M6 - Black or Chrome

M6 - Black or Chrome

  • Black

    Votes: 443 61.9%

  • Chrome

    Votes: 273 38.1%
  • Total voters
    716
maddoc is right about condition being important especially with a limited quantity model. That said, titanium should be much more resistant to scratching/denting than brass or zinc top plates. I used to cut titanium as a machinist in the aerospace industry. It's tough, beautiful stuff. I think Stephen at cameraquest.com has some articles about titanium Leicas. Good Luck. Joe
 
Mine was one of the first few out and Black was the only option. While I own/ed several chrome cameras, black is always my first preference in camera bodies. Get her a Chrome Bessa L and call it even.

B2 (;->
 
Livesteamer said:
... titanium should be much more resistant to scratching/denting than brass or zinc top plates.
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Unfortunately the M6 titanium finish is merely a thin layer plated onto brass. It's reasonably tough, but does chip and scratch if it receives enough abuse (and looks quite nasty when it goes). The M7 titanium however is machined from a solid Ti block, so in theory that should be the toughest Leica ever (not that I'd ever want to put that theory to the test!)

Best reason I can think of to buy the titanium M6 would be if you really, REALLY wanted a brass top plate. I believe Leica went back to brass for those models because they couldn't get the Ti plating to adhere to zinc.
 
Black. I have a black chrome m7 and a silver chrome m6 and the m6 always gets way too much attention. I usually get remarks like "that is an expensive camera" or " I have always wanted one of those" . It does make me feel a little uncomfortable.
 
I've been toying with the idea of swapping the moving bits on my user condition black chrome M6 TTL with chrome replacement. A bit like the M6 green safari version, but in black or like the M6 panda, but in reverse. The chrome parts are a bit elusive though, especially the shutter speed dial. Anyway, I wonder if it will look out of place. Perhaps I'll just leave it alone.

Cheers,
 
I have a strange behavior with this topic. I like chrome with classic rewind knobs or no rewind knobs (Screw Leicas, M3, M2, Classic MP, M8) and I prefer black with the diagonal fast rewind knob (M4, M6, M7).
 
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ClaremontPhoto said:
i laugh (inside) when people look at my Leica and say 'That's a nice Kodak'.

Brand names matter to some people. Not me.

Yes, it's a nice Kodak.

Why bother?
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Reminds me of a BBQ with german ppl some weeks ago when using my chrome M4.

"Is that an Olympus?"

I just couldn't let that pass by though which triggered the next statement from the germans "Oh!? I have one of those (referring to Leica III's). You know, the Leica RF concept was invented by the russians."

I never heard this one before... any foundation to the statement? I wonder what old Barnack would say to that.
 
SOJO said:
Reminds me of a BBQ with german ppl some weeks ago when using my chrome M4.

"Is that an Olympus?"

I just couldn't let that pass by though which triggered the next statement from the germans "Oh!? I have one of those (referring to Leica III's). You know, the Leica RF concept was invented by the russians."

I never heard this one before... any foundation to the statement? I wonder what old Barnack would say to that.
Click to expand...

Weren't these germans östies educated in the DDR?
 
My M3 is chrome, and it goes well with my chrome lenses. It also looks classic in chrome. I found a very clean used M6 with 0.85 in black. If it had been chrome, I still would have bought an M6. I have a chrome Canon P, and now a painted black P [not from factory] is on the way to me. Both are beautiful.
 
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