72 would be a bit cheaper, and better suited to wides.

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

yeah that looks pretty real, your bro will be fine.

 

[RichardB]

From the pictures it is not fake. I have one 0.85 Classic M6's but the price is way too high.
I would be more worried about recieving it from Hong Kong then anything else.-Dick

 

[kipkeston]

looks good. will be nice with a 50

 

[George S.]

Your brother should have listened to you, if for no other reason than he could have saved himself big bucks by buying an M6 from a RFF member. But I know it seems these things run in cycles. I myself recently bought a basically NOS M6 from the UK, but it was a very good deal, but now look how many M6's have been for sale here.

 

[b&w]

looks legit... but if he really wanted something special, he should have bought a MP!! 😉

but seriously, camera looks legit, serial number is consistent with limited number of production sets of the 0.85x. leatherette looks to be coming unglued a little at on the front, but other than that, looks in good shape.

whether the seller gives 10% to charity might be a different story...

 

[Rik]

looks good, a bit expensive though.
funny, the booklet has the title 'handleiding' which is the dutch word for manual. Being in the Netherlands, it's weird to see an obviously dutch camera being sold out of HK to the US..

 

[Steve Bellayr]

$1400 is about the price of an M6 Classic LN condition. .85x is more & believe it or not the box adds to the price. I don't know about the rarity of the .85x for the Classic. That might be an issue in the price.

 

[rlouzan]

Yes, the classic Leica M6 .85 is rare and collectible.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800601508-USE/Leica_10413_Pre_TTL_M6_HM_Hi_Magnification.html

http://www.cameraquest.com/m685.htm

 

[Broke]

Also missing the take up "flower" on the bottom plate -- ? taken for a rapidwinder?

 

[Vincenzo Maielli]

Why a fake? It's a real Leica M6 black chrome. Keep in mind that the famous russian fakes are only based on the Zorki and FED model and concerning only the LTM Leicas, never the M Leicas.
Ciao.
Vincenzo

 

[Stu W]

Actually, I have never heard of a M-mount fake Leica. Are there any?

I would guess fake collectibles, like black paints, mp's etc. Stu

 

[flippyot]

Thanks for all your help guys!

My bro will be relieved. When he told me he boght it I mentioned my concerns of it being fake. From then on he was searching like mad to find out if it is a fake. I'll pass this on to him.

 

[Rogrund]

I would guess fake collectibles, like black paints, mp's etc. Stu

Yes, of course. You're absolutely right.

 

[erikhaugsby]

Actually, I have never heard of a M-mount fake Leica. Are there any?

And though they aren't fakes per se, the Red Flag 20 series of cameras are a rather close copy of the M4.

 

[Windscale]

I have not seen a Leica M fake before. It is difficult to fake the smoothness and shutter feel of the Leica M not to mention the shape. But having said that anything can happen on the Bay where one cannot see the actual item. The Manual does look funny. The word "Handleiding" does not seem to be German. It is also not English. So, there are doubts. My theory is: If in doubt, chuck it out"